E/CN.4/1990/46 page 57 conflicts between entire religious communities, there are situations in which the activities of extremist or fanatical factions are the main cause of discriminatory practices or of violent outbursts of a religious nature. In fact, the intransigence of extremist elements and their demand for a literal interpretation, without consideration of the context of certain religious precepts, is at the root of many of the current manifestations of religious conflicts in the world. 104. The last few years have seen the emergence of such sectarian and intransigent attitudes regarding religious matters. This regrettable phenomenon has not only affected the freedoms and rights of minority communities in the countries where they have occurred, but has also become a destabilizing factor in the international system and a source of tension and conflict between States. As is usually the case with the different expressions of religious intolerance, these attitudes have led to attempts at curtailing a wide variety of human rights. For example, the condemnation to death of an author of a book which expresses views considered to be offensive by followers of a world religion and the death threats addressed to his publishers have been a matter of serious concern for the Special Rapporteur, not least because such attitudes violate basic principles of international law. The Special Rapporteur implores those responsible for the above-mentioned death threats not to carry them out, as this would constitute a flagrant violation of universally accepted human rights standards. 105. As in previous years, this year's alleged infringements of the rights defined in the Declaration affect a whole range of rights and freedoms, such as the right to have, to manifest and to practise the religion or belief of one's choice (Declaration, arts. 1 and 6 ) ; the freedom f -om discriminatory treatment on the grounds of religion or belief (Declaration, arts. 2-4); and the right to bring up children in accordance with the religion or belief chosen by their parents (Declaration, art. 5 ) . As regards, for example, the right to have, to manifest and to practise the religion or belief of one's choice, allegations have been received in relation to restrictions on the right to manifest one's religion in public; sanctions for belonging to a specific denomination; the destruction, enforced closure, evacuation or arbitrary occupation of places of worship or assembly for a religion or belief; prohibition of the opening of new places of worship or assembly, or repair of existing premises; restriction of certain activities of a cultural nature relating to a religion or belief; seizure or confiscation of religious property or articles of worship; prohibition on importing, possessing, exhibiting or distributing certain articles of worship; prohibition on publishing, importing or distributing publications relating to a religion or belief; restriction or prohibition of religious propaganda or of propaganda concerning a belief; censorship of religious publications, sermons or addresses; use for secular purposes of places considered to be sacred for certain religions or beliefs; profanation of burial places; restrictions on the right to set up seminaries to train clergy and on the possibilities for seminarists to receive adequate instruction; and restrictions on the right to appoint sufficient numbers of clergy. Regarding discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief, the allegations received refer to discriminatory measures in relation to access to education, employment, health services, and food rations, as well as to the permanent exclusion of certain groups or movements from public service, the refusal to give injured parties their legal compensation and the denial of the right to obtain a passport on the grounds