Membela Kebebasan Beragama 1 - Democracy Project

–Democracy Project–
pembatasan lazimnya. Mengikuti General Comment No. 22 (diterima
dalam Sidang Umum ke-48 PBB, 1993), yang memberi kita
petunjuk resmi mengenai penafsiran ICCPR, hak atas kebebasan
berpikir, berkeyakinan dan beragama itu harus dipahami secara
luas dan komprehensif:
Article 18 protects theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well
as the right not to profess any religion or belief. The terms “belief”
and “religion” are to be broadly construed. Article 18 is not limited
in its application to traditional religions or to religions and
beliefs with institutional characteristics or practices analogous to
those of traditional religions. The Committee therefore views with
concern any tendency to discriminate against any religion or belief
for any reason, including the fact that they are newly established,
or represent religious minorities that may be the subject of hostility
on the part of a predominant religious community.
Kutipan di atas memperlihatkan betapa pelik dan rumitnya jalinan
konseptual yang melatari hak atas kebebasan beragama atau
berkeyakinan yang mau dilindungi ICCPR. Perhatikan bahwa pasal
ICCPR itu dirumuskan untuk melindungi baik keyakinan teistik,
non-teistik, bahkan a-teistik, termasuk keyakinan seseorang untuk
tidak memeluk keyakinan apa pun! Begitu juga, istilah “agama”
maupun “keyakinan” tidak saja mencakup agama-agama tradisional,
agama-agama yang memiliki institusi, tetapi juga agama-agama
baru, atau non-institusional.
UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, General Comments
No. 22: The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Art. 18),
30/07/93, paragraf 2.
xviii
– Membela Kebebasan Beragama (Buku 1)