Colombia

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The Republic of Colombia is predominantly Christian and majority Roman Catholic (64%). According to Latinobarómetro, based on a survey of 1,200 people in 2023, 16% of the population likely identify as atheist, agnostic or having no religious affiliation.¹“Informe Latinobarómetro 2023: La recesión democrática de América Latina”, Corporación Latinobarómetro, https://www.latinobarometro.org/latOnline.jsp

For 52 years the citizens of Colombia lived through a conflict between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government. Following the Peace Accords of 2016, conflict-related violence and abuses are reported to continue.²“Colombia” chapter in World Report 2024, Human Rights Watch,
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/colombia

The 1991 Constitution established a presidential representative democratic republic.

According to the US State Department:

“Most of those who blend Catholicism with elements of African animism are Afro-Colombians and reside on the Pacific coast. Most Jews reside in major cities (approximately 70 percent in Bogota), most Muslims on the Caribbean coast, and most adherents of indigenous animistic religions in remote rural areas. A small Taoist community is located in a mountainous region of Santander Department.”³“Colombia” chapter in 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom, Office of International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State, https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/colombia/

The state is secular, with separation of religious and political authorities, not discriminating against any religion or belief

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Countries: Belgium, Brazil, Central African Republic, Congo, Republic of the, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, São Tomé and Príncipe, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Ukraine

Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

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Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in all or most state-funded schools with no secular or humanist alternative

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Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Croatia, Egypt, Eswatini, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

No formal discrimination in education

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Countries: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Republic of the, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Iceland, India, Japan, Korea, Republic of, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Russia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Timor-Leste (East Timor), United States of America, Uruguay

Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

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Countries: Angola, South Sudan, Tuvalu

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

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Countries: Comoros, Ethiopia, Gambia, Jamaica, Kenya, Lebanon, Niger, Philippines, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom

No religious tribunals of concern, secular groups operate freely, individuals are not persecuted by the state

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Countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Congo, Republic of the, Czech Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Republic of, Kosovo, Latvia, Luxembourg, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Slovenia, Sweden, Taiwan, Uruguay, Venezuela

Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

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Countries: Honduras, Mongolia, South Africa, South Sudan

No fundamental restrictions on freedom of expression or advocacy of humanist values

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Countries: Bahamas, Belgium, Czech Republic, Iceland, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, United States of America

Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

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Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

No condition holds in this strand

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Countries: Lesotho, Uzbekistan

No condition holds in this strand

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Countries: Andorra

No condition holds in this strand

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Countries: Cyprus, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Lesotho

No condition holds in this strand

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Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

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

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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: Albania, Botswana, Greece, United States of America

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

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

Use of Conscientious Objection clauses resulting in the denial of lawful services to women and LGBTI+ people

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Countries: Armenia, Chile, Croatia, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Uruguay

Complete tyranny precludes all freedoms of expression and thought, religion or belief

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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: Afghanistan, North Korea

The non-religious are barred from some government offices (including posts reserved for particular religions or sects)

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Countries: Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Eritrea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

There is systematic religious privilege

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Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malta, Moldova, Nepal, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

There is a nominal state church with few privileges or progress is being made toward disestablishment

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Countries: Bulgaria, Norway, Peru, Rwanda

Religious or ideological indoctrination is utterly pervasive in schools

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Countries: Afghanistan, Congo, Democratic Republic of, North Korea, Saudi Arabia

There is state funding of at least some religious schools

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Countries: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Kosovo, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe

State-funded schools offer religious or ideological instruction with no secular or humanist alternative, but it is optional

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Countries: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Italy, Kiribati, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela

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

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Countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen

The non-religious are persecuted socially or there are prohibitive social taboos against atheism, humanism or secularism

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Countries: Algeria, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Turkey

There is significant social marginalisation of the non-religious or stigma associated with expressing atheism, humanism or secularism

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Countries: Barbados, Colombia, Egypt, Georgia, Ghana, Iraq, Malaysia, Malta, Poland, Samoa, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Uganda

Expression of core Humanist principles on democracy, freedom and human rights is brutally repressed

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Countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Chad, China, Eritrea, Iran, Kuwait, Mauritania, North Korea, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Expression of core humanist principles on democracy, freedom or human rights is severely restricted

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Countries: Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Somalia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Expression of core humanist principles on democracy, freedom or human rights is somewhat restricted

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Countries: Andorra, Armenia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo, Republic of the, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Niger, Paraguay, Poland, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda

Some concerns about political or media freedoms, not specific to the non-religious

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Countries: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Republic of, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tonga, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Zambia

Religious authorities have supreme authority over the state

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Countries: Iran

State legislation is partly derived from religious law or by religious authorities

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Countries: Algeria, Bangladesh, Comoros, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates

Preferential treatment is given to a religion or religion in general

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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, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, 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, Kazakhstan, 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, Portugal, 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

Official symbolic deference to religion

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Countries: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Finland, Germany, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kiribati, Korea, Republic of, Laos, Latvia, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe

Religious or ideological instruction in a significant number of schools is of a coercive fundamentalist or extremist variety

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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

Religious schools have powers to discriminate in admissions or employment

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Countries: Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, Finland, Germany, Haiti, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe

State-funded schools provide religious education which may be nominally comprehensive but is substantively biased or borderline confessional

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Countries: Djibouti, Finland, India, Laos, Latvia, Norway, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Ukraine

There is a pattern of impunity or collusion in violence by non-state actors against the non-religious

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Countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritania, Pakistan

Systemic religious privilege results in significant social discrimination

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Countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Oman, Palestine, Paraguay, Qatar, Russia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zimbabwe

Some religious courts rule in civil or family matters on a coercive or discriminatory basis

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Countries: Comoros, Egypt, Haiti, Jamaica, Malaysia, Nigeria, Palestine, Philippines, Singapore, Turkey

‘Apostasy’ or conversion from a specific religion is outlawed and punishable by death

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Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Yemen

‘Apostasy’ is outlawed and punishable with a prison sentence

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Countries: Bahrain, Comoros, Jordan, Kuwait

Blasphemy or criticism of religion is restricted in law and is punishable by a fine

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Countries: Australia, Austria, Barbados, Brazil, Cambodia, Finland, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Moldova, Montenegro, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Lucia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Kingdom

Concerns that secular or religious authorities interfere in specifically religious freedoms

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Countries: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Congo, Republic of the, Denmark, Ethiopia, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Nepal, North Korea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Tajikistan, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam

State legislation is largely or entirely derived from religious law or by religious authorities

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Countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

There is an established church or state religion

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Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Finland, Georgia, Haiti, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, Yemen, Zambia

Anomalous discrimination by local or provincial authorities, or overseas territories

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Countries: Cameroon, Dominica, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Guinea, India, Jamaica, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Niger, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay

Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in at least some public schools (without secular or humanist alternatives)

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Countries: Argentina, Armenia, Belize, Cambodia, Chad, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Germany, Guinea, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Samoa, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom

Government figures or state agencies openly marginalize, harass, or incite hatred or violence against the non-religious

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Countries: Afghanistan, Egypt, Hungary, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan

Government authorities push a socially conservative, religiously or ideologically inspired agenda, without regard to the rights of those with progressive views

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Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Grenada, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe

Discriminatory prominence is given to religious bodies, traditions or leaders

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Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

‘Blasphemy’ or criticism of religion is outlawed and punishable by death

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Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia

‘Blasphemy’ is outlawed or criticism of religion (including de facto ‘blasphemy’ laws) is restricted and punishable with a prison sentence

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Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cyprus, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Grenada, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Oman, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Quasi-divine veneration of a ruling elite is enforced, or a single-party regime holds uncontested power, subject to severe punishment

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Countries: Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Viet Nam

Legal or constitutional provisions exclude non-religious views from freedom of religion or belief

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Countries: Argentina, Burundi, Canada, Eritrea, Haiti, Jordan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tonga

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

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Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Prohibitive interreligious social control (including interreligious marriage bans)

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Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Religious groups control some public or social services

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Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Denmark, Germany, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Malawi, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom

It is illegal to advocate secularism or church-state separation, or such advocacy is suppressed

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Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

The non-religious are barred from holding government office

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Countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Iran, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

There is a religious tax or tithing which is compulsory, or which is state-administered and discriminates by precluding non-religious groups

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Countries: Argentina, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Hungary, Italy, Pakistan, Peru, Rwanda, Samoa, Sweden, Switzerland

Religious control over family law or legislation on moral matters

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Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

It is illegal or unrecognised to identify as an atheist or as non-religious

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Countries: Comoros, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, United Arab Emirates

Some concerns about children's right to specifically freedom of religion or belief

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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, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guyana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Madagascar, Mali, Mexico, North Macedonia, Romania, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe

State-funding of religious institutions or salaries, or discriminatory tax exemptions

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Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Korea, Republic of, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Montenegro, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Suriname, Switzerland, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe

It is made difficult to register or operate an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization

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Countries: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Egypt, Eritrea, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan

Constitution and government

The Constitution⁴Constitution of Colombia, Constitutional Court, https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/inicio/Constitucion%20politica%20de%20Colombia.pdf (in Spanish) protects freedom of conscience (Article 18) and religion (Article 19), as well as the right to the freedoms of expression (Article 20), association (Article 38) and assembly (Article 37). The Constitution specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of religious belief or philosophy (Article 13), and provides that all religious faiths and Churches are equal before the law. However, the Roman Catholic Church retains a privileged position with the Colombian state.

Law 133 of 1994, provides a more comprehensive definition of freedom of religion or belief in line with international instruments to which the state is party.⁵Law 133 of 1994, Civil Service, https://www.funcionpublica.gov.co/eva/gestornormativo/norma.php?i=331 Article 2 of this law emphasizes that while there is no official state religion, the State is not “atheist, agnostic, nor indifferent to the religious sentiments of Colombians.”⁶“el Estado no es ateo, agnóstico, o indiferente ante los sentimientos religiosos de los colombianos.”

In 1998 the Constitutional Court ruled relating to the indigenous Arhuaco people that indigenous authorities have the right to prohibit the practice of non-indigenous religions on its lands in order to preserve cultural traditions. The ruling makes clear, however, that “no indigenous community is authorized to treat its dissident member with treatment that is not respectful of the dignity of the human person. Hence, the non-believer or the one who professes a religion other than the official one, for that fact alone, cannot be subject to sanction or persecution of any kind.”⁷“No obstante ninguna comunidad indígena está autorizada para dispensar a su miembro disidente un tratamiento que no sea respetuoso de la dignidad de la persona humana. De ahí que el no creyente o el que profesa una religión distinta a la oficial, por ese solo hecho, no puede ser objeto de sanción o de persecución de ningún tipo.” Sentence SU510-98, Constitutional Court, 18 September 1998, https://www.corteconstitucional.gov.co/relatoria/1998/su510-98.htm

This ruling set a citable precedent that, in order to preserve traditional practices, indigenous governors have the right to prohibit the practice of certain religions on indigenous reserves.⁸“Colombia” chapter in 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom, Office of International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State, https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/colombia/

Registration

Registration of religious groups is undertaken by the Ministry of the Interior. Registered entities may collect funds and receive donations, establish religious education institutions, and perform religious services, excluding marriages. Unregistered entities may still perform religious activities without penalty but may not collect funds or receive donations.⁹“Colombia” chapter in 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom, Office of International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State, https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/colombia/

Organizations recognized by the Ministry of the Interior are exempted from paying tax.

Historical Roman Catholic privilege

A 1973 concordat¹⁰“Concordato Entre La República de Colombia y La Santa Sede”, Supreme Court,
https://cortesuprema.gov.co/corte/wp-content/uploads/subpage/exequatur/Instrumentos%20Internacionales/CONCORDATO%20ENTRE%20LA%20REPUBLICA%20DE%20COLOMBIA%20Y%20LA%20SANTA%20SEDE.pdf (in Spanish); Concordat between the Republic of Colombia and the Holy See, Concordat Watch, http://www.concordatwatch.eu/topic-38331.834 (in English) between Colombia and the Vatican replaced the clause in the Constitution of 1886 that had established the Catholic Church as the official religion with one stating that, “Roman Catholicism is the religion of the great majority of Colombians.” In its own explanation of this change, the Colombian government said that it was not establishing an official religion but merely declaring that it regards the Catholic religion as being of “fundamental importance to the public welfare and the full development of the community.”

Decree 354 (1998) serves as an agreement between the State and non-Catholic Christian entities regarding their operations and rights to perform religious rites, such as marriages, and carry out religious instruction.¹¹Decree 354 of 1998, Civil Service, https://www.funcionpublica.gov.co/eva/gestornormativo/norma.php?i=3278 In June 2023, the government signed an agreement with eight further religious organizations that authorizes them to carry out civil marriage ceremonies and provide chaplaincy services at hospitals and within the prison system.¹²Juliana Trujillo Velasquez, “Gobierno y organizaciones religiosas firmaron convenio que da facultades misionales”, La Republica, 7 June 2023, https://www.larepublica.co/economia/gobierno-y-organizaciones-religiosas-firmaron-convenio-que-da-facultades-misionales-3632256 The eight organizations are again all Christian.

Deference to God

There are various reports of anomalous deference to God throughout the country, including:

• In 2021, the Constitutional Court called on senior officials of government to respect the principle of secularism and freedom of religion or belief, after ruling that the then Vice President, Marta Lucía Ramírez, had violated these principles in social media posts in which she consecrated the country to the Virgin of Fátima with the objective of mitigating the negative effects caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The court made it clear that while the then Vice President was free to practice and express her faith, she was not permitted to use her status as a public servant to express a preference for a specific religion, belief or Church.¹³“Corte Constitucional dice que vicepresidenta desconoció la neutralidad religiosa del Estado”, El Espectador, 19 May 2021, https://www.elespectador.com/judicial/el-llamado-de-la-corte-constitucional-para-que-funcionarios-respeten-la-libertad-de-cultos/
• In 2021, a court ordered the town of Meta to end its “Bible Week.”¹⁴ “El proceso judicial que busca tumbar la “Semana de la Biblia” en el Meta”, El Espectador, 11 August 2021, https://www.elespectador.com/judicial/el-proceso-judicial-que-busca-tumbar-la-semana-de-la-biblia-en-el-meta/
• In 2020, the government of Valle del Cauca was ordered to remove all religious iconography on display in its building.¹⁵“Gobernación del Valle deberá retirar imágenes religiosas por vulnerar el Estado laico”, El Espectador, 5 November 2020, https://www.elespectador.com/judicial/gobernacion-del-valle-debera-retirar-imagenes-religiosas-por-vulnerar-el-estado-laico-article/
• In 2016, it was reported that the high court rejected appeals to remove reference to “God” on the shield of the national police, judging that the use of the phrase “God and Country” does not violate the principle of secularism as enshrined in the Constitution. The Court reportedly deemed that “the inclusion of the expression of ‘God’ in the shield of the National Police does not invoke a deity to which the public institution worships, nor can it be confused with a particular theism or religion, but rather, it highlights ethical values incumbent upon members of that police force to provide a service to the community.”¹⁶“Expresión “Dios” en el escudo de la Policía Nacional no vulnera el principio laico: Consejo de Estado”, El Espectador, 19 February 2016, https://www.elespectador.com/judicial/expresion-dios-en-el-escudo-de-la-policia-nacional-no-vulnera-el-principio-laico-consejo-de-estado-article-617547/

Education and children’s rights

The revision of the Concordat between Colombia and the Vatican (027/93) declared Catholic influence on education unconstitutional.¹⁷“Corte Constitucional sustentó que presencia del clero en la entidad va en contra del estado laico”, El Tiempo, 2 December 2016, https://www.eltiempo.com/vida/educacion/corte-constitucional-saca-a-la-iglesia-del-sena-37169

Article 68 of the Constitution establishes the right of parents to choose the type of education that their children receive, including religious instruction. However, it also states that no student shall be forced to receive religious education in public schools.¹⁸Article 68: “En los establecimientos del Estado ninguna persona podrá ser obligada a recibir educación religiosa”
The State does not provide subsidies to religiously-owned schools.¹⁹“Colombia” chapter in 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom, Office of International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State, https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/colombia/

Sex education

Although Articles 13 and 14 of Law 115 of 1994 (the General Law on Education)²⁰Law 115 of 1994, Civil Service, https://www.funcionpublica.gov.co/eva/gestornormativo/norma.php?i=292 establishes that all public and private schools must impart sexual education appropriate to the age group of the students throughout their academic lives, the law fails to establish sufficient guidance and oversight in order to ensure that education is comprehensive and consistent across all schools.²¹Law 115 of 1994, Civil Service, https://www.funcionpublica.gov.co/eva/gestornormativo/norma.php?i=292

According to media reports, the National Confederation of Catholic Education (Confederación Nacional Católica de Educación – CONACED) appealed to Congress to abandon Bill 229/2021²² Martha Villalba Hodwalker, letter to Dr Rodrigo Arturo Rojas Lara, Chamber of Deputies, 15 June 2022, https://www.camara.gov.co/sites/default/files/2022-06/PSD%20PL%20229%20de%202021%20C.pdf on the basis that it would infringe on so-called “religious freedom” in November 2022. The Bill, proposed by the ruling leftwing coalition, would make sex education compulsory, including information relating to abortion, contraception and gender identities.²³ Eduardo Berdejo, “Colombia: Escuelas católicas piden archivar polémico proyecto de ley de educación sexual”, Aciprensa, 3 December 2022, https://www.aciprensa.com/noticias/97011/colombia-escuelas-catolicas-piden-archivar-polemico-proyecto-de-ley-de-educacion-sexual At the time of reporting, the progress of the bill appeared to have stalled following its second debate.²⁴Bill 229/21, Universidad de los Andes, https://congresovisible.uniandes.edu.co/proyectos-de-ley/ppor-medio-de-la-cual-se-promueve-y-fortalece-la-educacion-para-la-sexualidad-a-traves-de-la-formacion-conocimiento-y-ejercicio-de-los-derechos-sexuales-y-reproductivos-y-se-dictan-otras-disposiciones-educacion-sexual/11701/; Juliana Gil Gutierrez, “Dividida la Cámara para reglamentar educación sexual en los colegios”, El Colombiano, 16 November 2022, https://www.elcolombiano.com/colombia/congreso-estudia-proyecto-de-educacion-sexual-para-colegios-senalado-de-ideologia-de-genero-FO19170858

Members of the opposition have proposed an alternative bill that would allow parents to decide what should be taught on the curriculum and give them the right to withdraw their children from sex education classes altogether should they so wish.²⁵132/2022C, Chamber of Deputies, https://www.camara.gov.co/ley-los-padres-eligen

Bigotry in schools

Nevertheless, there have been incidents of bigotry in relation to compulsory worship and conservative moral norms in schools.
In 2022, it was reported that the American School – founded by a presbyterian minister – denied enrollment to a five-year-old girl after the school discovered that she had been adopted by a homosexual couple.²⁶ “Se violó el derecho a la no discriminación y a la igualdad a una familia homoparental.”, El Tiempo, 27 May 2022, https://www.eltiempo.com/bogota/asi-fue-como-el-colegio-americano-tuvo-que-disculparse-por-discriminar-675652 The school was ordered to amend its admission policies to bring them into line with non-discrimination policies and issue an apology to the family.

Family, community and society

Intolerance of atheistic beliefs is reported to be common.

Illiberal religious influence on social issues

Although Colombia has a solid framework for secularism, the secular state is still in the process of consolidation. The State has not been able to completely separate itself from religion, especially from the Catholic Church.

Pressure from religious groups has increased in the last decade. These groups have been advocating against state secularism, thereby threatening the rights of religious and sexual minorities, women and non-religious individuals.

LGBTI+ rights

LGBTI+ rights in Colombia have been acknowledged by the Constitutional Court through a gradual process.²⁷Colombia entry in Ilga World Database, ILGA World, https://database.ilga.org/colombia-lgbti; Cristian González Cabrera, “Colombia’s Constitutional Court Advances Gender Diversity”, Human Rights Watch, 8 March 2022, https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/03/08/colombias-constitutional-court-advances-gender-diversity However, members of the LGBTI+ community continue to face stigma and violence, including killings and attacks, sometimes conducted by the police.²⁸“Colombia” chapter in World Report 2024, Human Rights Watch, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/colombia#e81181; “Colombia” chapter in Annual Report 2021/22, Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/americas/south-america/colombia/report-colombia/ In order to address these concerns, the State is in the process of establishing a ‘Mechanism for the prevention and comprehensive care of violence and acts of discrimination against the LGBTIQ+ population’ (Mecanismo para la prevención y atención integral de violencias y actos de discriminación a la población LGBTIQ+).²⁹Luisa Fernanda Rico, “Gobierno alista decreto para prevenir y atender violencias a población LGBTIQ+”, Caracol Radio, 7 January 2024, https://caracol.com.co/2024/01/07/gobierno-alista-decreto-para-prevenir-y-atender-violencias-a-poblacion-lgbtiq/; “Poblacion LGBTIQ+”, National Department of Planning, last updated 18 December 2023, https://www.dnp.gov.co/LaEntidad_/subdireccion-general-prospectiva-desarrollo-nacional/direccion-desarrollo-social/Paginas/politicas-publicas-poblacion-LGBTIQ.aspx; Licsa Gómez, “Listo el decreto con el que el Gobierno creará un mecanismo para prevenir y atender violencias contra la población LGBTQ+”, Infobae, 7 January 2024, https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2024/01/08/listo-el-decreto-con-el-que-el-gobierno-creara-un-mecanismo-para-prevenir-y-atender-violencias-contra-la-poblacion-lgbtq/

Opposition to the liberalization of legislation in recognition of the rights of the LGBTI+ community is often led by conservative factions who oppose the undermining of “traditional” family values through “gender ideologies” – a strategy often pioneered globally by evangelical elements.³⁰Matthew Bocanumenth, “LGBT+ Rights and Peace in Colombia: The Paradox Between Law and Practice”, WOLA, 3 July 2020, https://www.wola.org/analysis/lgbt-rights-and-peace-in-colombia-the-paradox-between-law-and-practice/

Conversion therapy remains legal; as of 2020, it was estimated that one in five LGBTI+ individuals undergo such treatment. The figure rises to one in three if the individual is transgender.³¹ “Colombia” entry in Equaldex, https://www.equaldex.com/region/colombia; Anastasia Moloney, “1 in 5 LGBTQ+ People Are Targeted for Conversion Therapy in Colombia”, Global Citizen, 8 May 2020, https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/1-in-5-lgbtq-people-conversion-therapy-colombia/

Abortion

According to Human Rights Watch:³² “Colombia” chapter in World Report 2024, Human Rights Watch, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/colombia#e81181

“In February 2022, the Constitutional Court decriminalized abortion in all circumstances up to the 24th week of pregnancy and maintained access beyond that time in cases of rape, a non-viable pregnancy, or risk to a pregnant person’s health or life. In early 2023, a chamber of the Constitutional Court issued two rulings that threatened to undermine access to abortion services. In October, the Constitutional Court annulled the chamber’s decisions.”

Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values

The Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, and the media is free and diverse. The Constitution also protects the rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of association.

Defamation and offenses against honor continue to be criminalized and are used by state and non-state actors to silence critical voices.³³Committee to Protect Journalists, “Colombian reporters face defamation inquiry for reporting on assault allegations”, IFEX, 22 September 2020, https://ifex.org/colombian-reporters-face-criminal-defamation-inquiry-for-reporting-on-assault-allegations/; Committee to Protect Journalists, “Colombian vice president files criminal defamation suit against journalist”, IFEX, 29 July 2020, https://ifex.org/colombian-vice-president-files-criminal-defamation-suit-against-journalist/; IFEX Latin American & CAribean Alliance, “IFEX-ALC, Media Defence, and RSF support FLIP and journalist Diana Díaz against state harassment in Colombia”, IFEX, 21 October 2020, https://ifex.org/ifex-alc-media-defence-and-rsf-support-flip-and-journalist-diana-diaz-against-state-harassment-in-colombia/ Journalists reportedly face attacks and surveillance connected with their work.³⁴“Colombia”, IFEX, https://ifex.org/location/colombia/

Legal reform

In April 2023, Colombia’s Minister of Justice, Néstor Ozuna, accepted a Senate committee proposal to remove language that addresses crimes against “religious freedom” and respect for the dead from legislation designed to make the criminal system more humane and streamlined.³⁵Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “Proposed law leads to concerns about impact on freedom of religion or belief”, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 17 April 2023, https://www.csw.org.uk/2023/04/17/press/5983/article.htm The changes are being considered as a move to modernize the penitentiary system and reduce overcrowding in prisons.³⁶Ministry of Justice, https://www.minjusticia.gov.co/programas-co/politica-criminal/Documents/Humanizacion/Ponencia%20Primer%20Debate%20PL%20277%20de%202023%20Senado%20-%20336%20de%202023%20Ca%CC%81mara%20y%20Constancia%20H.R.%20Juan%20Wills.pdf

The bill proposes abolishing Chapter IX of the Penal Code relating to crimes “against religious sentiment and respect for the dead,” which outlines penalties for anyone who: uses violence to force or impede another’s participation in a religious rite (Article 201); impedes or disrupts a religious ceremony (Article 202); damages or harms people or things intended for religious worship (Article 203); and, disrespects corpses (Article 204).³⁷Penal Code, Leyes, https://leyes.co/codigo_penal.htm

The move has been condemned by religious groups and human rights defenders who report concerns that the changes could leave religious groups in conflict zones without recourse to remedy for the violations to their right to freedom of religion or belief that they experience.³⁸ “Proposed law leads to concerns about impact on freedom of religion or belief”, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, 17 April 2023, https://www.csw.org.uk/2023/04/17/press/5983/article.htm

Violence

According to the Human Rights Ombudsperson, more than 1,200 human rights defenders and social leaders have been killed in Colombia since 2016. Furthermore, Human Rights Watch documented 150 killings of human rights defenders and other social leaders committed between January and the end of November 2023.³⁹“Colombia” chapter in World Report 2024, Human Rights Watch, https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2024/country-chapters/colombia#e81181

Highlighted cases

In May 2019, Professor of religion Jaime Augusto Sánchez was attacked because he publicly defined himself as “atheist” and because, during one of his lessons, he discussed with the students various religious worldviews, different from the dominant Roman Catholic one. During a session of the City Council of Lebrija, Santander department, a priest named Eleazar Muñoz stood up and said that Professor Sánchez was not fit to hold his position because “one cannot put in that position a person that does not believe in God, that defines himself an atheist, since one cannot talk about faith if he does not have one, since he lost it. We already live in a difficult society, if we go to schools that teach us anti-values then we are lost”. Officers of the City Council of Lebrija opened an investigation against Professor Sánchez because he had shared with his students a Wikipedia entry on The Satanic Temple, a legally-recognised nontheistic religious group based in the United States of America. At the time of writing, the status of the council’s investigation remains unclear.⁴⁰ Diego Leon, “Discriminación contra profesor ateo en Lebrija, Santander”, Bogota Atea, 28 May 2019, https://bogota.ateos.co/2019/05/discriminacion-contra-profesor-ateo-en-lebrija-santander-comunicado-de-prensa/

In April 2017, the Minister of Health and Social Protection of Colombia, Alejandro Gaviria Uribe, released an interview where he publicly came out of the closet as an atheist. In particular, to the question, “Are you an atheist?” Gaviria Uribe replied, “I’m an atheist, but a respectful one”, also defining himself later in the same interview as a “a gentle atheist.”⁴¹Noticias Caracol, “La vida sin religión vale la pena: minsalud critica a “profetas”, políticos y redes sociales”, Caracol, 19 April 2017,
https://noticias.caracoltv.com/colombia/la-vida-sin-religion-vale-la-pena-minsalud-critica-profetas-politicos-y-redes-sociales
This statement generated a backlash against Gaviria Uribe. In particular, another politician, Alejandro Ordóñez, declared that Gaviria Uribe was unfit to cover that position. Since, as a person who did not believe in God, he was “promoting the culture of death”. Thus, he should have resigned for this reason. He added the following rhetorical question, “Would you leave the health and the education of your family in the hands of an atheist?”⁴²“¿Dejaría la salud y la educación de su hijo en manos de un ateo?”, La Semana, 29 April 2017, https://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/alejandro-ordonez-y-alejandro-gaviria-polemica-por-ateismo/523614 Despite such opposition, Gaviria Uribe remained in post until 2018 and is credited with fighting for women’s reproductive rights and regulating the cost of medicine, among other achievements.⁴³Andrés Ruiz Zuluaga, “Uncomfortable truths”, Universidad de los Andes, 17 April 2020, https://uniandes.edu.co/en/news/in-the-campus/uncomfortable-truths

In 2016 a Professor of Philosophy, Religion and Ethics, Miguel Lorenzo Trujillo, was harassed by the parents of his students for “perverting the minds of their children”. According to media reports, the parents tried to physically assault the professor and launched a petition to make him resign. The director of the school tried to modify Trujillo’s way of teaching. Finally, thanks to the mediatic and legal intervention of Bogotà Atea, the professor remained in post.⁴⁴“Profe ateo de filosofía alborotó al católico municipio de Garzón”, El Pulzo, 27 April 2016, https://www.pulzo.com/nacion/profe-ateo-de-filosofia-alboroto-al-catolico-municipio-de-garzon-PP36971

In August 2014, the artist María Eugenia Trujillo was scheduled to premiere her exhibition “Concealed Women”, which featured works in which vaginas and other parts of the female body appeared in scenes related to religious imagery. The exhibition was called off by a provisional order provoked by 75 writs claiming that the exhibit breached Article 19 of the Constitution, the article which guarantees freedom of religion. ‘Voto Católico (Catholic Vote)’, which supported the censorship, declared: “This exposition is, intentionally, an act of symbolic violence against the Catholic community and an open insult to God.” The decision to suspend the exhibit was later overturned by the Ministry of Culture.

Sergio David Urrego Reyes was a middle school student attending a private Catholic school near Bogotá. In May 2014, due to a photo saved on his phone which depicted him and his boyfriend kissing, he was referred to the School Counselor and told that he was in breach of the school’s regulation that prohibited “obscene, grotesque or vulgar PDA [public displays of affection] on and off school property.” After a parent-teacher conference, where the students were forced to reveal their relationship to their parents, Sergio was expelled. Denying any discrimination against homosexuality, the school informed the parents that Sergio would be allowed back on the condition that he went to therapy every month until graduation. After his boyfriend’s parents sued Sergio for sexual harassment, despite their relationship being consensual, Sergio committed suicide.⁴⁵Natalia Herrera Durán, “Las pruebas de Sergio”, El Espectador, 7 September 2014,
elespectador.com/noticias/bogota/pruebas-de-sergio-articulo-515085

The headmistress in this case allegedly referred to Sergio as an “anarchist, atheist and homosexual”. The group Voto Católico (Catholic Vote), one of the conservative groups that defended the school, published a note which read: “The authorities, rather than trying to indict the school headmistress and use the case as an excuse to annihilate Religious Freedom, should be alarmed by the popularity that suicidal ideologies are gaining amongst Colombian teenagers.”⁴⁶https://www.votocatolico.co/2014/09/fue-el-suicidio-de-sergio-urrego-un.html

Testimonials

“Socially, I have found that as an atheist I have been confused with satanists. I believe this has to do with the historic Catholic dogma that those who are not ‘in the light of God’ are effectively in control over the devil.” – Adriaan Alsema, Editor-in-Chief of Colombia Reports, 2019