Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 12 December 2022
Oral Question on Nigeria (podcast)
(Baroness Cox, Amazon Music)
Annual Impact Report
(United Religions Initiative)
Religion Watch, Volume 38 No. 1
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Lao Evangelical Church conducts workshops on religious freedom and peace building in Vientiane and Savannakhet
(Institute for Global Engagement)
Nepal: Returning to Hindu Rashtra is ultimate solution for Nepal if it wishes to defeat evil designs of Christian conversion mafia: Here is why
(Narendra Sharma, OpIndia)
Pope on Mexican feast day sympathizes with migrant caravans
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
New Japan law aims at Unification Church fundraising abuses
(Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press)
Amid intractable challenges, solutions are ‘within sight’: UN rights chief
(United Nations)
Articles of interest - 12 December 2022
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Kiev imposes sanctions against property management of Ukrainian Orthodox Church, heads of 4 dioceses
(Interfax-Religion)
Ukraine's Rada lawyers find ban on Ukrainian Orthodox Church to contradict Constitution
(Interfax-Religion)
Druze protests in southern Syria challenge regime
(Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post)
Syria: What the killing of the fifth ISIS emir means for international terrorism
(Husain Haqqani, Hudson Institute)
European church response to war in Ukraine highlighted at EPP Dialogue event
(Conference of European Churches)
Peru: Bishops call for national unity, calm amid political crisis in Peru
(Ivan Fernandes, La Croix International)
Indonesia: Bali governor insists sex ban no risk to tourists
(Al Jazeera)
Pakistan: Interfaith dialogue ultimate solution to extremism, terrorism: Ashrafi
(Daily Times)
Pakistan: The pandemic of forced conversion and marriages: “No girl should have to go through the heartache”
(Qamar Rafiq, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Egyptian MP calls for briefing into insults to mosques in Google Maps
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
The Hindutva threat outside India
(Paul Marshall and Lidia Papp, European Eye on Radicalization)
Don’t refer to caste, religion in House: Om Birla takes strong exception to Telangana MP’s comment
(The Hindu)
New report explores intersection between freedom of religion or belief and indigenous rights
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Modi regime chips away at Indian Muslims’ rights – analysis
(P. K. Balachandran, Eurasia Review)
Israel and Iran: does religious extremism threaten war?
(Ian Linden, The Article)
Israel: Christian leader warns Netanyahu about anti-Christian forces in new government
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Iran hands new 10-year sentence to Baha’i figures: Group
(Al Arabiya News)
Canada: Government holiday traditions should be inclusive, say critics — and that doesn't mean a war on Christmas
(Darrell Roberts, CBC News)
Canada Policy Brief: Increasing Ontario’s charitable tax credits
(Cardus)
Brazil: MP initiative to combat religious racism wins '2022 Innovare Award' (Portuguese)
(George Brito, Ministério Público Bahia)
Brazil: Government and City Hall of Rio launch actions against intolerance (Portuguese)
(Lucas Coelho, EBC)
Friday, 9 December 2022
Religion and peace
(Daniel Philpott, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Masking as religious obligation vs. masking for public safety
(David Zeligman, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
What targeting of children has to do with genocidal atrocities
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Genocides persist, nearly 70 years after the Holocaust – but there are recognized ways to help prevent them
(Kerry Whigham, The Conversation)
‘Freedom of expression and the courage to express oneself go hand in hand’ – an interview with John Dayal
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Cuba and Nicaragua on US list of worst violators of religious freedom. They deserve it
(Teo A. Babun, Miami Herald)
Azerbaijan: Multiple fines for Muslims meeting for prayer in homes
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Banning Black Gods: Law and Religions of the African Diaspora
(Danielle N. Boaz, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Faith leaders in Benin worried about violence in upcoming elections
(Juste Hlannon, La Croix International)
The International Dialogue Centre celebrates a decade of existence and starts a new cycle from Lisbon
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Despite rising attacks against Christians, US removed Nigeria from religious freedom watch list
(Ekpali Saint, Religion Unplugged)
West Bank City’s Christian residents face uncertain future as emigration takes toll
(Gil Zohar, Religion Unplugged)
Religion vs. gay rights: Friction over LGBTQ issues escalates around the world
(Bobby Ross Jr., Religion Unplugged)
Photos of the week: Nativities and more
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Korean religious groups seek to dispel Islam fears
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Indian bishops ask govt not to oppose quotas for Dalit Christians
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Conservative cancel culture comes to Kurdistan
(Matthew Petti, Reason)
The veil in Iran has symbolized patriarchal norms, but leaders have used it differently
(Amy Motlagh, Religion News Service)
WCC, Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue share visions for justice and peace in Iran
(World Council of Churches)
African church leaders, scholars highlight urgency in reserving nature loss, as nations meet for UN Biodiversity Conference in Canada
(World Council of Churches)
Qatar: In the shadow of the Football World Cup, a forgotten issue: the situation of the Baha’is
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)
US leaders gather to discuss rights of nonreligious people across the world
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)
Reject the CCP's effort to co-opt Buddhism
(Michael Rubin, American Enterprise Institute)
What is happening in China? The last few years have seen several reports about serious human rights violations in China, and especially atrocities targeting ethnic and religious minorities
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Arab nations should press China on Uyghur Muslim abuses
(Knox Thames, The Hill)
New UN rights chief vows to engage Beijing on Xinjiang findings
(Al Jazeera)
Prosecuting Tibetan Buddhists for making offerings to spiritual teachers is a violation of freedom of religion and belief
(The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy)
Ukraine hunts collaborators in its divided church
(Jamie Dettmer, Politico)
Knox Thames on the role of religion in the Ukraine war
(On Peace Podcast)
Scrutiny of Ukraine church draws praise, fear of overreach
(Peter Smith And Vasilisa Stepanenko, Associated Press)
Rada committee recommends passage of Ukrainian Orthodox Church ban
(Interfax-Religion)
Parliament’s committee recommends passing draft law to ban ‘Moscow Patriarchate’
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Understanding right to dignity in Islam
(Umer Riyaz, Kashmir Images)
Poll: Few Israelis support stronger religion-state link
(i24 News)
Canada: Local Edmonton leaders seek solutions to Islamophobia and hate
(Twitter, National Council of Canadian Muslims)
Brazil: Statue of legendary Candomblé priestess set on fire in Salvador
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Brazil: Patroness of the Amazon and religious freedom (Portuguese)
(José Ricardo, Amazonas Atual)
Brazil: Dr. Silvana defends the creation of a project that guarantees religious freedom (Portuguese)
(Agência de Notícias, ALECE)
Wednesday, 7 December 2022
Indonesia passes criminal code banning sex outside marriage
(Frances Mao, BBC News)
Indonesia passes new criminal code, outlaws sex outside marriage
(Al Jazeera)
Priest slams Indonesia ban on sex outside marriage
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Indonesia’s new criminal code isn’t just about sex outside marriage. It endangers press and religious freedom
(Tim Lindsey, The Conversation)
For Indonesia’s transgender community, faith can be a source of discrimination – but also tolerance and solace
(Sharyn Graham Davies, The Conversation)
Indonesia’s Parliament votes to ban sex outside of marriage
(Niniek Karmini, Associated Press)
Not everything is lost: The powerful, societal force of charitable giving
(Sharon Eubank, Deseret News)
International faith and community leaders will gather in Abu Dhabi to shape G20 agenda
(G20 Interfaith Forum, EIN Newswires)
China protests: Uyghur people have suffered most from draconian zero-COVID policies but are too terrorised to join in
(Jo Smith Finley, The Conversation)
Faith-based reflections on COP27
(Athena Peralta, Viewpoints: A blog of the G20 Interfaith Forum)
Religious repression → economic stagnation
(Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
USCIRF releases report on blasphemy charges in Turkey
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
December 2022 newsletter
(The Association of Religion Data Archives)
Taliban allow high school graduation exams for Afghan girls
(Rahim Faiez, Associated Press)
New Zealand court OK's hate speech law that does not cover LGBTQ victims
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Abrahamic Youth Council wants to ‘change ideology’ of next Middle East generation
(Jotam Confino, Jewish News)
Ukrainian special services searching Ukrainian Orthodox Church premises in Cherkassy, Volyn and Kherson regions - media
(Interfax-Religion)
"They will try to convince you of persecution," - religious scholar on the "church sanctions list" of the National Security and Defense Council
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Ukrainian Orthodox Church urges Ukrainian authorities that attacks on Church unacceptable
(Interfax-Religion)
Bill that allows seizing Ukrainian Orthodox Church's property submitted to Verkhovnaya Rada
(Interfax-Religion)
Russia: Concerns about the infiltration of FECRIS’ Russian branch in Belgium
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
In the shadow of Russia: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Central Asia
(Marco Respinti, Bitter Winter)
US focus on Vietnam’s religious record may not be enough, spiritual leaders say
(Radio Free Asia)
Why ‘persecuted’ is not the best way to describe Christians in the Gulf
(Hrayr Jebejian, Christianity Today)
Monday, 5 December 2022
Human rights ‘foundation for human dignity, cornerstone of peaceful, prosperous societies’, Secretary-General says, marking International Day
(United Nations)
States must renew their commitment to international cooperation to achieve global development goals and realise human rights
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Against Nigeria’s blasphemy laws
(Kelsey Zorzi, The Critic)
Confusion over Iran’s religious police as women drop hijab
(Jack Jeffery, Associated Press)
Iran: Monthly news digest about Baha’is and Christians in Iran in November
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Iran: When the veil helps Iranians to unveil reality
(Mahsa Ghaffari, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
At #PaRD22: Steering group member Mercy Munene on PaRD as a platform for collaborative learning for young people
(International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD))
China's attempted genocide of the Uyghur people (podcast)
(Nury Turkel, Hudson Institute)
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