Central African Republic

Since 2013, the Central African Republic (CAR) has been plagued by serious and violent sectarian conflict, constituting a civil war, including a military coup. Almost 80% of the country remains under the control of armed forces.[ref]https://www.equaltimes.org/central-african-refugees-are#.YMCU6_lKg2w[/ref] Sporadic outbreaks of violence, including in the wake of the December 2020 general election,[ref]https://www.unhcr.org/uk/news/briefing/2021/3/603dfeb64/unhcr-relocate-thousands-central-african-refugees-safer-locations.html[/ref] have forced many to flee the country.[ref]https://www.unhcr.org/uk/central-african-republic-situation.html[/ref]

Estimates of religious demography vary depending on the source. The U.S. State Department estimates that 89% of the population is Christian (a mixture of Roman Catholic and Protestant), and 9% Muslim. A significant proportion of the Muslim population has been displaced to neighbouring countries since the start of the conflict, following systematic ethnic cleansing.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/central-african-republic/[/ref]

Central African Republic requested full membership of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in 2002.

Note: Given the widespread conflict it should be noted that the security of everyone in CAR is severely threatened. The overall human rights situation is severe. We apply the boundary condition “Expression of core humanist principles on democracy, freedom or human rights is severely restricted” not in this case due to specific legal restrictions, but to reflect the de facto degradation of democracy, civil society and human rights as a result of the civil war.

Constitution and government Education and children’s rights Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values
Systemic religious privilege results in significant social discrimination
Expression of core humanist principles on democracy, freedom or human rights is severely restricted
Discriminatory prominence is given to religious bodies, traditions or leaders
Religious groups control some public or social services
The state is secular, with separation of religious and political authorities, not discriminating against any religion or belief
No formal discrimination in education
Constitution and government
The state is secular, with separation of religious and political authorities, not discriminating against any religion or belief
Education and children’s rights
No formal discrimination in education
Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals
Systemic religious privilege results in significant social discrimination
Discriminatory prominence is given to religious bodies, traditions or leaders
Religious groups control some public or social services
Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values
Expression of core humanist principles on democracy, freedom or human rights is severely restricted
Use of Conscientious Objection clauses resulting in the denial of lawful services to women and LGBTI+ people
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in all or most state-funded schools with no secular or humanist alternative
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

Countries: Kazakhstan

The state is secular, with separation of religious and political authorities, not discriminating against any religion or belief
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
No fundamental restrictions on freedom of expression or advocacy of humanist values
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

No condition holds in this strand
No condition holds in this strand

Countries: Andorra

No condition holds in this strand
Religious courts or tribunals rule directly on some family or ‘moral’ matters; it is legally an opt-in system, but the possibility of social coercion is very clear
No condition holds in this strand

Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

Localised or infrequent but recurring and widespread social marginalisation or prejudice against the non-religious

This condition is unusual in that it is applied in cases where there is some social discrimination, but it is not pervasive or nationwide. This condition is applied when there is sufficient background evidence to warrant the assertion that discrimination is not anomalous but widespread, and this condition may be applied for example even where if there is no legislative discrimination or where the non-religious may have legal recourse against such discrimination. However, societal discrimination (i.e. discrimination by peers, as opposed to state or legal discrimination) is not easily measured, and for this reason the Report does not currently have similar more severe boundary conditions to capture higher levels of social discrimination per se. In principle these may be introduced in future. However, we consider that countries with actual higher levels of social discrimination against the non-religious will generally already meet other higher level (more severe) boundary conditions under this thematic strand.

Countries: Botswana, Greece, Serbia, United States of America

The dominant influence of religion in public life undermines the right to equality and/or non-discrimination

Applied when the influence of religion on public life undermines others’ rights, such as SRHR, women’s rights, LGBTI+ rights.

May be applied when the influence is overt (i.e. when religious laws are applied to undermine others’ rights) or covert (i.e. where religious pressure groups exert influence to affect policy)

Countries: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Croatia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Oman, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Zambia

The non-religious are persecuted socially or there are prohibitive social taboos against atheism, humanism or secularism
Complete tyranny precludes all freedoms of expression and thought, religion or belief

Applied when overriding acts of oppression by the State are extreme, to the extent that the question of freedom of thought and expression is almost redundant, because all human rights and freedoms are quashed by authorities.

Countries: North Korea

Expression of core Humanist principles on democracy, freedom and human rights is brutally repressed
Expression of non-religious views is severely persecuted, or is rendered almost impossible by severe social stigma, or is highly likely to be met with hatred or violence
There is significant social marginalisation of the non-religious or stigma associated with expressing atheism, humanism or secularism
Religious or ideological indoctrination is utterly pervasive in schools
There is a nominal state church with few privileges or progress is being made toward disestablishment

Countries: Bulgaria, Norway, Peru, Rwanda

The non-religious are barred from some government offices (including posts reserved for particular religions or sects)
‘Apostasy’ is outlawed and punishable with a prison sentence

Countries: Bahrain, Comoros, Jordan, Kuwait

‘Apostasy’ or conversion from a specific religion is outlawed and punishable by death
Some religious courts rule in civil or family matters on a coercive or discriminatory basis
Religious authorities have supreme authority over the state

Countries: Iran

State legislation is partly derived from religious law or by religious authorities
Preferential treatment is given to a religion or religion in general

This condition is applied where there are miscellaneous indicators that organs of the state offer various forms of support for a religion, or to religion in general over non-religious worldviews, suggesting a preference for those beliefs, or that the organs of that religion are privileged.

Countries: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

There is a pattern of impunity or collusion in violence by non-state actors against the nonreligious
State-funded schools provide religious education which may be nominally comprehensive but is substantively biased or borderline confessional
Religious or ideological instruction in a significant number of schools is of a coercive fundamentalist or extremist variety

This condition highlights countries where schools subject children to fundamentalist religious instruction with no real opportunity to question fundamentalist tenets, or where lessons routinely encourage hatred (for example religious or ethnic hatred). The wording “significant number of schools” is not given a rigid quantification (sometimes the worst-offending schools are unregistered, illegal, or otherwise uncounted); however the condition is not applied in cases where only a small number of schools meet the description and may be anomalous, as opposed to being indicative of a widespread problem.

Countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia

State legislation is largely or entirely derived from religious law or by religious authorities
Anomalous discrimination by local or provincial authorities, or overseas territories
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in at least some public schools (without secular or humanist alternatives)
‘Blasphemy’ or criticism of religion is outlawed and punishable by death
Government figures or state agencies openly marginalize, harass, or incite hatred or violence against the non-religious
Government authorities push a socially conservative, religiously or ideologically inspired agenda, without regard to the rights of those with progressive views
It is illegal to advocate secularism or church-state separation, or such advocacy is suppressed
Prohibitive interreligious social control (including interreligious marriage bans)
Quasi-divine veneration of a ruling elite is enforced, or a single-party regime holds uncontested power, subject to severe punishment
Legal or constitutional provisions exclude non-religious views from freedom of belief
It is illegal to register an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization, or such groups are persecuted by authorities
There is a religious tax or tithing which is compulsory, or which is state-administered and discriminates by precluding non-religious groups
The non-religious are barred from holding government office
Some concerns about children's right to specifically religious freedom

This condition may apply if specifically religious education, religious materials, or specific religious denominations are so tightly controlled that children are in fact over-protected from exposure to religion and are likely unable to explore or construct their own worldview in accordance with their evolving capacities. This condition helps us to classify states (perhaps with secular constitutions) which have criminalized specifically religious beliefs or practices. This condition is not applied if the restricted beliefs or practices are found to be outlawed due to their being of an extremist variety. While this condition does not directly reflect discrimination against non-religious persons or non-religious ideas, it does represent an overall threat to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief; such restrictions could spill over to affect non-religious beliefs later; and they pose a risk of backlash against over-zealous secular authorities or even against non-religious individuals by association.

Countries: China, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guyana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Madagascar, Mexico, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe

It is illegal or unrecognised to identify as an atheist or as non-religious
It is made difficult to register or operate an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization
Legend
 
Severe Discrimination
Systemic Discrimination
Free and Equal
More information about rating table

Constitution and government

The 2016 Constitution affirms its commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter of Human Rights.[ref]https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Central_African_Republic_2016.pdf?lang=en[/ref]

The Constitution protects freedom of worship and freedom of assembly, and prohibits religious fundamentalism and intolerance.

Articles 24-25 establish CAR as a republic, with the separation of religion and State.

Article 10 states that:

“The freedom of conscience, of assembly, [and] of religion and of beliefs [cultes] are guaranteed to all within the conditions established by the law. Any form of religious fundamentalism [intégrisme] and intolerance is prohibited.”

Article 38 requires the President to swear an oath “before God and before the Nation” when assuming office, that includes a promise to fulfill the duties of the office without any consideration of “religious order”.

Religious groups are legally required to register with the Ministry of Interior. Registration is free and other than conferring official recognition, it grants a number of benefits such as customs duty exemption for the importation of vehicles and equipment. It is unclear if non-religious civil society groups would be afforded similar benefits. Registration may be denied to religious groups deemed offensive to public morals or likely to disturb social peace, and religious groups may have their registration suspended if their activities are deemed to be subversive.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/central-african-republic/[/ref]

Religious instruction is not part of the public school curriculum. But private schools may give religious instruction.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/central-african-republic/[/ref]

Family, community and society

Background to the civil war

Since 2013, the CAR has been consumed by violence between primarily Christian and Muslim militias, resulting in an increasingly sectarian environment where civilians have been targeted on the basis of their religious identity. In December 2012, an alliance of predominantly Muslim fighters known as the Seleka began an armed offensive that resulted in the ousting of former President Francois Bozize. The Seleka remained in power until around December 2013, when French and African Union forces were sent in to disarm them. During their time in power the Seleka were responsible for massacres, rape, torture, executions and looting, mostly targeting Christian civilians.

In response to the Seleka, a group of mostly Christian militias were formed, known as the anti-balaka. The anti-balakas staged a number of reprisal attacks against the Muslim population, resulting in large-scale displacement and human rights violations. Hate speech and incitement on social media have played a significant role in fuelling inter-communal bloodshed.[ref]https://minorityrights.org/country/central-african-republic/[/ref] Human rights abuses and religious persecution continue to be reported in areas where the Seleka and anti-Balaka exercise control.

Though there were many attempted political coups over the years it was the Seleka that eventually overthrew President Bozize. What started as a political battle in 2012 has since turned increasingly sectarian on religious grounds to the point where Muslims are now considered to have been mostly ‘ethnically cleansed’ from the capital Bengui and other areas.

“Witchcraft”

Article 149 of CAR’s penal code states that witchcraft or sorcery is a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment, a fine or by hard labor.[ref]https://acjr.org.za/resource-centre/penal-code-of-the-central-african-republic-2010/@@download/file/Penal%20Code%20of%20the%20Central%20African%20Republic%20(2010).pdf[/ref] A high number of individuals have been arrested and had to face sentences from one to five years in prison or were subjected to a large fine by local standards (up to US$1,500). Accusations of witchcraft are often a result of interpersonal disputes, and in the absence of hard evidence, convictions are often based on accusations alone.[ref]https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/CF/CAR1June2015To31Mar2016_en.pdf[/ref]

Due to these malicious accusations, people may be buried alive or find their homes torched. Sending an accused child or a woman to prison may sometimes in effect constitute ‘protective custody’, sheltering the accused from mob violence within the community. Witchcraft is a common explanation for diseases such as HIV. Many accuse others of witchcraft when they fall ill in the belief that they have been cursed.

In February 2018, a women prison facility in Bimbo hosted 42 women. Of these inmates, almost half were imprisoned for witchcraft. It has been reported that “witch doctors” offer to immunize villagers against the practice of witchcraft by selling “herbal vaccinations” or by charging high fees to carry out exorcisms that often involve the brutalization of children.[ref]enca.com/africa/the-crime-of-witchcraft-in-central-african-republic; african-volunteer.net/central_african_republic_witchcraft.html[/ref]

Women’s rights and violations

The UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic reported in 2020 that, “harmful practices such as child trafficking, accusations of witchcraft, female genital mutilation and early marriage” remain prevalent.[ref]https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G20/215/85/PDF/G2021585.pdf?OpenElement[/ref]

Although the legal minimum age for civil marriage is 18, CAR has one of the highest rates of child marriage in Africa. Many young girls do not matriculate from primary school, adding to societal pressures to marry and have children.[ref]https://www.unicef.org/wca/media/2596/file[/ref]

Although rape is illegal, there is no minimum sentence for it and the law is not effectively enforced.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/central-african-republic/[/ref]

Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values

A history of ethnic and religious divisions, and fears of identity-based violence by armed actors, discourage freedom of expression, especially when it comes to questions of religion or belief.[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/central-african-republic/freedom-world/2020[/ref]

Media freedoms

CAR’s constitution guarantees freedom of speech and of the press, but the right is limited in practice. Threats and intimidation are still commonly used to limit criticism of the government, which has been accused of harassing journalists and tapping their phones.[ref]https://ifex.org/location/central-african-republic/[/ref] There are many reported incidents of violence and killings of journalists.[ref]https://ifex.org/location/central-african-republic/[/ref] The effectiveness of news media is weakened by financial problems and a lack of access to state information.

Furthermore, inflated charges can be brought based on alleged defamation, incitement to ethnic or religious hatred, and the publication or broadcast of false information that could “disturb the peace.”[ref]https://www.africafex.org/central-african-republic[/ref]

The radio represents the most popular medium of information. There are about twenty privately-owned stations and many are run by religious organizations. There are two Protestant, one Catholic and one Islamic broadcasting stations. The Government grants religious groups one day a week, of their choosing, to make free broadcasts on the official radio station. Television is a state monopoly. Its news coverage is generally skewed in favor of the government.[ref]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13150043[/ref]