印度马哈拉施特拉邦颁布的新宗教转教法自8月底生效以来，已对当地宗教生活产生实际影响1。该法禁止通过强制、欺诈、胁迫或诱导进行宗教转教，首次违反者可被判处7年或以上监禁，累犯最高可判10年1。法律同时要求自愿转教者需提前通知当局1。为应对新规，当地教堂开始要求礼拜者签署声明以证明其自愿参加宗教活动1。
新法引发了关于宗教自由和政府干预私人信仰的广泛担忧1。法律中"诱导"一词的定义范围极为宽泛，涵盖就业、免费教育、婚姻承诺、"更好的生活方式"和"神圣治愈"等因素1。退休孟买高等法院法官Abhay Thipsay指出："定义被设定得如此模糊，几乎任何人获得的任何好处都可能被视为或辩称是诱导"1。该法还允许父母、兄弟姐妹等亲属向警方投诉指控的非法转教行为1。律师Lara Jesani表示，这一规定使跨信仰夫妇面临风险，他们担心亲属可能利用新法指控一方试图转教对方1。
这部法律对基督教和穆斯林少数群体造成了尤其影响1。印度已有超过十几个邦实施了类似的限制性宗教转教法，其中大多数由印度总理莫迪所在的印度人民党统治1。
Maharashtra state in India has enacted a religious conversion law that prohibits switching faiths through coercion, fraud, intimidation, or inducement, with first-time violators facing up to seven years imprisonment and repeat offenders potentially sentenced to ten years.1 Since the law took effect in late August, churches in the region have begun requiring worshippers to sign declarations affirming their voluntary attendance, raising widespread concerns about religious freedom and government intrusion into personal beliefs, particularly affecting Christian and Muslim minority communities.1
The legislation mandates that those seeking voluntary religious conversion must notify authorities in advance.1 The law defines "inducement" broadly to encompass employment opportunities, free education, marriage promises, promises of a better lifestyle, and faith healing.1 Additionally, relatives including parents and siblings are legally permitted to file complaints with police alleging unlawful conversions.1 Retired Mumbai High Court judge Abhay Thipsay cautioned that "the definition has been set so vaguely that almost any benefit that anyone receives could be seen as or argued to be inducement."1
India has adopted similar restrictive conversion laws in over a dozen states, with many governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the ruling party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.1 Lawyer Lara Jesani noted that interfaith couples are now concerned that relatives might exploit the new law to accuse one spouse of attempting to convert the other.1
评论
还没有评论，欢迎留下第一条。