ABSTRACT
The passage of the Human Rights Act 1998 in the United Kingdom provoked unexpected and vigorous opposition from a number of religious groups.1 The government sought to placate the opposition by a single clause, which has now become section 13(1) o f the Act: ‘If a court’s deter mination of any question arising under this Act might affect the exercise by a religious organisation (itself or its members collectively) o f the Convention right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, it must have particular regard to the importance of that right.’
