Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 11 February 2022
Indian SC: Will protect rights of every individual regardless of religion
(Dhananjay Mahapatra, The Times of India)
Indian state closes schools, prohibits gatherings over hijab ban protests
(Sanjay Kumar, Arab News)
Syria: Adrift after enslavement, Yazidi teen says she can’t go home
(Samya Kullab, Associated Press)
Australia: Coalition shelves religious discrimination bill after Christian lobby says changes do ‘more harm than good’
(Sarah Martin and Paul Karp, The Guardian)
Australia: Grattan on Friday: Morrison’s religious discrimination package couldn’t fly on a wing and a prayer
(Michelle Grattan, The Conversation)
Australia: Only 19% of Australians agree religious schools should be able to ban LGBT+ teachers
(The Conversation)
Australia: ‘I will never be considered human’: the devastating trauma LGBTQ+ people suffer in religious settings
(Joel Hollier, The Conversation)
Australia: ‘I’m not going to waste my time on prayers’: how secular teachers navigate working in religious schools
(Ilana Finefter-Rosenbluh, The Conversation)
Japan’s Shinto religion is going global and attracting online followers
(Kaitlyn Ugoretz, The Conversation)
Eritrean Orthodox patriarch dies after 16 years in detention
(Fredrick Nzwili, Religion News Service)
The UAE is restoring Christian life in the Persian Gulf
(Knox Thames, Religion News Service)
Brazil: Protest in church by Black activists divides Catholics in Brazil
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Vatican unveils new statue symbolizing plight of human trafficking
(YouTube Video, Currents News)
Chile house of worship: How to foster prosperous cities
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Russia: FSB detained four supporters of caliphate in Crimea
(Interfax-Religion)
Azerbaijan: State takes direct control of mosque leadership
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Ukraine: Rising tensions put Crimean Tatar Muslims at risk again
(Nils Adler, Al Jazeera)
Ukraine: Head of the UGCC discussed situation in Ukraine with Vatican officials
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Ukrainian diplomat seeks pope's help
(Religiina Pravda, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Philippines: Examining local grievances and militant groups in the Southern Philippines
(The United States Institute of Peace)
Nepal: Pastor released on bail after a sentence to 2 years in prison
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Pakistan: Christian group demands release of jailed Pakistani Hindu
(Kamran Chaudhry, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Pakistan women protest India’s ban on headscarves in schools
(Associated Press)
New book: Decolonizing Human Rights
(Abdullahi Ahmed An-Naim, Cambridge University Press)
Book review of Decolonizing Human Rights
(Firas Masri, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
The search for Christian unity as a path to peace in Africa
(Kamboissoa Samboé, La Croix International)
Parliament ED joins UN World Interfaith Harmony Week observance
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
Disentangling DSM: Accounting for spirituality and wellbeing
(Arnie Saiki, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
UK: Petition handed to Home Secretary to help Christian Pakistan girl
(Alex Collett, Premier Christian News)
The remarkable baroness: A review of Lela Gilbert’s Baroness Cox: Eyewitness to a broken world
(Paul Marshall, Providence Mag)
Is the ICJ at risk of providing cover for the alleged genocide in Myanmar?
(Marc Weller, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Argentina: Former Vatican prelate to face trial for sexual abuse in Argentina on Feb. 21
(Inés San Martín, Crux)
Wednesday, 9 February 2022
Angola: Prepare to enhance human dignity at the ballot, bishops urge
(Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Cuba: Video of "July 11 and the Faith Community's Leadership in Cuba" webinar
(YouTube Video, Outreach Aid to the Americas)
Weekly Highlight #192: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Fighting for the vulnerable, adapting rituals, and caring for the dead
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)
Egypt names first-ever Christian head of country’s top court
(Samy Magdy, Associated Press)
Egypt: USCIRF Commissioner Sharon Kleinbaum advocates for Egyptian Reda Abdel Rahman through Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Australia: Religious Discrimination Bill passes lower house along with SDA amendment
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Australia: Government amendments to Religious Discrimination bills
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Australia: The good and the bad of the religious discrimination bill: the Law Council’s verdict
(Tass Liveris, The Sydney Morning Herald)
China: The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act: A business and human rights perspective
(Nadia Bernaz, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
South Korea: As Korea moves to deport ‘Mayflower’ church, Chinese Christians debate dodging the cross
(Apollos Bell and E. F. Gregory, Christianity Today)
New publications on Faith@Work
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Angela Wu Howard full interview (the dangers of government overreach and its impact on the freedom of religion)
(YouTube Video, Tina Ramirez, Hardwired Global)
Ukrainian religious leaders voice current concerns to lawmakers
(Religiia v Ukraine, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Ukraine: Odessa Rabbi Avraham Wolf urges Israel to support Ukraine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Ukrainian archbishop: ‘If the pope comes to Ukraine, the war would end’
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Laudato Si’ Movement wants East African oil pipeline stopped
(Fredrick Nzwili, Catholic News Service)
Turkey: Under Erdoğan, Turkish authorities are leading a revival of Jewish heritage
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Turkey: In this Turkish city, historic synagogues are seeing new life
(David I. Klein, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Brazil: A prominent German Holocaust denier is escaping arrest by hiding in Brazil
(Caleb Guedes-Reed, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
How Buddhism has changed the west for the better
(Rebecca Solnit, The Guardian)
Pakistan: Violent disrespect of Ahmadiyya Muslim graves in District Hafizabad Pakistan
(Robert Johnson, The European Times)
Teaching the virtues of climate responsibility
(Henry Kuo, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Papua New Guinea: Citing ‘Christian values,’ Papua New Guinea abolishes the death penalty
(Death Penalty Information Center)
Nigeria: Bishops alarmed by frequent government borrowing
(Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Nigeria: Mubarak Bala appears in court for first time in 644 days
(Humanists International)
Nepal: Freedom of religion or belief in Nepal (February 2022) (PDF)
(https://appgfreedomofreligionorbelief.org/in-parliament/reports/, All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief)
Former pope asks for forgiveness over child abuse scandal
(Al Jazeera)
India: Hindu pride and Muslim fears overshadow key Indian poll
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
In India, wearing hijab bars some Muslim students from class
(Sheikh Saaliq, Associated Press)
India: Bishop and priests arrested in India over alleged illegal sand mining
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
India: Outrage after hijab-wearing woman heckled by Hindu mob in India
(Al Jazeera)
Jordan: IGE’s Center for Women, Faith & Leadership hosts fellowship workshop in Amman, Jordan
(Institute for Global Engagement)
Afghanistan: Humanitarian crisis adds to burdens of Afghan religious minorities
(Susan Korah, Convivium)
Canada: Advocating for legal/public policy changes
(Canadian Centre for Christian Charities)
Canada: Quebec bishops lament government’s COVID vaccine passport for mass attendance
(Jonah McKeown, National Catholic Register)
Canada: It's time to de-polarize debates about religious freedom in Canada
(Cardus)
Canada: Public schools need to improve teaching about religion
(Cardus)
Canada: Freedom of religion & conscience: What’s the connection?
(Deina Warren, Canadian Centre for Christian Charities)
Intergenerational trauma–the horrific consequence of residential schools in the U.S. and Canada
(Ja:no’s–Janine Bowen, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Sri Lanka’s religious leaders demand turnaround from politicians
(Robin Gomes, Vatican News)
Kazakhstan courts pressure religious freedom
(International Christian Concern)
Monday, 7 February 2022
Australia: Liberals backlash likely to widen split over religious freedom laws
(David Crowe, The Sydney Morning Herald)
Australia: Religious discrimination bill should be passed with caveats, two inquiries recommend
(Biwa Kwan, SBS News)
Australia: Morrison signals attempt to pass religious discrimination bill ‘in the near future’
(Paul Karp, The Guardian)
Australian Hindus oppose Religious Freedom Bill amid fears of forced conversion
(The Australia Today)
Australia: As parliament returns for 2022, the religious discrimination bill is still an unholy mess
(The Conversation)
Israel: What would Jesus do at an Israeli military checkpoint? This Palestinian pastor wants to know
(Naomi Zeveloff, Religion Unplugged)
Israeli leader talks to Biden about Islamic State, Iran
(Associated Press)
Pope decries genital mutilation, sex trafficking of women
(Frances D'Emilio, Associated Press)
Turkish ski jumper İpcioğlu mum on Uyghur statement
(Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 7 February 2022
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Angola bishops warn of ‘dark and nefarious’ atmosphere ahead of elections
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Ukraine: Why church conflict in Ukraine reflects historic Russian-Ukrainian tensions
(J. Eugene Clay, Religion Unplugged)
Ukraine: Catholic chief calls Ukraine a pawn in escalating US/Russia conflict
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Russian Church asks Turkish authorities to punish organizers of discotheque in Trabzon monastery
(Interfax-Religion)
In Afghanistan, believers in religious minorities have every reason to go underground
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Myanmar: One year on from the coup in Myanmar, today must be a turning point
(Benedict Rogers, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Myanmar: On democracy in Myanmar, cardinal says there’s ‘no reason for optimism’
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux)
Myanmar: One year of the military junta in power in Myanmar
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
India: Clothing and the right to religious freedom: Religious freedom is the hallmark of pluralism. While legitimate restrictions are to be accepted, irrational intrusion into religious notions should be averted.
(Kaleeswaram Raj, The New Indian Express)
India: Calls for atrocity crimes against Muslims in India
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
India: Protests continue over university students' dress code in India
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Indian court reminds Hindu petitioner of ‘religious tolerance’
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
In India, the dangers of a homogenous public culture: To the extent that the hijab does not communicate a message of discrimination, inequality, or violence, what grounds allow the State, and State institutions, to ban it?
(Gautam Bhatia, Hindustan Times)
Cuba: ‘The Church was left without a place to worship’ – The story of Alain Toledano Valiente
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Vietnam country update
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
UK: Identifying the Yazidi genocide
(Knox Thames, Newsweek)
Pakistan: Hindu trader shot dead in Ghotki, was told to ‘go to India’ before being killed
(Hanif Samoon, The Friday Times)
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