Legal framework on freedom of religion and actual application
Guinea-Bissau, a former Portuguese colony, is ethnically and religiously diverse. According to Article 1 of its Constitution, it is a “sovereign, democratic, secular and unitary republic.” Article 4 (Section 5) and Article 45 (Section 3) respectively prohibit political parties and labour unions from identifying with any Church, religion, cult, or religious doctrine. The same prohibitions apply to party identification with the name of an area of the national territory or with the name of a person. Although the constitutional text affirms that freedom of religion and conscience are inviolable, Article 30 (Section 2) allows the state to suspend or limit “fundamental rights, liberties and guarantees” in the case of a state of emergency, but only “to protect other constitutionally protected rights or interests, and cannot be retroactive, nor diminish the essential content of those rights” (Article 30, Section 3). Article 24 clearly states that all citizens are equal before the law, with the same rights and duties, without distinctions of any type (including religion).
Article 6 recognises the separation of Church and State (Section 1), noting that the State must respect and protect “all legally recognized religions”, while the “activities of these religions and the practice of the faith are subject to the law” (Section 2).
Religious groups must be licensed by the Ministry of Justice as associations in order to to enjoy tax exemptions. While religious associations are permitted to teach their faith, religious instruction is not allowed in public schools. However, there are some private schools run by religious groups which must meet government curriculum standards to grant nationally recognised qualifications.
The association of religiosity with those in power is an important aspect of local society and has had an impact on the disposition of the population toward their leaders.
Despite political instability and widespread poverty, religious tensions have been minimal for decades.
Incidents and developments
In April 2021, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo refused to provide government funding for the traditional distribution of rice and sugar to Muslims during Ramadan. A month later, in one region of the country, Bafata, local Muslim youths and police clashed after religious leaders in one town refused to comply with a post-Ramadan day of prayer as set by the authorities. In July, some Muslim clerics objected to the Ministry of Public Administration’s decision to decide the date for the recitation of Eid al-Adha prayers, claiming that this constituted undue government interference.
In October 2021, some religious leaders complained about the lack of government action against extremism, warning that some local mosques and schools were receiving foreign funds from radical Islamist groups, undermining the country’s traditional moderate Islam. The government was also criticised for failing to turn Arabic-only schools into regular schools, where students are taught more secular-oriented subjects allowing them to better integrate into wider society.
In August 2021, Imam Ustas Aladjil Bubacar Djalo of Mansoa passed away. His death was a great loss to Muslims, but also affected the Catholic Church due to his commitment to dialogue and peace between Muslims and Christians. The Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Bissau, Bishop José Lampra Ca, and the Administrator of the Diocese of Bafatá, Fr Lucio Brentagni, said that “The Catholic community has a very strong bond with Imam Ustas” and that they share the sorrow felt by “his family and [. . .] the entire Islamic community of Mansoa and Guinea”.
In October 2021, an independent Pentecostal church, the Igreja Assembleia de Deus (IAD), was criticised by multiple Muslim and Catholic religious leaders for its divisive and sectarian attacks, particularly through broadcasts on the IAD affiliated Radio Luz. According to the religious leaders, the programming was attempting to provoke youth and destabilize the traditionally peaceful relations.
In late December 2021, after a meeting between the Prime Minister Nuno Gomes Nabiam and other religious leaders, newly appointed Bishop José Lampra Cá of Bissau called for an understanding between political leaders, noting that Guinea-Bissau belongs to all its people. President Umaro Sissoco Embalo did not appreciate the bishop's words, saying that clerics have no role in politics. Reacting to the President's statement, a Catholic clergyman, Father Mutna Tambá, asked why an Imam sits on the Council of State if there is no place for clerics in the political arena. Eventually, the president attended Bishop Lampra Cá’s enthronement in January 2022, saying that there was no dispute between him and the prelate.
On 1st February 2022, President Embalo survived an attempted coup led by an armed group. An estimated 11 people died during the attack on government buildings, which the president blamed on drug traffickers. Following the violence, the authorities reportedly cracked down on groups that questioned the government’s version of events. As a result, local human rights organisations and independent media denounced the deterioration of the security situation, the intimidation against human rights defenders, and the threat to press freedom.
In July 2022, a Catholic church in Santa Isabel parish was attacked in eastern Guinea-Bissau. The attackers destroyed religious images and a crucifix, and the image of Our Lady of Gebra was also smashed. This was the first attack of its kind, shocking the country, especially after images were posted on social media. For the parish priest, Fr Father Paulo de Pina Araújo, hatred, whether religious or political, was behind the attack.
The president of the Confederation of Islamic Youth, Hamza Seidi denounced the attack stating: “We strongly condemn this act, because nothing justifies the attack. Guinea-Bissau is a secular country and we cannot allow such an act to happen in this country. Therefore, we demand that the competent authorities investigate and hold the people involved in this act, which we consider to be terror, accountable.”
For his part, President Embalo downplayed the incident, stating: “How many times have mosques been robbed here? If a church was robbed, we just have to let the police do their job. A church was vandalised, is that such a big deal? How often are clocks, electric fans or air-conditioners stolen from mosques? Even in the Vatican, or in Mecca, there are cases of theft, is this such a big deal?”.
Prospects for freedom of religion
The human rights situation has worsened in Guinea-Bissau as a result of deteriorating security and the activities of trafficking cartels, even more so after the attempted coup d’état. The security concerns have not, however, directly affected any religious institution or group. This is most likely due to the strength of traditional religious practices in the country, as well as the interest of politicians to assure the safety of religious groups as religion is used for political gain. Of greater concern for religious freedom, however, are reported links between armed groups in Guinea-Bissau and the AQIM, MUJAO, and Ansar al-Din terrorist groups. This is reflected internally by signs of a growth of extremism among some Bissau-Guinean Muslims, notably the financial support from radical groups to local mosques and schools. Coupled with the attack on the Catholic Church in Gabu on July 2 – the first case of such an attack on any place of worship in Guinea-Bissau – these factors suggest a growing threat to Guinea-Bissau’s traditionally moderate Islam and positive relations among the country’s main religious traditions. This concern is not helped by occasional aggressive forms of evangelism by some independent Pentecostal groups, of note the Igreja Assembleia de Deus. The prospects for religious freedom this time are negative.
Guinea-Bissau