Freedom of religion or belief and the Covid-19 pandemic: an analysis of the adoption of restrictive measures in Brazil. (RI §422947)  

Libertad de religión o creencia y pandemia de COVID-19: un análisis de la adopción de medidas restrictivas en Brasil - Rodrigo Vitorino Souza Alves, Andréa Letícia Carvalho Guimarães, José Renato Faria Venâncio Prata Resende y Gabriellen da Silva Xavier do Carmo

La pandemia COVID-19 sorprendió al mundo entero por su alta tasa de letalidad y rápida propagación, dejando a los organismos internacionales, tribunales y gobiernos desprevenidos, a menudo sin saber cómo actuar para conciliar la aplicación y garantizar la efectividad de los derechos fundamentales. En este artículo se tratan algunos conflictos entre la libertad de religión o creencias y las medidas restrictivas en el contexto de la pandemia en Brasil, Tal es el caso de la prohibición del uso de los lugares de culto, tema que orientó la formulación del problema de investigación. La hipótesis es que tales medidas, cuando restringen o limitan el derecho a la libertad religiosa, pueden considerarse legítimas, siempre que sean temporales y debidamente justificadas, con el propósito de reducir la enfermedad y la muerte. La conclusión, finalmente, está en línea con la hipótesis planteada, al señalar la constitucionalidad de las medidas restrictivas, solo si están subordinadas al deber de proteger los derechos a la vida y la salud.

Palabras clave: Pandemic; Religious freedom; State of Emergency; Restrictions; Public Health.;

The COVID-19 pandemic surprised the whole world for its high lethality rate and rapid spread, leaving international bodies, courts and governments unprepared, often without knowing how to act to reconcile the application and ensure the effectiveness of fundamental rights. In this article, some conflicts were detected between freedom of religion or belief and restrictive measures in the context of the pandemic in Brazil, for example, when the functioning of places of worship was prohibited, an issue that guided the formulation of the research problem. The hypothesis is that such measures, when they restrict or limit the right to religious freedom, can be considered legitimate, as long as they are temporary and duly justified, with the purpose of reducing illness and death. The conclusion, finally, is in line with the hypothesis raised, by pointing to the constitutionality of restrictive measures, only if they are subordinate to the duty to protect the rights to life and health.

1. INTRODUCTION. 2 THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE BRAZILIAN CASE. 2.1 COVID-19 in Brazil and the World. 2.2 The adoption of exceptional measures by Brazilian governments in the face of the pandemic. 3 STATE OF PUBLIC DISASTER AND RESTRICTION MEASURES: THE PROBLEM OF CONFLICTS OF CONSTITUTIONAL COMPETENCE. 3.1 The Judgment of ADI 6341 by the Federal Supreme Court. 3.2 The role of State governments: Between the presidential decree and the decision of the Supreme Federal Court. 3.3 The sanitary-religious question in Brazilian Municipalities. 4 THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF AND THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS TO HEALTH AND LIFE – NECESSARY ACCOMMODATION IN TIMES OF PANDEMIC. 4.1 The state of public calamity and the freedom of religion or belief. 4.2 Collision of fundamental rights. 4.3 COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Brazil. 5. FINAL REMARKS.