Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Developing frontline anti-trafficking services
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest June 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
HRC59: Oral Statement during interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Eritrea
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Iran: Prayer, baptism and celebrating Christmas cited as examples of Christians’ ‘crimes’
(Article 18)
Former CSIS, RCMP investigators call for inquiry into Buddhist monks, nuns' Chinese connections
(Wayne Thibodeau, CBC News)
Religious leaders released from Nicaraguan prison say their experience only strengthens their faith
(María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
Religion and foreign policy webinar: AI’s religious and policy implications
(Council on Foreign Relations)
Pepperdine Caruso School of Law hosts landmark conference on the state of religious freedom
(Pepperdine University)
USCIRF reiterates call for CPC designation for Nigeria
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Monday, 16 June 2025
The naming of religious groups: A human rights analysis
(Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Religious freedom will help an Africa becoming ‘increasingly fragmented’
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Africa Together: A Continental Call to Religious Freedom
(IRF Summit Africa)
Latest attack reportedly kills nearly 200 people in Nigeria
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Faith at the table: New publication charts path for food systems transformation in Africa
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Southern African church leaders unite in pilgrimage for justice
(World Council of Churches)
Cardinal Ambongo appeals to Trump: ‘Africa is important to the U.S.’
(Madalaine Elhabbal, Catholic News Agency)
Court case over north hijab law suspended pending decision
(Tom Cleaver, Cyprus Mail)
The Kremlin exports “Orthodox Christianity” to Africa as part of its hybrid influence strategy, - Main Intelligence Directorate
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
The Vietnamese govt and Church properties: An unending story
(Alex Hoang, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Vietnam’s secularity and social nature of religion: Dignitaries from Vietnam and co-authors share the country’s journey toward a favorable religious-secular relationship
(Samantha Faith Satorre, Ke Alaka'I)
Russia: Prosecutions for unlawful "missionary activity" – 2024 to 2025
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Sri Lanka: Joint Letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
(Human Rights Watch)
Sri Lanka’s minorities struggle for voice In Sinhala-Buddhist dominated politics – analysis
(P. K. Balachandran, Eurasia Review)
Sri Lanka’s new mass grave reveals failure of ‘peace’ through violence
(Surabhi Singh, Religion Unplugged)
Israel closes Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers until further notice
(Lubna Masarwa and Areeb Ullah, Middle East Eye)
Meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS small group
(U.S. Department of State)
Thursday, 12 June 2025
Pope Leo XIV names first Chinese bishop, signalling he is continuing Vatican’s controversial accord
(Associated Press)
Papal diplomats must always defend poor, religious freedom, Pope says
(Carol Glatz, OSV News)
Iran executes nine people arrested over planned Islamic State attack
(Reuters)
Iran says US travel ban shows 'deep hostility' for Iranians, Muslims
(Reuters)
Majority of Kazakhstanis are religious, but discrimination persists, studies suggest
(The Times of Central Asia)
UN and US officials warn of rising antisemitism in Chile, urge government to act
(The Media Line)
Syria orders women to cover up on beaches with conservative new dress code
(Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN)
Adventist leaders affirm religious freedom in meetings with Argentine officials
(Adventist News Network)
HRC59: Written submission on the impact of FoRB violations on the right to education
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Iraq’s Jewish community saves a long-forgotten shrine
(Al Jazeera)
General Briefing: Algeria
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
General briefing: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
General briefing: Sri Lanka
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
General briefing: Colombia
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
General briefing: Sudan
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Pew Research: Religious composition by country, 2010-2020
(Pew Research Center)
Islam was the world’s fastest growing religion from 2010 to 2020
(Conrad Hackett, Pew Research Center)
Germany-Sri Lanka summit should address rights, accountability
(Philipp Frisch, Human Rights Watch)
‘Sorrow is a defeatist movement’: An interview with Sombath Somphone’s wife Ng Shui-Meng
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Israel guilty of ‘extermination’ in attacks on schools, mosques: UN
(Al Jazeera)
Israel: Netanyahu’s government could collapse over Israel’s ultra-Orthodox military draft law
(Melanie Lidman, Associated Press)
Salvadoran bishops criticize President Bukele’s policies
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The power of corporate governance to combat modern slavery
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum)
Delhi High Court upholds army decision to dismiss Christian lieutenant for refusing to participate in Hindu rituals
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Monday, 9 June 2025
How the global religious landscape changed from 2010 to 2020
(Conrad Hackett, Marcin Stonawski, Yunping Tong, Stephanie Kramer, Anne Shi and Dalia Fahmy, Pew Research Center)
The Bulletin Podcast: Uyghur persecution
(Knox Thames)
Articles of interest - 9 June 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Syria's top religious body bans revenge killings
(Hurriyet Daily News)
Pope Leo criticizes political nationalism and prays for reconciliation and dialogue
(Associated Press)
Pakistan: A Conspiracy to Grab the Land
(Human Rights Watch)
Israel’s political battle over the drafting of yeshiva students
(Gil Zohar, Religion Unplugged)
Thailand honors anti-human trafficking Catholic nun
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
African churches consult on decolonization, reparations
(World Council of Churches)
Iran: Christian converts sentenced to 12 years in prison for bringing Bibles into Iran
(Article 18)
Church in Mexico supporting families of the ‘disappeared’
(Felipe Herrera-Espaliat, Vatican News)
Japan: Religious corporation sales rising in Japan amid tax evasion concerns
(Chunichi Shimbun, Japan Times)
Sydney cleric being sued for alleged antisemitism says case is an existential battle ‘between Islam and unbelievers’
(Ben Doherty, The Guardian)
Uganda: Spread wealth creation gospel, Museveni tells religious leaders
(Kenneth Kazibwe, Nile Post)
From Fear to Violence: Religious Attacks in Sri Lanka
(National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka)
Brazil: Evangelicals advance and Afro-Brazilian religions triple in the country (Portuguese)
(Alícia Bernardes, Correio Braziliense)
Friday, 6 June 2025
'A huge loss.' In remote Nagasaki islands, a rare version of Christianity heads toward extinction
(Mari Yamaguchi, Mayuko Ono, and Foster Klug, Religion News Service)
Array of rainbows and religions marks WorldPride interfaith service in DC
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
For religious minorities in India, even tragedies turn into trials
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
The tension in India between free speech and religion
(Vishal Arora, Religion Unplugged)
Pakistan: End cyclical harassment and persecution of minority Ahmadiyya community
(Amnesty International)
New wave of violence targets Pakistan’s Ahmadi community
(Jamaima Afridi, Religion Unplugged)
Korean bishops urge President Lee to promote unity, peace
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Hamas condemns incursion by Israeli settlers into al-Aqsa Mosque
(Press TV)
Faith communities share innovative solutions in World Hunger Day webinar
(World Council of Churches)
Religious communities confront menstrual stigma in international webinar
(World Council of Churches)
Churches urge commitment to Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria
(World Council of Churches)
No respite: The systematic suppression of freedom of religion or belief in Cuba
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
NGOs hold annual protest vigil outside Eritrean Embassy in London
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Wednesday, 4 June 2025
Egypt says the sovereignty of a famous monastery is assured
(Associated Press)
What’s at stake for St Catherine’s monastery in Sinai, and why does it matter for international religious freedom?
(ekathimerini)
In Brazil, court rules in favor of Seventh-day Adventist judoka
(Larissa Zanardi, Adventist Review)
Iran urges Kenya to embrace 'religious democracy' at Khomeini anniversary
(James Wanzala, Standard Media)
Canada: Should ayahuasca be made legal? A N.S. religious freedom case tests that argument
(Richard Cuthbertson, CBC News)
Secularism in Quebec schools: Experts calls for dialogue and diversity
(Martin LaSalle, Université de Montréal)
Defend our secular Constitution against the introduction of Islamic banking
(Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, Ghana Web)
Australia extends license for nation’s biggest fossil fuel project
(Annabel Hennessy, Human Rights Watch)
Triple threat: Mali Christians caught between government repression, censorship and extremist attacks
(Obianuju Mbah, Christian Today)
Japan: ‘A huge loss.’ In remote Nagasaki islands, a rare version of Christianity heads toward extinction
(Foster Klug, Mari Yamaguchi and Mayuko Ono, Associated Press)
Tanzanian lawmaker’s church shut down after he accuses government of human rights abuses
(Evelyne Musambi, Associated Press)
Kashmir: Fears dampen celebrations at Hindu festival (video)
(Khalid Khan, Deutsche Welle)
Israel may head to elections as haredi Orthodox parties rebel over army conscription
(Ben Sales, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
During the war, Ukrainians express the highest levels of trust in the Armed Forces and the Church
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
More Than Mindfulness: How Buddhism Became Involved In Warfare
(Thien Bui, Religion Unplugged)
Pakistani Ahmadis pressured to renounce Eid animal sacrifice
(Kamran Chaudhry, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Israeli public is increasingly skeptical about lasting peace
(Maria Smerkovich, Kelsey Jo Starr, Andrew Prozorovsky, Pew Research Center)
Hajj begins with world’s largest air conditioner, surveillance drones, and a ban on children
(Juwayriah Wright, Time)
Brazil: When faith is a nuisance: the new veto on public religion (Portuguese)
(Direito Religioso)
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