Congo, Republic of the

A former part of the French colony of Equatorial Africa, independent since 1960, the Republic of Congo, or Congo-Brazzaville, borders its larger namesake the Democratic Republic of Congo to the east. It was formerly known as the People’s Republic of the Congo, a Marxist–Leninist single-party state, from 1970 to 1991. Multi-party elections have been held since 1992, but there are concerns that criticims of the government and political oppression are somewhat suppressed.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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
 
Systemic Discrimination
Mostly Satisfactory
Free and Equal

Constitution and government

The Congolese constitution and other laws and policies generally protect religious freedom and forbid discrimination based on religious affiliation. The constitution states that the country is secular, prohibits the use of religion for political ends, and requires that impositions on freedom of conscience stemming from “religious fanaticism” are unlawful.

The rights to freedom of assembly and association are sometimes restricted in practice, and often precarious to exercise if they involve a particular political agenda. However, Congo nevertheless has a lively civil society.

The returning president: corruption and oppression

Although religion or belief rights appear to upheld, there are broader concerns about civil rights and freedoms. President Denis Sassou Nguesso has held power for most of the time since he first became president in 1979. Ousted in 1991 from executive power (but still serving as head of state), he returned to power during the Second Civil War (1997-1999). During his fourth term as president (ongoing as of 2018), as during his previous presidency, he has severely repressed political opposition. Corruption and decades of political instability have left the country poor, despite significant oil reserves. Abuses by security forces are frequently reported.

Education and children’s rights

There are religious private schools in Congo, which may provide religious instruction. However, public schools are prohibited from religious instruction. All schools, public and private, are meant to respect all religion or belief traditions.
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Academic freedom is formally unrestricted. However, some professors engage in self-censorship on grounds of fearing government harassment.
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Family, Community and Society

One estimate puts the atheist population at just 2 percent. With an estimated total population at around 5.0 million as of July 2017, one survey estimates that 55 percent of native-born population are Protestant (including evangelical churches), 32 percent Roman Catholic, 2 percent Muslim. Another 9 percent belongs to various modern churches: Church of Jesus Christ on Earth (Kimbanguists), the Celestial Church of Christ, Salvation Army, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Mormons.
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There have been no reports received of discrimination against the estimated 2 percent of the population who are non-religious or atheist.

A government decree bans individuals from wearing full-face Islamic veils in public. The Muslim population has been rising in recent years (up to 2018) particularly due to refugees arriving from Central African Republic. The migration has reportedly lead to some tensions, though no major incidents of intercommunal violence.
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There do not appear to be any Sharia courts or any legal provision that would validate them.

Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values

Although guaranteed by the Congolese constitution, freedoms of speech and expression remain limited. Journalists have been threatened, attacked and detained by members of the state security apparatus for reporting critical accounts of government officials. Journalists have been incarcerated, or attacked by non-state armed groups. Freedom House rates the country as “Not Free” in 2018.
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