By Victor Asije
Lagos – The United States Secretary of State, Mr Rex
Tillerson, has said that no person should live in fear, worship in
secret or face discrimination because of his or her religious belief
globally.
Tillerson, who made the assertion while releasing the 2016
International Religious Freedom Report, said that President Donald
Trump had said that people should worship according to their
conscience.
According to him, the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report
indicates that many governments around the world use discriminatory
laws to deny their citizens freedom of religion or belief.
“Almost 80 per cent of the global populations live with restrictions
on or hostilities to limit their freedom of religion.
“Where religious freedom is not protected, we know that instability,
human rights abuses, and violent extremism have a greater opportunity
to take root.
“We cannot ignore these conditions. The Trump administration is
committed to addressing these conditions in part by advancing
international religious freedom around the world.
“No one should have to live in fear, worship in secret, or face
discrimination because of his or her beliefs,’’ he said.
The U.S. Secretary of State said that the State Department would
continue to advocate on behalf of those seeking to live their lives
according to their faith.
Tillerson said that the report was a requirement pursuant to the
International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 that upholds
religious freedom as a core American value.
“We remain concerned about the state of religious freedom in Saudi
Arabia. The government does not recognise the right of non-Muslims
to practice their religion in public.
“It applies criminal penalties, including prison sentences,
lashings, and fines, for apostasy, atheism, blasphemy, and insulting
the state’s interpretation of Islam.
“Of particular concern are attacks targeting Shia Muslims, and the
continued pattern of social prejudice and discrimination against them.
“We urge Saudi Arabia to embrace greater degrees of religious freedom
for all of its citizens,’’ he said. (NAN)