美国人权宣言.docx
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美国人权宣言
美国人权宣言
BureauofDemocracy,HumanRights,andLabor
InternationalReligiousFreedomReport2010
November17,2010
Theconstitutionprovidesforfreedomofreligion,andotherlawsandpoliciescontributedtothegenerallyfreepracticeofreligion.TheEvangelicalLutheranChurch(ELC)isthestatechurchandenjoyssomeprivilegesnotavailabletootherreligiousgroups.
Thegovernmentgenerallyrespectedreligiousfreedominpractice.Therewasnochangeinthestatusofrespectforreligiousfreedombythegovernmentduringthereportingperiod.
Thereweresomereportsofsocietalabusesordiscriminationbasedonreligiousaffiliation,belief,orpractice,suchasoccasionalreportsofanti-Semiticandanti-Islamicinsults,harassment,andvandalism,reflectingtensionsbetweenyoungMuslimsandotheryoungDanes.
TheU.S.governmentdiscussesreligiousfreedomwiththegovernmentaspartofitsoverallpolicytopromotehumanrights.Theembassypromotesreligiousdialogue,particularlywiththeMuslimcommunity.TheembassysponsoredMuslimleadersandyoungpersonstoparticipateinactivitiesthatpromotediversity,multiculturalism,integration,andtoleranceforethnicandreligiousminoritiesasfoundationsofreligiousfreedom.
SectionI.ReligiousDemography
Thecountryhasanareaof16,639squaremilesandapopulationof5.5million.BasedonofficialstatisticsfromApril2010,80.7percentofthepopulationbelongstotheofficialELC.Althoughonly2-3percentofcitizensattendservicesregularly,between40and65percentofthemutilizethechurchatleastonceannuallyforbaptisms,confirmations,weddings,funerals,andreligiousholidays.
Asaresultofimmigrationtrends,thesecondlargestreligiouscommunityisMuslim,constituting3.6percentofthepopulation(approximately200,000).Muslimcommunitiestendtoconcentrateinthelargestcities,particularlyinCopenhagen,Odense,andAarhus.Groupsthatconstitutelessthan1percentofthepopulationincludeCatholics(38,000),Jehovah'sWitnesses(14,600),SerbianOrthodoxChristians(7,000),Jews(6,000),Baptists(5,200),Buddhists(4,400),TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-daySaints(Mormons)(4,200),andthePentecostalChurch(3,700).Therearealsomanycommunitieswithfewer
than3,000members,includingSeventh-dayAdventists,theCatholicApostolicChurch,theSalvationArmy,Methodists,Anglicans,andRussianOrthodox.TheGermanminorityinsouthernJutlandandothernonethnic-Danishcommunities(particularlyScandinaviangroups)havetheirownreligiousgroups.
OfficialattendancefiguresindicateashiftfromtheEvangelicalLutheranChurchtootherdenominations,withELCmembershipfallingfrommorethan90percentofthepopulationinthe1980stoarecord-lowlevelof80.7percentin2009.However,therehasbeenasteadyincreaseinchurchattendanceonreligiousholidays.
TheEuropeanheadquartersoftheChurchofScientologyislocatedinCopenhagen,althoughitdidnotofficiallyapplytothegovernmentforrecognitionasareligiousgroupduringthereportingperiod.
SectionII.StatusofGovernmentRespectforReligiousFreedom
Legal/PolicyFramework
Theconstitutionprovidesforfreedomofreligion,andotherlawsandpoliciescontributedtothegenerallyfreepracticeofreligion.
TheconstitutionstipulatesthattheEvangelicalLutheranChurchisthestatechurch,thereigningmonarchshallbeamemberofthechurch,andthestateshallsupportit.TheELCistheonlyreligiousorganizationthatcanreceivestatesubsidiesorfundsdirectlythroughthetaxsystem.Approximately12percentofthechurch'srevenuecomesfromstatesubsidies;mostoftherestcomesfromthechurchtaxthatispaidonlybymembers.Noindividualiscompelledtopaychurchtaxorprovidedirectfinancialsupporttothenationalchurchoranyotherreligiousorganization.However,membersofotherreligiousgroups,notablyCatholics,havearguedthatthesystemisunfairandthatthegovernmentdoesnotprovidereligiousequality,despiteprovidingreligiousfreedom.A2007rulingbytheSupremeCourtdeniedarequestbynonmembersoftheELCforreimbursementofsubsidiestothechurchfromgeneraltaxpayments.TheSupremeCourtheldthatindirectfinancingoftheELCdoesnotconstitutereligiousdiscriminationbecausethechurchalsoengagesinnonreligiousactivitiessuchascivilregistrationandmanagementofnonsectariancemeteries.Therulingalsoupheldthechurch'sofficialroleinregisteringbirthsanddeaths.AllowingotherreligiousorganizationstobegiventhesamestatusandprivilegesastheELCwouldrequirechangestotheconstitution.
Thecriminalcodeprohibitspublicmockeryoforinsulttothedoctrineorworshipofalegallyrecognizedreligion.Themaximumpenaltyforaviolationofthisprovisionisafineanduptofourmonthsinprison.Since1938thegovernmenthasnotprosecutedanycaseundertheblasphemyprovision;prosecutorshavedismissedaccusationsofblasphemyasprotectedfreespeech.
Thegovernmentobservesthefollowingreligiousholidaysasnationalholidays:
NewYear?
?
sDay,HolyThursday,GoodFriday,EasterSunday,EasterMonday,CommonPrayerDay,AscensionDay,Pentecost,SecondPentecost,WhitMonday,ChristmasEve,Christmas,andthedayafterChristmas.
Thecountrymandatescompulsorymilitaryservicebutprovidesaconscientiousobjectionexemption.Inlieuofmilitaryservice,conscientiousobjectorsmayberequiredtoserveinaciviliancapacity.
OnJuly1,2009,anamendmenttotheAdministrationofJusticeActtookeffectthatbannedreligioussymbols,suchasheadscarves,turbans,Jewishskullcaps,andcrucifixes,aswellaspoliticalones,fromjudicialattire.
InadditiontotheEvangelicalLutheranChurch,thegovernmentgrantsofficialstatustootherreligiousgroups.Priorto1970,atotalof11religiouscommunitiesreceivedapprovalintheformofrecognitionbyroyaldecree,includingtheRomanCatholic,Methodist,Baptist,RussianOrthodox,andJewishcommunities.Sincethen,theMinistryofEcclesiasticalAffairshasapproved116religiouscommunitiesandchurchesundertheMarriageAct,includingseveralMuslimgroups,Jehovah'sWitnesses,Mormons,Seventh-dayAdventists,Sikhs,Buddhists,OrthodoxChristians,Hindus,Baha'is,HareKrishnas,andfollowersoftheindigenousNorsebeliefsystemFornSidr.Theseofficiallyapprovedreligiousgroupsenjoycertainspecialrights,includingtherighttoperformmarriageceremonieswithlegaleffect,residencepermitsforforeignpreachers,therighttoestablishcemeteries,andcertaintaxexemptions.OnlyministersofreligiousgroupsapprovedundertheMarriageActmaynameandbaptizechildrenwithlegaleffect,keepchurchregisters,andtranscribecertificatesonthebasisofsuchregisters.In2007theresponsibilityforadministeringtheMarriageActandtherecognitionofreligiouscommunitieswastransferredfromtheEcclesiasticMinistrytotheMinistryofJustice.
ReligiouscommunitiesnotrecognizedbyeitherroyaldecreeortheMarriageActareentitledtopracticetheirfaithwithoutanylicensing
requirement,buttheirmarriageceremoniesarenotrecognizedbythestate.Unrecognizedreligiouscommunitiesarenotgrantedtax-exemptstatus.
The2008GuidelinesforApprovalofReligiousOrganizationsrequirereligiousgroupsseekingregistrationtosubmitthefollowingitems:
adocumentonthegroup'scentraltraditions;descriptionsofitsmostimportantrituals;acopyofitsrules,regulations,andorganizationalstructure;anauditedfinancialstatement;andinformationaboutthegroup'sleadershipandeachmemberwithapermanentaddressinthecountry.Additionally,theorganizationmust"notteachorperformactionsinconsistentwithpublicmoralityororder."
Therearenorestrictionsonproselytizingormissionaryworkaslongaspractitionersobeythelawanddonotactinconsistentlywithpublicmoralityororder.
Allpublicandprivateschools,includingreligiousschools,receivegovernmentfinancialsupport.TheEvangelicalLutheranfaithistaughtinpublicschoolsinaccordancewiththePublicSchoolAct;however,astudentmaywithdrawfromreligiousclasseswithparentalconsent.Additionally,thelawrequiresthataChristianstudiescoursecoveringworldreligionsandphilosophyandpromotingtoleranceandrespectforallreligiousbeliefsbetaughtinpublicschool.Thecourseiscompulsory,althoughstudentsmaybeexemptedfromthecourseifaparentpresentsarequestinwriting.Ifthestudentis15yearsoldorolder,thestudentandparentmustjointlyrequestthestudent'sexemptionfromthecourse.AccordingtoaninvestigationbytheMinistryofEducation,anaverageofonly1.3percentofstudentsinthegreaterCopenhagensamplearea,whichhasthehighestconcentrationofnon-Christians,optedoutoftheChristianstudiescourse.Theconstitutionprotectstherightofparentstoeducatetheirchildreninprivateschoolsorhomeschoolsaslongasthisalternateformofeducationmatcheswhatis"usuallyrequiredinprimaryschools."
InFebruary2009theeducationministerstatedthatMuslim,Jewish,andChristianprayersmaybesubstitutedforcollectiveprayerinsuchvenuesasschoolassemblies,aslongastheprayerisinvokedwithoutpreaching.Duringthereportingperiod,thereweretwounsuccessfulattemptsbytheoppositioninparliamenttobanallformsofprayerinschool.
Duringthereportingperiod,thegovernmentcontinuedeffortstopromotesocialandeconomicintegrationofrefugeesandimmigrants.
In2007thegovernmentpassedlegislationthatwouldrequireallforeignreligiousworkerstopassaDanishlanguagetestwithinsixmonthsofenteringthecountryorrisklosingtheir