EVENT, 16 June 2026: Religious Freedom Annual Review: The USA at 250: Life, Religious Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (Provo, Utah, USA) (International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), Brigham Young University)

EVENT, 17-20 May 2026: 13th Annual Conference on Law and Religion in Africa – Theme: Law, Religion, and Youth (Kigali, Rwanda) (The African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies)

EVENT, 20 May 2026: Strengthening Religious Freedom Through Civil Dialogue (Chattanooga, TN, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council) (Bessie Smith Cultural Center and Chattanooga African American Museum, Chattanooga Faith Forum)

EVENT, 7-8 May 2026: FORB and the European Union (Leuven, Belgium) (Institute for the Study of Freedom of Religion or Belief, ETF Leuven)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 5 May 2026: Rising Anti-Muslim Hatred: FoRB Violations Against Muslims Abroad (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 30 April 2026: Hearing on The Impact of FoRB Violations on Children (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

EVENT, 30 April 2026: 5th Annual Freedom of Religion Roundtable (Kennesaw, GA, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council) (Freedom of Religion Roundtable)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 23 April 2026: Strategic Religious Engagement in Peacebuilding: Tools, Applications, and Insights (Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

New Events

EVENT, 12 May 2026: Brussels Family Policy Exchange & 2026 European Family Values Award (European Union & International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Sutherland Institute)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 7 May 2026: Deteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in India (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Legal Spirits 077: Dignity in Judgment (podcast) (Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)

Human fraternity as an alternative to the instrumentalization of religion for geopolitical purposes (Antonio Angelucci, TRENDS Research & Advisory)

Africa

Egypt: Court refuses to recognise marriage of Baha'i couple together for almost 45 years (CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

Iran, Vatican envoys in Cairo condemn insults to divine religions (Islamic Republic News Agency)

Trial opens in Egypt for Christian charged with ‘challenging Islam’ (Edward Ross, Christian Daily)

KAICIID and African Union Commission sign new agreement, deepening a decade of partnership for peace in Africa (KAICIID Dialogue Centre)

Pope Leo’s delicate task in Equatorial Guinea: Bless the faithful, not the regime (Tonny Onyulo, Religion News Service)

Nigeria convicts nearly 400 terrorists as Christian persecution continues (Diana Chandler, Religion Unplugged)

Asia

Senior CPC official stresses law-based governance of religious affairs (Xinhua)

Freedom House experts on what Trump should discuss with Xi in Beijing (Freedom House)

Japanese police arrest a South Korean for allegedly obstructing Yasukuni Shrine festival (Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press)

Unification Church: Japan’s dissolution order and international law. 1. Violating the believers’ rights (Patricia Duval, Bitter Winter)

Brazil

Psychology and religion: Identity does not hang on a coat rack (Portuguese) (Thiago Rafael Vieira and Jean Marques Regina, Gazeta do Povo)

Values of the European Union: by adopting a law which stigmatises and marginalises LGBTI+ persons, Hungary has acted in breach of EU law (Court of Justice of the European Union)

Unprecedented ruling finds Hungary's anti-LGBTQ laws in breach of EU values (Paul Kirby, BBC)

‘If there is silence nothing will change’ says former secretary general on religious freedom (Nathalie Raffray, Aid to the Church in Need)

'Freedom of religion must be for everybody,' Bishop Mounstephen says, calling it a test for societies (Timothy Goropevsek, Christian Daily)

Death of nearly 8000 migrants in 2025 is ‘nothing short of a tragedy’ says bishop (Fionn Shiner, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes PACE’s resolution on protecting freedom of religion and belief in Europe (Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Street preacher set to appear in court after being accused of 'attempting to influence women near abortion clinic' (Fintan Starkey, GB News)

Belarus rights groups urge Church to ‘continue caring’ amid ongoing suppression of religion (Jonathan Luxmoore, OSV News)

Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly news digest April 01-21 (Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

The EUCJ Ruling in Katholische Schwangerschaftsberatung v. JB and Its Impact on Ecclesiastical Labor Law in Germany (Judith Hahn, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Al-Azhar Grand Imam receives Finnish president (Egypt Independent)

Opinion: Nathan v. Alamo Heights ISD (10 Commandments case) (Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals)

Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in classrooms, US appeals court rules (Jamie Stengle, Associated Press)

Multifaith Texas families condemn Fifth Circuit decision upholding mandatory display of Ten Commandments in public-school classrooms (ACLU)

Presidential message commemorating 250 years of the Bible in America (The White House)

Hegseth, Barron, evangelical leaders to join Trump event rededicating America to God (Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

‘If my people': Here’s why the Bible passage Trump read aloud is so potent and polarizing (Peter Smith, Associated Press)

Attending multiple places of worship is the norm for many Americans (Katie E. Corcoran and Christopher P. Scheitle, Conversation)

Supreme Court will hear from religious preschools challenging exclusion from taxpayer-funded program (Lindsay Whitehurst, Religion News Service)

Iowa bill bars rejecting foster parents over religious beliefs (Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register)

Christian nationalism is central to the Texas GOP primary runoffs for Senate and attorney general (Andrew Schneider, Houston Public Media)