The Need for Granting Justice to Religious Groups Unjustly Persecuted in the Past: Lessons from Recent Events

The Need for Granting Justice to Religious Groups Unjustly Persecuted in the Past: Lessons from Recent Events

We have learned that democracy is no guarantee against violations of freedom of religion or belief. However, when more democracy is introduced, it often happens that more religious liberty is also guaranteed. We have noticed, in particular, the progress of religious liberty in countries once part of the Soviet Union. Although some problems occasionally surface, the Baltic States are a virtuous example of transition to religious liberty, and even in Central Asia, where freedom of religion or belief is not yet fully recognized, at least several Jehovah’s Witnesses and other prisoners of conscience have been liberated from jail.

The Need for Granting Justice to Religious Groups Unjustly Persecuted in the Past: Lessons from Recent Events

HRC 53 Exposición escrita, Abusos de derechos humanos contra miembros de la Escuela de Yoga de Buenos Aires

La Escuela de Yoga de Buenos Aires (BAYS) fue creada en 1983 por el Dr. Percowicz para enseñar Raja Yoga, filosofía occidental y oriental, y sus aplicaciones prácticas para mejorar el bienestar personal y la vida cotidiana (la información sobre BAYS y su caso se recoge en el único estudio académico sobre el grupo publicado en una revista revisada por expertos: Massimo Introvigne, “La gran caza de brujas contra las sectas en Argentina y la Escuela de Yoga de Buenos Aires.”

The Need for Granting Justice to Religious Groups Unjustly Persecuted in the Past: Lessons from Recent Events

HRC 53 Written statement, Human Rights Abuses Against Members of the Buenos Aires Yoga School

The Buenos Aires Yoga School (BAYS) was established in 1983 by Dr. Juan Percowicz to teach Raja Yoga, Western and Eastern philosophy, and their practical applications to improve personal well-being and daily life (information on BAYS and its case are taken by the only scholarly study of the group published in a peer-reviewed journal: Massimo Introvigne, “The Great Cult Scare in Argentina and the Buenos Aires Yoga School,” The Journal of CESNUR, 7.3, 2023, 3–32; parts of this study are reproduced here with permission).

The Need for Granting Justice to Religious Groups Unjustly Persecuted in the Past: Lessons from Recent Events

HRC 53 ITEM 3 ID with SR on migrants 26 June 2026 Over 100 Ahmadi religion members under threat of deportation by Turkey

CAP LC and Human Rights Without Frontiers would like to raise to the Council’s attention the urgent crisis of 104 members of the religion in Turkey, who are at risk of facing death sentences and imprisonment because Turkish authorities have decided to deport them back to their home countries, where they are facing extreme forms of religious persecution.

The Need for Granting Justice to Religious Groups Unjustly Persecuted in the Past: Lessons from Recent Events

HRC 53 ITEM 3 ID with Special Adviser on prevention of genocide ITEM 3 Presentation of reports 4 July 2023

The genocide of Amhara commenced from as early as 1990 when the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) took power in Ethiopia with the ongoing and systematic massacre of ethnic Amhara and Agew people in Arsi, Harerghe; Benishangul-Gumuz, Metekel Zone, Southern region and in the forcefully annexed areas as west Tigray; Welkait-Tegede, Setit Humera and Raya.

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