By Timothy
Human rights experts from the UN have written to the Indian government, warning them that anti-conversion laws are a ‘tool of persecution’.
In the letter, the UN Rapporteurs for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, and for Minority Issues, Fernand de Varennes, warn that the laws continue to be used as ‘a tool of persecution by those who are genuinely opposed to religious tolerance… by creating further polarisation and generating an atmosphere of fear among religious minorities’. The laws are currently active in 11 of India’s 28 states, with some calling for a nationwide anti-conversion law.
The letter was originally sent to the Indian government on 16 August. After they failed to respond within a 60-day window, it has since been made public.
Atmosphere of fear
In theory, anti-conversion laws are meant to prevent attempts to convert people away from Hinduism through ‘misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by fraudulent means’. But in reality, they’re often used to harass and intimidate religious minorities for simply expressing their faith, such as Christians having a prayer meeting.
This story was originally published in opendoorsuk.org. Read the full story here .