Report: Discrimination against Jews and Muslims Rising Everywhere

Discrimination against Jews and Muslims is on the rise around the world, according to the annual U.S. State Dept. report for 2012.

The report points to growing antisemitism, especially in Venezuela, Egypt and Iran.

The BBC noted that the International Religious Freedom Report noted that in Egypt, antisemitic sentiment in the media sometimes included Holocaust denial or, perhaps worse, glorification of the mass murder of Jews.

The report says that traditional forms of antisemitism, such as conspiracy theories, blood libel myths and cartoons demonizing Jews continue to flourish.

It found that Muslims faced new restrictions in Belgium, which banned face-covering religious attire in classrooms.

The report also criticized the restricting of headscarves in schools in Mangalore, India. And it highlights the targeting of Islamic minorities in majority Muslim countries.

The report says that there has been rising violence against Shia and Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, discrimination against non-Sunni Muslims in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and the arrest and harassment of Sunni Muslims in Iran.