Minority rights-based approaches to the protection and promotion of the rights of religious minorities 2013, para. 52
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Religious minorities are frequently denied equality of the law and equality before the law in courts that are guided by overtly discriminatory constitutional and other legal provisions. Such laws may grant them second-class status, or no legal recognition whatsoever. In some jurisdictions, religious minorities may be classified in law or in the perception of law enforcement bodies as infidels, separatists, suspect terrorists or non-protected persons, which renders their community rights non-existent. Conversion to a religion or belief that is undesirable in the view of the State may lead to the "civil death" of those persons.