Perpetuating Anti-Muslim Discrimination through the Interpretation of Religious Equality in the European Court of Human Rights

Abstract

AbstractFaced with widespread prejudice and discrimination, European Muslims are increasingly resorting to the European Court of Human Rights as a last-ditch strategy to transform state policies toward minority faiths. While the Court has a mandate to protect religious freedom and equality, the conservative and sometimes biased way in which it has interpreted these concepts has enabled the persistence of stark asymmetries in the legal and social statuses of different religions. Using an analysis of relevant cases, this article seeks to highlight the judicial processes that currently sustain Muslim subordination and pinpoint specific reforms that could reverse the trend.