Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Haiti: Religious coalition seeks UN help for Haiti
(Catholic News Service)
China: Special bimonthly FORB newsletter (1-15.08.2022)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
China: Police in China's Chengdu raid Sunday meeting of banned church members, detain one
(Gu Ting, Radio Free Asia)
Uyghur rights groups file criminal case in Argentina against China
(Alim Seytoff and Jewlan, Radio Free Asia)
India: Eleven convicted of gang-rape of pregnant Muslim woman released from jail
(ne, The New Arab)
Indian state imposes 10 years in jail for ‘forced conversions’
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
India denies it will provide homes to Rohingya in capital
(Al Jazeera)
An Indian politician ended up in the hospital after drinking water from a polluted holy river to show it was safe
(Mia Jankowicz, Business Insider)
WCC climate work looks to unite a global voice on climate change, justice, food, and health
(World Council of Churches)
New theological reflections available in preparation for World Week of Peace in Palestine and Israel
(World Council of Churches)
Russia: Protestant churches targeted by repression
(SOVA Center for News and Analysis, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia: Ata Zholy: Crackdown on a Kazakh Islamic religious movement in Russia
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Russia: Special bimonthly FORB newsletter (01-15.08.2022)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Ukraine war: Thousands of Jews quit Russia amid fears of persecution
(Aleem Maqbool, BBC News)
Brazil: Lula and Bolsonaro trade religious barbs in battle for evangelical vote
(Marina Lopes, The Washington Post)
Sri Lanka: How religious groups should respond to Sri Lanka’s crisis
(Rebecca L. Root, Devex)
Pakistan: International Human Rights Committee record yet another brutal murder of an Ahmadi Muslim in Pakistan as Naseer Ahmad was savagely stabbed to death at the main bus stop in Rabwah
(David Alton, Lord Alton of Liverpool)
Weekly Highlight #217: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Assessing the varied and shifting impacts of the COVID-19 crisis
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Tuesday, 16 August 2022
Campus activists call for the murder of Jews
(Jewish News Syndicate)
Monday, 15 August 2022
Kazakhstan: Evolution of Islam in Kazakhstan: How modern Kazakh Muslims balance their religious identity, the Soviet legacy and national traditions
(Aibarshyn Akhmetkali, The Astana Times)
Turkey: Erdogan’s visit to an Alevi temple angered the large Sunni community
(The European Times)
Qamar Rafiq writes that the London “FoRB Summit emerged as an indispensable global effort to give a voice to the planet’s most vulnerable.”
(David Alton, Lord Alton of Liverpool)
Letter to the UK Foreign Secretary on Bahá'ís in Iran
(Twitter, Ruth Jones)
Iran denies involvement but justifies Salman Rushdie attack
(Jon Gambrell, Associated Press)
Kenya: A call to calm, patience, and peace
(National Council of Churches of Kenya)
Did Hamas win Israel-Islamic Jihad war in Gaza?
(Al-Monitor)
Egypt: Al-Azhar extends condolences over deadly church fire in Egypt
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
Egypt: Safety concerns after deadly fire rips through Egypt church
(Samy Magdy, Associated Press)
New Zealand river’s personhood status offers hope to Māori
(Nick Perry, Associated Press)
Nicaraguans celebrate Mass peacefully after procession ban
(Gabriela Selser, Associated Press)
Nicaragua: Ortega regime prevents Marian image from being displayed in diocese
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Tension between Nicaragua and the Catholic Church
(Gabriela Selser and María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 15 August 2022
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Cameroon’s bishops object to new law allowing for artificial conception
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Russia: New registers of "extremist" people and literature
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Russia finally releases Danish Jehovah's Witness Christensen
(Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty)
Over 70% of Russians think authorities should be involved in promoting moral climate in society
(Interfax-Religion)
Ukrainian clergy say Russian occupiers target them with threats, violence
(Ian Lovett, The Wall Street Journal)
Book review: Islam's lessons for liberalism
(Jeffrey Bristol, Law & Liberty)
Two weeks in review, 1 August – 14 August
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Saudi Arabia ambassador meets with top church leaders
(Newsroom: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Nigeria: What’s behind terrorist attacks on churches in Nigeria
(Oluwole Ojewale, The Conversation)
Lebanon: Syriac Maronite Church stands firm against Hezbollah
(Richard Ghazal, Newsweek)
India at 75: A nation under siege
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
India: Himachal tightens anti-conversion law to check abuse
(Ashutosh Kumar, India Narrative)
India: Availing benefits of parents' caste/religion post conversion made punishable: Himachal Pradesh Assembly passes Freedom of Religion Amendment Bill 2022
(Sparsh Upadhyay, Livelaw.in)
India: Religious minorities ‘on a precipice’ as violent persecution spirals across India
(Open Doors UK)
India: As a Hindu, I can’t stay silent about injustices in India — committed in the name of our faith
(Akhila L. Ananth, Los Angeles Times)
75 years after India’s independence, a lost generation recovers its Hindu faith
(Murali Balaji, Religion News Service)
India: ‘Attack on a dream’: Muslims in fear as Indian democracy turns 75
(Valay Singh, Al Jazeera)
From Nicaragua to India: The global community must stand up for the work of independent civil society
(Ellis Heasley, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Indonesian Vice President demands religious moderation amid Islamic radicalism
(International Christian Concern)
The Commonwealth Games throw down the gauntlet on LGBTQ rights
(Sydney Bauer, Foreign Policy)
Experts discuss new report on Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hate
(G20 Interfaith Forum)
Pakistan: A short history of Ahmadi persecution
(Yasser Latif Hamdani, The Friday Times)
Friday, 12 August 2022
Russia: "Retroactively depriving Russian citizens of the right to international protection"
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
"No religion can justify the war in Ukraine", Archbishops of Finland
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Russia’s threats to shut down Jewish Agency raise alarm bells for those who remember the past
(Shaul Kelner, The Conversation)
Religious Nationalism in Contemporary South Asia
(Andrea Malji, Cambridge University Press)
At 75, Pakistan has moved far from the secular and democratic vision of its founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah
(Farah N. Jan, The Conversation)
Saif Ul Malook, winner of the Jinnah Award for Religious Tolerance
(Facebook, APPG for Pakistani Minorities)
Pakistan: Rights, education and religious freedom: effective laws and policies for the protection of minorities are urgently needed
(Agenzia Fides)
India at 75: dreams of a Hindu nation leave minorities sleepless
(France 24)
Iraq: Rival Shia groups square off over Iraq leadership vacuum
(Al Jazeera)
Iraq: Rival Iraq protests underscore inter-Shiite power struggle
(Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press)
Pope Francis meets transgender guests of Rome church
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Afghanistan: Taliban say bombing kills prominent Afghan cleric in Kabul
(Associated Press)
Australia: NSW becomes second state to ban Nazi flag and symbols
(Australian Associated Press, The Guardian)
Nicaragua: Religious freedom in Nicaragua in 2022
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Nicaragua: The history behind the persecution of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua
(Eduardo Berdejo, Catholic News Agency)
Nicaraguan police prohibit religious procession in capital
(Associated Press)
Ukrainian President thanks Pope Francis for prayers in phone call
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
From Vienna to Lisbon and beyond, KAICIID continues its work of convening dialogue
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Taiwan: Christians in Taiwan fear ‘severe’ persecution should China conquer island, advocates say
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Joint message of Thursdays in Black ambassadors on gender-based violence, sexual abuse and faith communities
(Religions for Peace)
Thursdays in Black ambassadors: “we cannot be silent” about gender-based violence in faith communities
(World Council of Churches)
World Council of Churches leader looks to assembly in Germany to mobilize action for climate justice
(World Council of Churches)
Rev. Dr Lydia Mwaniki reflects on deep roots of gender justice—and hope for the future
(World Council of Churches)
Zambia: Bishop Phiri Admonishes the use of churches as political platforms
(Odiwuor Opiyo, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
World: The FoRB Int’l Ministerial Conference in London, a great mass
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Major U.S. and British government-sponsored summits defend global religious freedom
(Eric Patterson, Providence Mag)
Indonesia: Yet another victim of Indonesia’s blasphemy law
(Andreas Harsono, Human Rights Watch)
Bahá’í World Publication: New article examines the pursuit of social justice
(Bahá’í World News Service)
The future of religion in the Metaverse
(Chris Karnadi, Religion & Politics: Fit for Polite Company)
Photos of the Week: Ashoura; ELCA Churchwide Assembly
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
The London-based Ukrainian Welcome Centre is providing support to thousands of Ukrainians who escape the bloodshed in their country
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Malaysia: The impact of Malaysia’s dual legal system on religious freedom
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Canada: New research shows Bill 21 having 'devastating' impact on religious minorities in Quebec
(Steve Rukavina, CBC News)
Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Turkey: Erdogan asks Turkish diplomats to fight Islamaphobia
(Nazlan Ertan, Al-Monitor)
The discriminatory “status quo” on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount: An international law viewpoint
(Alan Baker, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)
Analysis: The Taliban are wrecking Ashura too. Afghanistan’s extremist rulers are cracking down on minorities, especially Shiites, as hard as they have on women.
(Lynne O'Donnell, Foreign Policy)
Photos: Muslims worldwide mark holy day of Ashura
(Al Jazeera)
President Dallin H. Oaks: ‘We have got to think about religious freedom for all the children of God’
(Sarah Jane Weaver, Church News)
China: Two church leaders in China have their day in court
(International Christian Concern)
A call for sanctions to stop Anti-Uyghur brutality in Xinjiang
(Marco Respinti, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Weekly Highlight #216: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: COVID-19 in "normal times"; discrimination and hate crimes
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Pakistan: Shiites killed in Gilgit-Baltistan
(Marco Respinti, Bitter Winter)
Preserving stories of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh relationships through India’s partition
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
India: Enforced Vegetarianism in India
(Kavita Chowdhury, The Diplomat)
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