Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 13 January 2021
Afghan Shiite leader in Pakistan after killings of miners
(Kathy Gannon, Associated Press)
Pakistan attempts to prosecute Ahmadi US citizens for digital blasphemy
(Aysha Khan, Religion News Service)
Uproar over rape of Christian women in Pakistan
(Kamran Chaudhry, Union of Catholic Asian News)
U.S. Church leaders: Designating Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism is ‘overkill’
(John Lavenburg, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Professor enumerates problems in Islamic world but promises bright future
(Javad Heirannia, Tehran Times)
Pope Francis changes canon law, officially giving women more access to altar
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Pope Francis changes canon law: What it means for the Catholic Mass
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
North Korea is worst country for Christian persecution again as authoritarian governments exploit Covid crisis
(Christian Today)
Report: North Korea, Nigeria among the worst countries for Christian persecution
(Catholic News Agency)
South Korean church leader acquitted over COVID case surge
(Aljazeera, Aljazeera)
Hamas scrambles for relevance in post-normalization Middle East
(Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)
Religions, Christianity and international marketing
(Michael R Czinkota, Japan Today)
Lord Mann and South Africa’s chief Rabbi attend online conference
(Jewish News Reporter, Jewish News)
South Africa's President commends churches for cooperating with COVID guidelines
(Cyril Ramaphosa, Daily Maverick Citizen)
In Canada, AGMs for federally incorporated charities back to normal… sort of
(Deina Warren, Canadian Centre for Christian Charities)
Ontario bans indoor social gatherings in new emergency order
(Deina Warren, Canadian Centre for Christian Charities)
How Ontario's COVID-19 rules restrict religious freedom
(Kristopher Kinsinger, National Post)
Monday, 11 January 2021
Pastor urges Jamaican government to declare church an essential service
(Loop News, Loop News)
Hellenic leaders condemn the attacks on American democracy
(Hellenic Leaders, Hellenic Leaders)
Sinovac biotech vaccines recognized by Indonesia as Halal
(Religion Today, Religion Today)
UK leaders of faith and leaders of belief create declaration of humanity
(United Kingdom Government, Gov.UK)
In South Africa, "religious grounds" are necessary to consider before implementing mandatory COVID vaccine
(Omphemetse S Sibanda, Daily Maverick)
Iglesia Ni Cristo church discusses how religion es helping people address tough economic times
(Caroline Hunter, EIN Presswire)
Patriarch Krill gives advice to Belarusian authorities
(Religion Today, Religion Today)
Praying for patients: Video goes viral of interfaith prayer outside hospital in Cape Town
(Tauhira Dean, News24)
Religious communities join campaign to raise awareness about COVID-19 vaccine
(The Jakarta Post)
Sindh: Violence against Hindu women, temples, culture
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Victorian "conversion practices' bill: Concerns for religious liberty
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
Articles of interest - 11 January 2021
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Photos of the week - 9 January 2021
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
China: Special weekly FoRB newsletter (31.12.2020- 08.01.2021)
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Dozens of Chinese officials raid house church, detain pastor and 5 members
(Evangelical Focus)
Turkish televangelist gets life term for sex abuse, offenses
(Associated Press)
China denies coercive birth control measures in Xinjiang
(Associated Press)
Indian police ban Christian community from holding religious services
(Ecumenical News)
The secret Indian pandemic: The occupation of religious persons in Kashmir and its impact on mental health
(Syed Zahid Rizvi, Daily Maverick)
India's ashrams: Havens for spirituality or scandalous snake pits?
(Manasi Gopalakrishnan, Deutsche Welle)
Police ban Indian Christian families from worship, accuse them of false conversion
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict is genocide, not another fight: human rights head
(Jackson Elliott, The Christian Post)
3 Pakistani Christians charged with blasphemy, accused of burning Quran pages
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
Teen Muslim extremists attack church in Philippines, pepper building with bullets
(Leah MarieAnn Klett, The Christian Post)
Pope Francis’ personal doctor has died of COVID-19
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Pope Francis calls for unity after ‘shocking’ Capitol attack
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Pope Francis opens a small but significant door for women in the Church
(Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Pope says women can read at Mass, but still can’t be priests
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Pope Francis changes church law to give women slightly larger role — but says they still can’t be priests
(Chico Harlan, The Washington Post)
Why is the internet abuzz with false claims of a ‘Vatican blackout’?: A CNA Explainer
(Catholic News Agency)
Franciscan friars return to site of Christ's baptism after 50 years
(Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)
Islamic scholars, activists call for ban on British film about prophet’s daughter
(Amr Mostafa, Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)
Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem reminds world of European presence in Holy City
(Taghreed Ali, Al-Monitor: Israel Pulse)
Russian parliament views exempting religious bodies from financial oversight
(Interfax-Religiia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Extremists may take advantage of new anti-money laundering regulations for religious organizations - State Duma committee
(Interfax-Religion)
Free speech in contention: on offense, faith, and democracy
(Wissam Nasrallah, Evangelical Focus: Middle Eastern Perspectives)
Catholic Church in Cúcuta asks to stop violence at the border (Spanish)
(Caracol Radio)
Argentina sets an example, what about Colombia? (Spanish)
(El Espectador)
Embassy of Spain honors Francisco de Roux for his work in favor of peace in Colombia (Spanish)
(Comisión de la Verdad)
Friday, 8 January 2021
Right to religion not above right to life, says Madras, India high court
(The Times of India, The Times of India)
The arrest of stand-up comic Munawar Faruqui should worry us all
(Sanjay Rajoura, The Indian Express)
Bishop warns ‘democracy is in danger’ in India after anti-Christian attack
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
India to hold nationwide ‘cow science’ exam
(Aljazeera, Aljazeera)
Brazilian women head to Argentina to avoid abortion ban
(David Biller, Almudena Calatrava and Tatiana Pollastri, Associated Press)
Bishop says Central African Republic ‘paralyzed’ by post-election violence
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Hagia Sophia's conversion into mosque Patriarch Bartholomew's divine retribution - Russian Church head
(Interfax-Religion)
Tajikistan: Three and a half years' jail for "illegal" conscientious objection
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Western separation of religion and state won't serve interests of Malaysia
(Azril Mohd Amin, New Straits Times)
Campaign 'Yes, I accept' seeks awareness towards the LGBT community (Panama; Spanish)
(YouTube Video, Panamá América)
Attacks on Christians: UK MPs seek sanctions against Nigeria
(Vanguard Nigeria)
Religious rights still blocked in Sudan, Christian leaders say
(Morning Star News)
Freedom of religion or belief – an enemy or an ally in our struggle for gender equality?
(Lisa Winther, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Pakistan arrests 7 Shiite militants, foils possible attacks
(Asim Tanveer, Associated Press)
Three sentenced to death for sharing ‘blasphemous material’ online
(Newsweek Pakistan)
US group appeals for Pakistani woman jailed on blasphemy
(Kathy Gannon, Associated Press)
USCIRF Commissioner James W. Carr adopts Ramzan Bibi in Pakistan through the Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Indonesia aims for religious halal ruling before COVID vaccine rolls out
(Aljazeera, Reuters, Aljazeera)
Indonesians unknowingly funded hardline group associated with Al-Qaeda behind Bali bombings
(Aljazeera, Aljazeera)
Indonesia’s top Islamic body OKs China’s Sinovac vaccine
(Edna Tarigan, Associated Press)
Indonesia releases radical cleric linked to Bali bombings
(Deutsche Welle)
Quebec government closes places of worship for a month
(Philippe Vaillancourt, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Crises and reinvention mark religion in 2020
(Religion Watch (Volume 36 No. 2), Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Pentecostalism in Chile going mainstream and diversifying
(Religion Watch (Volume 36 No. 2), Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Twitter urged to act on China’s ‘violent propaganda’ about Uyghur Muslim women
(Jewish News)
Banned new religious movement reappears in China
(Religion Watch (Volume 36 No. 2), Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Findings & Footnotes
(Religion Watch (Volume 36 No. 2), Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
After Israel, will Morocco normalize with Christians?
(Jayson Casper, Christianity Today)
Azerbaijan Archbishop: Our holy mission is to keep peace
The Parliament of the World's Religions calls for invoking the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution to remove Donald J. Trump from Office
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
All too familiar with coups, LatAm bishops voice alarm over US Capitol chaos
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Putin grateful to Syrian people for preserving Christian holy relics
(Interfax-Religion)
Uncertain future for Russian Orthodox Church
(Religion Watch (Volume 36 No. 2), Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Thursday, 7 January 2021
Japan: court awards damages in unification church case
(Willy Fautré, Forefeurope)
At daggers drawn: international legal issues surrounding the conflict in and around Nagorno-Karabakh
(Bernhard Knoll-Tudor, Daniel Mueller, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Charges laid for gathering held at Woolwich Township church
(Katherine Hill, CTV News)
Stamp marks 150th anniversary of Church of Ireland break from British church
(Patsy McGarry, The Irish Times)
Could Belarusian authorities liquidate the Belarusian Orthodox Church?
(Byelorussia, Religion Today)
Wednesday, 6 January 2021
France unveils draft law to fight Islamist radicalism
(Elaine Ganley, Japan Today)
New restrictions in the Russian religious law: What should believers expect?
(Olga Sibireva, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Indonesian police kill 2 suspected militants in raid
(Niniek Karmini, Associated Press)
Indonesia police shoot dead two militants linked to Philippines church bombing
(Edrian Acla, Eagle News)
Indonesia Islamic council hopes for halal ruling before mass vaccination
(Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Stanley Widianto, Reuters)
Wave of arrests in Hong Kong targets pro-democracy politicians, activists
(Catholic News Agency)
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