Freedom of religion and criminal law

The focus of this research is on one specific aspect of the legal framework of freedom of religion - the importance of criminal law in it. The analysis is based on the legislative decisions in the constitutional framework to enshrine this freedom in the catalogue of fundamental rights and freedoms and the influence on the content of this framework of the relations between the state and religious institutions in different historical periods, as well as the international and European standards that are relevant to it. On this basis, the author's thesis on the role of criminal law in the legal framework related to freedom of religion is derived. Its criminal law protection is an important guarantee for the normal exercise of this freedom and forms part of the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms. Alongside it, criminal law is one of the legal mechanisms through which the effectiveness of prohibitions and restrictions relating to freedom of religion is ensured.