The status of religious freedom in Asia varies from country to country. States can differ based on whether or not they guarantee equal treatment under law for followers of different religions, whether they establish a state religion (and the legal implications that this has for both practitioners and non-practitioners), the extent to which religious organizations operating within the country are policed, and the extent to which religious law is used as a basis for the country's legal code.

There are further discrepancies between some countries' self-proclaimed stances of religious freedom in law and the actual practice of authority bodies within those countries: a country's establishment of religious equality in their constitution or laws does not necessarily translate into freedom of practice for residents of the country. Additionally, similar practices (such as having citizens identify their religious preference to the government or on identification cards) can have different consequences depending on other sociopolitical circumstances specific to the countries in question. Most countries in Asia officially establish the freedom of religion by law, but the extent to which this is enforced varies. Some countries have anti-discrimination laws, and others have anti-blasphemy laws. Legal religious discrimination is present in many countries in Asia."U.S. Department of State: 2012 Report on International Religious Freedom: Israel and The Occupied Territories (May 20, 2013)"International Religious Freedom Report 2022 Bahrain, US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.U.S. Department of State: 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Jordan Some countries also have significantly restricted the activities of Islamic groups that they have identified as fundamentalist.U.S Department of State, International Religious Freedom Report 2010: China, 17 Nov 2010. Several countries ban proselytization, either in general or for specific religious groups.US State Dept International Religious Freedom Report 2022: Armenia Tajikistan has significant restrictions against the practice of religion in general, and other countries like China discourage it on a wide basis.United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Tajikistan: International Religious Freedom Report 2022 Several countries in Asia establish a state religion, with Islam (usually Sunni Islam) being the most common, followed by Buddhism. Lebanon and Iran, as well as the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria have established confessionalist political systems which guarantee set levels of representation in government to specific religious groups in the country.US State Dept International Religious Freedom Report 2022: Lebanon Some majority Muslim countries have Islamic religious courts, with varying degrees of jurisdiction. The governments of some Muslim countries have played an active role in overseeing and directing forms of Muslim religious practice within their country.See the 2008 Human Rights Report of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (US State Department) of 25 February 2009. Retrieved 21 September 2009 US State Department, 2022 report on Uzbekistan

Societal levels of religious tolerance vary greatly across Asia. Groups negatively affected include Muslims,Religious Freedom in India US State Dept 2022 Christians,International Religious Freedom Report 2022 Bhutan BuddhistsInternational Religious Freedom Report 2022 Bangladesh, US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. and Hindus.Malaysia ethnic Indians in uphill fight on religion Reuters India – 8 November 2007

Religious violence is present in several countries, with varying degrees of support or intervention from local governments. Groups including Muslims, Christians,Parajuli, Kalpit (2012) ‘Hindu terrorists threaten more attacks against Christians and Muslims.’ Asian News, 14 August 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2017. Buddhists and Hindus face religiously motivated violence.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is an Islamic republic where Islam is practiced by 99.7% of its population. Roughly 90% of the Afghans follow Sunni Islam, with the rest practicing Shia Islam. Apart from Muslims, there are also small minorities of Sikhs and Hindus.

The Constitution of Afghanistan established on January 23, 2004, mandates that:

Afghanistan shall be an Islamic Republic, independent, unitary, and an indivisible state. The sacred religion of Islam shall be the religion of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Followers of other faiths shall be free within the bounds of law in the exercise and performance of their religious rights. No law shall contravene the tenets and provisions of the holy religion of Islam in Afghanistan.

In practice, the constitution limits the political rights of Afghanistan's non-Muslims, and only Muslims are allowed to become the President.

In March 2015, a 27-year-old Afghan woman was murdered by a mob in Kabul over false allegations of burning a copy of the Koran. After beating and kicking Farkhunda, the mob threw her over a bridge, set her body on fire and threw it in the river.

Taliban controlled regions Historically, the Taliban, which controlled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, prohibited free speech about religious issues or discussions that challenge orthodox Sunni Muslim views. Repression by the Taliban of the Hazara ethnic group, which is predominantly Shia Muslim, was particularly severe. Although the conflict between the Hazaras and the Taliban was political and military as well as religious, and it is not possible to state with certainty that the Taliban engaged in its campaign against the Shi'a solely because of their religious beliefs, the religious affiliation of the Hazaras apparently was a significant factor leading to their repression. After the United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the Taliban was forced out of power and began an insurgency against the new government and allied US forces. The Taliban continues to prohibit music, movies, and television on religious grounds in areas that it still holds.

According to the U.S. Military, the Taliban controls 10% of Afghanistan as of December 2017. There are also pockets of territory controlled by Islamic State affiliates. On October 14, 2017, The Guardian reported that there were then between 600 and 800 ISIL-KP militants left in Afghanistan, who are mostly concentrated in Nangarhar Province.

Armenia

As of 2011, most Armenians are Christians (94.8%) and members of Armenia's own church, the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The Constitution of Armenia as amended in December 2005 provides for freedom of religion; however, the law places some restrictions on the religious freedom of adherents of minority religious groups, and there were some restrictions in practice. The Armenian Apostolic Church which has formal legal status as the national church, enjoys some privileges not available to other religious groups. Some denominations reported occasional discrimination by mid- or low-level government officials but found high-level officials to be tolerant. Societal attitudes toward some minority religious groups were ambivalent, and there were reports of societal discrimination directed against members of these groups.

The law does not mandate registration of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), including religious groups; however, only registered organizations have legal status. Only registered groups may publish newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places, broadcast programs on television or radio, or officially sponsor the visas of visitors, although there is no prohibition on individual members doing so. There were no reports of the Government refusing registration to religious groups that qualified for registration under the law. To qualify for registration, religious organizations must "be free from materialism and of a purely spiritual nature," and must subscribe to a doctrine based on "historically recognized holy scriptures." The Office of the State Registrar registers religious entities. The Department of Religious Affairs and National Minorities oversees religious affairs and performs a consultative role in the registration process. A religious organization must have at least 200 adult members to register.

The Law on Freedom of Conscience prohibits "proselytizing" but does not define it. A criminal code passed in July 2022 prohibits any obstruction of the right to exercise freedom of religion.

Azerbaijan

The Constitution of Azerbaijan provides that persons of all faiths may choose and practice their religion without restriction, although, some sources state that there have been some abuses and restrictions. Azerbaijan is a majority Muslim country. Various estimates calculate that upwards of 95% of the population identify as Muslim.Administrative Department of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan – Presidential Library – Religion Most are adherents of Shia branch with a minority (15%) being Sunni Muslim, although differences traditionally have not been defined sharply. For many Azerbaijanis, Islam tends toward a more ethnic/nationalistic identity than a purely religious one.

Religious groups are required by law to register with the State Committee on Religious Associations of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Organizations which fail to register may be considered illegal and may be forbidden to operate within Azerbaijan.US State Dept, 2022 report on Azerbaijan Some religious groups reported delays in and denials of their registration attempts. There are limitations upon the ability of groups to import religious literature, although these have improved over time. Most religious groups met without government interference; however, local authorities monitored religious services, and officials at times harassed and detained members of "nontraditional" religious groups. There were some reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice. In the past the US. State Department has reported prejudice against Muslims who convert to other faiths, hostility toward groups that proselytize, particularly evangelical Christian and other missionary groups, as well as Iranian groups and Salafists, who are seen as a threat to security.

Bahrain

The constitution of Bahrain states that Islam is the official religion and that Shari'a (Islamic law) is a principal source for legislation. Article 22 of the Constitution provides for freedom of conscience, the inviolability of worship, and the freedom to perform religious rites and hold religious parades and meetings, in accordance with the customs observed in the country; however, the government has placed some limitations on the exercise of this right in the past.United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Bahrain: International Religious Freedom Report 2007. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. Shi'a Muslims are discriminated against by the government socially and economically, although the government still supports Shi'a religious institutions financially.International Religious Freedom Report 2017 Bahrain, US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

In the past, the government of Bahrain has allowed religion-based, political nongovernmental organizations to register as political "societies", which operate somewhat like parties with the legal authority to conduct political activities. The law prohibits the publication of anti-Islamic publications; other religious groups have reported that they have faced no obstacles buying or selling their own religious texts.