Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 29 August 2022
Weaponizing Water: Water Stress and Islamic Extremist Violence in Africa and the Middle East (forthcoming)
(Marcus D. King, Lynne Rienner Publishers)
Sounding the alarm on anti-Catholic violence
(Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, National Catholic Register)
New Chinese Catholic leaders say they’ll follow Communist Party principles
(Catholic News Service)
Church of Almighty God: False demonstrations in Korea—again
(Liu Ya’nan, Bitter Winter)
China: Forced labor in Xinjiang, UN Rapporteur confirms: “It’s enslavement, a crime against humanity.”
(Ruth Ingram, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
China: Directly urging the U.N. to press for release of Christian pastor John Cao from wrongful imprisonment in China
(CeCe Heil, American Center for Law and Justice)
Tokyo summit on freedom, peace & inclusion
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Canada: Nazem Kadri proud to parade Stanley Cup through home town and into mosque where tragedy struck
(Lance Hornby, Toronto Sun)
Turkish pop star jailed over joke placed under house arrest
(Nazlan Ertan, Al-Monitor)
Iraq: Clashes erupt after Iraqi Shiite cleric resigns, 15 dead
(Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Samya Kullab, Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 29 August 2022
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Cardinal says tiny East Timor, in shadow of Muslim giant, is laboratory of tolerance
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Ukraine: Independence Day celebrated by religious leaders in the Cathedral
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
UWC concerened the Pope’s recent disorienting statements regarding the war in Ukraine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Russia: Six who met to study their faith on trial in Moscow
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Fifth anniversary of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar: UK statement
(Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, GOV.UK)
Young theologians begin exploration of borders, reconciliation, and unity
(World Council of Churches)
Two weeks in review, 15 August – 28 August
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Thailand recognizes Catholic churches after 93-year wait
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
In India’s BJP-ruled states, Christians under attack for alleged forced conversions
(Naila Khan, Religion Unplugged)
India: 26 Muslims booked in UP for offering congregational prayer at home
(Radio Pakistan)
Photos from the Church’s All Africa Service Day
(Mary Richards, Church News)
Shinzo Abe’s killing puts Unification Church under microscope
(William Sposato, Foreign Policy)
Iran: Prejudiced courts aiding land grabs of Baha’i properties in Iran
(Center for Human Rights in Iran)
Friday, 26 August 2022
Egypt: USCIRF releases report on religious freedom reforms to Egypt’s educational curriculum
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Egypt: Smothering the Coptic Church: A deadly fire reveals another reality of life for Copts
(Regina Munch, Commonweal)
Myanmar: UN chief: Rohingya must be part of Myanmar crisis solution
(Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press)
Burma: USCIRF calls for justice on fifth anniversary of genocidal campaign against the Rohingya
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
New book: Text and Interpretation: Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq and His Legacy in Islamic Law
(Hossein Modarressi, Harvard University Press)
Argentina: Jewish groups slam Argentine president for repeatedly comparing number of COVID-19 deaths to the Holocaust
(Jackie Hajdenberg, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Argentina: Catholic Church in Argentina opposes legalization of euthanasia
(Catholic News Agency)
Sudan: Court hearing for Christians accused of apostasy
(Middle East Concern)
Japan: Abe murder suspect says life destroyed by mother’s religion
(Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press)
Vatican’s Russia-Ukraine diplomacy sees setbacks
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Photos of the week: Cycling in church; Rabbi Cohen’s funeral
(Jessi Dodge, Religion News Service)
Pope Francis asks North Korea to invite him to visit
(France 24)
Indonesian court rejects bid to dodge church graft trial
(Ryan Dagur, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Cambodia: Catholic educators test themselves on Cambodia
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Zambia: Christians welcome Zambian plans to end death penalty
(Mwansu Pintu, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Dr Agnes Abuom reflects on “compassionate love, inclusivity and dignity”—for all
(World Council of Churches)
Fighting religious persecution
(Eric Patterson, World)
India: HC tells Kerala to shut religious places functioning sans permit
(Hindustan Times)
How India’s ‘Hindutva pop’ stars use music to target Muslims
(Hanan Zaffar and Hamaad Habibullah, Religion News Service)
Iran: My sister is in an Iranian prison for the 4th time
(Iraj Kamalabadi, Religion News Service)
Three weeks in Iran: 200 incidents of Baháʼís being targeted as international community roundly condemns “sweeping crackdown”
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Iran: Targets of opportunity: Iran's Bahá'í community faces new repression
(Knox Thames, Newsweek)
Turkey: Gulsen: Arrest of Turkish pop star over joke sparks criticism
(Deutsche Welle)
Turkish pop star jailed over joke about religious schools
(Associated Press)
"It's a shame that the Pope faces another communication crisis," - Myroslav Marynovych
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
SBU and National Police urge Hasidim not to go to Uman for Rosh Hashanah because of potential provocations
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
The aggressor does not deserve to be called an "innocent victim": Former Polish ambassador to the Vatican writes a letter to Pope
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
MFA Ukraine summons apostolic nuncio to express disappointment over Pope's comment
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Yemen: 160-year Jewish cemetery in Yemen is being restored with help from breakaway government faction
(Caleb Guedes-Reed , Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The Church and the State in the contemporary social teaching of the Orthodox Church
(Kostadin Nushev, The European Times)
Somalia: Church workers talk to newly elected Somali officials, discuss dialogue, relief aid
(La Croix International)
Providing the skills for a more peaceful future: Stories from KAICIID’s e-learning programme
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
China: UN rights chief under ‘tremendous pressure’ over Xinjiang report
(Al Jazeera)
China warns its Catholics to resist 'foreign infiltration' as faith app shuts down
(Hsia Hsiao-hwa and Sun Cheng, Radio Free Asia)
China: At least three churches raided in China, multiple leaders arrested
(International Christian Concern)
The battle to remain Palestinian in Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter
(Arwa Ibrahim, Al Jazeera)
Parliament joins Emerging Leaders Summit hosted by Interfaith America
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
Philippines: Church and state must protect children from abuse
(Shay Cullen, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Putin has a new great data base of religious (and non-religious) “extremists”
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Afghanistan: Advocates: Religious freedom wiped out in Afghanistan
(Susan Crabtree, Real Clear Politics)
Embassies in Vietnam release statement condemning religiously motivated violence
(International Christian Concern)
Spain: a letter to the Iranian ambassador about the case of four sentenced Christians
(Evangelical Focus)
Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Weekly Highlight #218: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Lingering court cases; xenophobia/COVID-19 links; pandemic lessons
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Nicaragua: Baroness Hooper & Lord Alton write to UK Government Minister following credible reports of religious, and other, persecution.
(David Alton, Lord Alton of Liverpool)
Nicaragua silences its last outspoken critics: Catholic priests
(Alfonso Flores Bermúdez, Anatoly Kurmanaev and Yubelka Mendoza, The New York Times)
Iraq Shiite cleric’s supporters demand assembly be dissolved
(Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press)
Angola: Archbishop Imbamba appeals to MPLA to involve church and civil societies should they win Wednesday elections
(Odiwuor Opiyo, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Ghana: Appoint Catholics as heads of Catholic owned institutions, church appeals to state
(Arnold Neliba, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Cameroon: Bishops oppose medically assisted reproduction as “morally illicit”
(Odiwuor Opiyo, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
PRC efforts to manipulate global public opinion on Xinjiang
(Global Engagement Center, U.S. Department of State)
China: Beijing tells new Catholic leaders to ‘fend off infiltration by foreign forces’
(Mimi Lau, South China Morning Post)
China's Catholic leaders vow to accelerate sinicization
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Pakistan activists back under fire Christian group
(Kamran Chaudhry, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Pakistan: Christians are being persecuted in Pakistan
(Emma Webb, The Critic)
Think blasphemy laws are obsolete here? Think again
(Lois McLatchie, Premier Christianity)
Youth interreligious cooperation to fight racism in the Americas
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Celebration of the fifth anniversary of The Fez Plan of Action – a Global Plan of Action for Religious Leaders & Actors for Ending Incitement to Atrocity Crimes
(Bonnie Evans-Hills, Religions for Peace)
Rights groups accuse UK over arrest of Sikh blogger in India
(Al Jazeera)
Indian politician boasts about getting Muslims killed – on camera
(Al Jazeera)
India's new voter rights in Kashmir could strangle local political parties, Muslims
(Zaffar Iqbal, Religion Unplugged)
As India turns 75, Muslim girls are suing to wear the hijab — and protect secularism
(Lauren Frayer, National Public Radio)
Indian legislator from Modi’s BJP arrested after Prophet remarks
(Al Jazeera)
Patriarch Kirill cancels Kazakhstan trip and chance to meet with Pope Francis
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Archbishop sees ‘genocidal intent’ in Putin, says Ukrainians will die before surrender
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Ukraine – Russia: Gap widening between Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Ukraine: President and the First Lady took part in "Prayer for Ukraine"
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Vietnam: Foreign embassies in Hanoi issue joint statement on religious freedom
(Radio Free Asia)
Vietnam: Quash conviction of prominent activist
(Human Rights Watch)
Canada: How Québec's Bill 21 could be vanquished by a rarely used Charter provision
(Kerri Anne Froc, EconoTimes)
Human rights provide useful guardrails for economic policies
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Senegal: Historic agreement with the Muslim World League
(Twitter, Muslim World League)
Afghanistan: Taliban impose 'harsh' limits on Afghans' religious freedom -U.S. panel
(Reuters)
Afghanistan: USCIRF releases new report highlighting religious freedom in Afghanistan
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Afghan house churches 'continue to grow'
(Jennifer Lee, Christian Today)
Afghanistan: Religious freedom ‘does not exist’ in Afghanistan one year after Taliban takeover, advocates say
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
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