The State Department is urging all governments to respect religious freedom after Europe’s international human rights court ruled Russia’s ban on Falun Gong materials is illegal.
“More broadly, we strongly oppose laws that impede freedom of expression and freedom of religion—rights protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” a State Department spokesperson told The Epoch Times. “We are concerned by any attempt to prevent individuals [from] practicing their fundamental rights and encourage all governments to respect religious freedoms or belief.”
The Jan. 31 ruling from the European Court of Human Rights concerns a Russian ban dating back to 2008 targeting four materials related to the spiritual practice Falun Gong, a meditative practice originating in China that features the values of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance….