Freedom of religion or belief may be “limited” under most national constitutions and international human rights treaties on grounds of public safety, order, health or morals, and the rights of others. Please join us for a discussion with Gehan Guantilleke on how constitutional and treaty provisions are vulnerable to majoritarian infiltration. The webinar will explore case studies from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Europe to illustrate how states often interpret the term “public” to mean the majority’s views, and the ways in which majoritarian conceptions of limitation grounds can threaten the rights of religious minorities. We will also discuss alternative conceptions of constitutional and treaty interpretations to constrain a state’s ability to advance majoritarian interests. Yee Htun, Clinical Instructor in the International Human Rights Clinic, will moderate the conversation. Register for the event with Guantilleke and Htun on Zoom here.
Hosted by the Program on Law & Society in the Muslim World and co-sponsored by the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School and HLS Advocates for Human Rights.