E/CN.4/1992/52 page 161 Shia Muslim faith is said to have been restricted in Iraq. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, followers of the Baha'i faith who have stated that they are Baha'is before public officials have been dismissed from Government employment and have suffered various other forms of discrimination and persecution. On the other hand, in Mauritania persons may reportedly be sentenced to death for not expressing their religious beliefs, i.e. praying. 114. Members of the clergy of various Christian denominations have been the victims of violence, not for expressing their religious beliefs, but on account of the way the tenets of the churches to which they belong are manifested, for example community and church work with the underprivileged classes of society performed out of social commitment. (c) Protection of the rights of religious minorities 115. Most of the Governments that responded to the questionnaire stated that the right of all persons to practise their faith, whether they belong to a religious minority or whether they are citizens, residents or non-residents, is protected by the law. The majority also indicated that recourse is available to persons who feel that this right has been violated. 116. In its response to the questionnaire, the Government of Switzerland indicated that "freedom of worship signifies protection not only of traditional religions but also of new forms of worship". This encompasses all types of Christian religious association, all universal religions and their subgroups as well as new religious communities. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran indicated that "the minorities are protected by the Government ... in accordance with principles of the Constitution and the law relating to the affairs of personal status of non-Shia Iranians ...". The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic stated that the Jewish and Christian minority communities benefited from the necessary de jure and de facto protection. The Government of Morocco stated that there is "very high toleration in Morocco for the religions of the Book". The Government of Indonesia indicated that it did "not adopt the terms majority and minority as these words are generally understood", adding that its citizens were "first and foremost Indonesians, with the inherent right to adhere to the religion of [their] choice". 117. In a number of countries where the Catholic church has traditionally played an important role as a majority religion, it has maintained legal personality under public law. Minority churches are usually able to establish themselves as corporate bodies under private law and therefore depend to a certain extent on the administrative authorities. This is the case in a number of Latin American countries which do not consider a concordat between the Government and the Holy See as being inconsistent with the exercise of freedom of religion by minority denominations, and do not view it as jeopardizing the equality before the law of citizens belonging to religious minorities. 118. In its reply to the questionnaire, the Government of Canada stated that legal provisions favouring the majority religion have been declared invalid in a number of cases. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms safeguards religious minorities from the threat of the "tyranny of the majority". The majority of Governments invoked the same reservations concerning public order and morality as limiting the right of religious practice by minorities.