FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, CONSCIENCE AND RELIGION IN EUROPEAN LAW

Abstract

The aim of this article is to reveal the place and significance of freedom of thought, conscience and religion in European law. The aim includes scrutiny within the framework of the ECHR and the EU law. The ECHR and the EU law regulations regarding this freedom as well as legal practitioners’ and scholars' comprehension are the subjects of the article. The article is based on systematic and formal methods. The study concludes that the right to this freedom is fundamental and appears to be one of the democracy foundations and a value in the EU law. It also has special significance in the European cultural and historical context. Human rights issues are highly observed by both Russian and foreign researchers. However, academic works with specialisation in the particular topic of this article seem to be lacking and encouraging this research.