ABSTRACT
C h a p t e r '• 1 analyzed the protection of religious human rights under the United Nations. This chapter addresses the protection extended to rights related to religion by the main regional systems of human rights. Regional affinities are an important element in the development of such systems. It is therefore not surprising that the most satisfactory protection is that prevailing in Europe. The European Commission and Court of Human Rights dealt frequently with issues pertaining to this area, and some of their decisions are also discussed elsewhere in this book. The European institutional arrangements concerning monitoring of human rights are now undergoing a basic change, which, it is hoped, will improve protection. In addition, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)— formerly the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)— has recently developed important principles in the area of religious freedoms.
