Globally, the right to religious practice faces increasing threats.
A recent report from the Pew Research Center reveals a troubling statistic: in 59 out of 198 nations studied, high to very high levels of governmental restrictions on religion are reported.
This marks a disturbing high since the organization began its assessment in 2007, when only 40 nations fell into this category.
The Role of Media in Religious Freedom Issues
In many regions, especially those with restrictive regimes, the media often sidesteps the topic of religious repression.
For over two decades, I have focused on international journalism and faced the challenges associated with ethical, balanced reporting.
My research zeroes in on countries notorious for their authoritarian rules and poor human rights standings.
I’ve found a disturbing convergence of various human rights violations, including the suppression of free expression, religious freedoms, and political affiliations.
In environments where press freedom is stifled, these abuses can thrive without the scrutiny they desperately need.
The Dire Situation in Central Asia
Recently, I collaborated with an undergraduate assistant to analyze the work of Forum 18, a Norwegian-based organization dedicated to covering religious freedom issues across five pivotal Central Asian states.
Though they may seem isolated, these nations hold strategic significance.
Taking its name from Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right to “freedom of thought, conscience, and religion,” Forum 18 stands out as the only news outlet committed exclusively to documenting religious rights in the post-Soviet world.
The situation in Central Asia—encompassing Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan—is dire.
Here, harsh restrictions impede the freedom to practice one’s faith.
Minority religions especially suffer, but even mainstream Islamic practices are not immune from scrutiny.
All five countries received a “Not Free” designation in Freedom House’s 2024 report on civil liberties and political rights.
Challenges in Reporting
The oppressive measures employed by these governments include censorship, the confiscation of religious texts, unjust legal action against believers, and regulations that bar children from religious activities.
Kyrgyzstan has introduced new legislation, effective February 1, 2025, that imposes stringent rules on faith communities with fewer than 500 adult members, effectively curtailing unregistered religious activities and places of worship.
Meanwhile, international coverage of these religious freedom violations is scant, often relegated to significant humanitarian crises like the persecution of Uyghur Muslims in China or the Rohingya in Myanmar.
For foreign journalists, the task of reporting on these matters within authoritarian regimes poses a significant challenge, if not an outright impossibility.
When incidents of religious repression do make it into local news, they are frequently couched in the language of counter-terrorism—an unsurprising tactic employed by authoritarian governments to rationalize crackdowns on religious freedoms.
Our investigation into Forum 18 showcases the organization’s commitment to fundamental journalistic values, including fairness and balanced reporting, while advocating for religious freedom.
Although initiated by a Christian group, its coverage spans a variety of faiths.
Recent pieces highlight troubling occurrences, such as police actions against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kyrgyzstan, threats directed at a Muslim actor in Kazakhstan for sharing Quranic verses on social media, and the demolition of places of worship in Uzbekistan.
In 2023, nearly two-thirds of Forum 18’s reports addressed broader themes such as punitive fines, government policies, and the imprisonment of believers, while the rest cataloged specific incidents like arrests or the confiscation of religious texts.
Given the risks associated with speaking out, many sources choose to remain anonymous, their identities protected within the organization to shield them from potential threats and reprisals.
Forum 18 primarily targets an audience beyond Central Asia, including expatriates, human rights advocates, NGOs, foreign officials, religious leaders, and other media that might reference or amplify its findings.
Proponents of religious freedom argue that such reporting can illuminate these issues and shift international opinions.
Coverage from external sources can bring scrutiny to officials who might otherwise escape accountability, particularly in environments where censorship and intimidation severely limit local journalists.
While it’s essential to acknowledge the limitations of external media scrutiny in effecting meaningful change in authoritarian regimes, the efforts of organizations like Forum 18 represent a crucial, albeit modest, step towards holding violators accountable for infringing upon this fundamental human right.
(Eric Freedman serves as the Professor of Journalism and Chair of the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University.
The views articulated in this commentary reflect his personal stance and do not necessarily represent those of Religion News Service.)
Source: Religionnews
