Ulf Gartzke: Berlin is focusing on “value-based foreign policy” - the promotion of religious freedom. Three key areas where religious freedom is currently under attack have been identified: The right to publicly practice one’s faith and to change one’s religion as well as attempts by a number of Muslim countries to anchor the “protection of religion” in international law.
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Askarbek Erkinovich Mambetaliev: Recent legislation to tackle religious extremism in Kyrgystan is a pretext for targetting Evangelicals and religious minorities. State propaganda has created popular hostility towards non-Muslims. Tackling this situation requires inclusive rhetoric from local leaders and the curbing of anti-westernism.
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