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97. As regards the prevention and elimination of all forms of discrimination
on the grounds of reliqion or belief (Declaration, arts. 2-4), the allegations
received durinq the present reporting period make particular mention of the
denial of leqal guarantees such as the right of legal recourse, the right to
be tried within a reasonable period, and the right to compensation in the
event of a miscarriage of justice. Such allegations also refer to cases of
discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief as reqards access to
education, employment, health services, and food rations. Examples of
permanent exclusion from public service, refusal to give injured parties their
legal compensation and denial of the right to obtain a passport on the grounds
of religion or belief may also be noted.
98. Where the education of children in accordance with the reliqion or belief
of the parents is concerned (Declaration, art. 5), the allegations received by
the Special Rapporteur indicate the continued existence of restrictions on
enjoyment of this freedom. Examples which may be mentioned are discrimination
aqainst children of certain denominations as reqards access to education and
the fact that it is impossible for some children to receive religious
education outside the family circle, or impossible in practice for the
children of unbelievers to benefit from public education not involvinq
compulsory reliqious education.
99. Lastly, the Special Rapporteur has already had occasion in his previous
two reports to refer to the adverse consequences of intolerance and
discrimination in the matter of reliqion or belief for the enjoyment of human
riqhts in qeneral. It must be noted, in the context of the present report and
with reference to the recent period, that these infrinqements of fundamental
riqhts and freedoms have persisted. Accordinq to the alleqations transmitted
to the Special Rapporteur, the enjoyment of fundamental rights such as the
riqhts to life, physical inteqrity, freedom and security of the person, the
right to freedom of opinion and expression, the riqht to education, the riqht
to take part in public life, the right to freedom of movement or the riqht for
members of minorities to profess and practise their own religion, are
jeopardized for reasons of reliqion or belief. Many persons are still
detained, in prisons, in labour camps or in psychiatric hospitals, for reasons
of reliqion or belief, whether or not the ostensible qrounds are reliqious.
Believers and members of the clerqy of many denominations or persons holdinq
certain beliefs continue, in a number of reqions of the world, to be subjected
to death threats, intimidation, physical assault, enforced re-education or
enforced indoctrination. Persons held for reliqious reasons may in some cases
be subjected to ill-treatment and to corporal punishment. The disappearance
of members of the clerqy has also been reported, as have the compulsory
enlistment for military service of believers who are conscientious objectors
and the expulsion of members of the clerqy.