Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 13 December 2019
USCIRF calls for immediate release of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Rights defender urges caution on domestic violence (Russia)
(Interfax-Religiia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Russian officials spread radical accusations against Baptist leader
(Interfax-Religiia, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))
Rosobrnadzor bans acceptance of students to seminary of Evangelical-Lutheran church
(Interfax-Religion)
Neo-Pentecostal gangs on the rampage? That's a big story in Brazil, they say
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)
As protests continue in Hong Kong, Beijing’s criticism of churches grows louder
(Verna Yu, America Magazine)
Nigeria: Use religion to crush corruption, cleric tells govt
(Shina Abubakar, All Africa)
Right to freedom of religion becomes human beings' fundamental right (Indonesia)
(Azis Kurmala, Antara News)
Pakistan needs to honor spirit of 1973 constitution
(Ali Changezi Sandhu, Asia Times)
Religious discrimination bill: what will Australians be allowed to say and do if it passes?
(Paul Karp, Guardian (Australia))
Cotler urges Trudeau to name anti-Semitism envoy
(Janice Arnold, The Canadian Jewish News)
Keeping the mystic, messianic faith of Star Wars' Skywalkers
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
Canada: Secularism's anti-Charter ugliness
(Ray Pennings, Convivium)
Desperately seeking civility
(Josh Nadeau, Convivium)
White House provides lifeline to US ties with Turkey and Saudi Arabia
(Week in Review, Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)
For Gambian Christians, there’s a lot to like — and one big worry — in the proposed constitution
(Barbara G. Baker, World Watch Monitor)
Thursday, 12 December 2019
Quebec leader causes controversy by saying all French Canadians are Catholic
(Christopher White, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Appeals court refuses temporary injunction against Quebec's secularism act
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Quebec’s Court of Appeal rejects bid to suspend Bill 21
(Jesse Feith, Montreal Gazette)
Quebec religious symbols law causes harm but shouldn’t be suspended: Appeal Court
(Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press)
One law, many challenges: How lawyers are trying to overturn Quebec's religious symbols ban
(Jonathan Montpetit, CBC News)
Pope presses anti-nuke, environment call in peace message
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
'We're the black restorers': Meet the volunteers saving the wooden churches in northern Russia
(Andrey Borodulin, Naira Davlashyan, Euronews)
Pope warned Montenegro over religion law, Serbian church claims
(Samir Kajosevic, Balkan Insight)
Religion allows it: Ma’ruf believes death penalty could deter corruption (Indonesia)
(The Jakarta Post)
Thomas More Institute analyses the organisation and the challenges of Islam in Morocco
(Yahoo Finance)
Indian couple convicted in Germany for spying on Kashmiris and Sikhs
(Sputnik News)
Spain: Morocco is leader in fight against terrorism
(Safaa Kasraoui, Morocco World News)
China accuses US of double standards on anti-Muslim bigotry, counterterrorism
(Aysha Khan, Religion News Service)
In our opinion: Today is Lucia. Here’s why that should matter to you
(The Editorial Board, Deseret News)
Senate recognizes Armenian genocide in latest black eye for Turkey
(Bryant Harris, Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East)
Does the new practice of dopamine fasting have religious roots?
(A. Trevor Sutton, Sightings: The University of Chicago Divinity School)
Wednesday, 11 December 2019
December 11: Hundreds of religious leaders gather to set global peace priorities
(Religions for Peace)
India’s Parliament passes contentious citizenship bill
(Ashok Sharma, Associated Press)
New controversial law in India uses religion as a criteria for citizenship
(Lauren Frayer, National Public Radio)
Vatican to host interfaith meeting on end-of-life issues
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
As Christianity grows in Africa, anti-Christian persecution rises
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Christ the Savior Cathedral receives fourth bomb threat in Dec
(Interfax-Religion)
Mufti Gainutdin calls on Muslim leaders to protect persecuted Christians of Africa, Middle East
(Interfax-Religion)
Uzbekistan: Obstacles, pressure, bribe demands obstruct legal status applications
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)
Atheism as a religion? Church of Atheism of Central Canada
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Vinnies refuses to be 'used' to promote Coalition's new religious discrimination bill
(Paul Karp, Guardian (Australia))
Freedom of Religion at Stake Competing Claims among Faith Traditions, States, and Persons
(Dion A. Forster, Elisabeth Gerle, Goran Gunner, Pickwick Publications: Church of Sweden Research Series)
Tuesday, 10 December 2019
CALL FOR PAPERS: Deadline 10 December 2019: Human Dignity and Human Rights – Christian Perspectives and Practices: A Focus on Constitutional and International Law
(International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
December 10: United Nations Human Rights Day
In depth- Human Rights Day 2019
(Rajya Sabha TV, YouTube Video)
Human Rights Day celebrates ‘tremendous activism’ of the world’s young people
(UN News)
Human rights day 2019: Human rights evolution since establishment of the day
(India Today)
December 9: The world is marking the International Day and Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of Genocide
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime 9 December
(United Nations)
Victims of ISIS genocide still waiting for justice
(ADF International)
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide
(United Nations, Prevent Genocide International)
Middle East business leaders pledge support for religious freedom, acceptance in the workplace
(Press Release, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Recent Articles and Books of Interest - 9 December 2019
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Misuse of anti-extremism: Reports from the SOVA Center
(SOVA Center for Information and Analysis)
Racism and xenophobia: Reports by the SOVA Center
(SOVA Center for Information and Analysis)
USCIRF releases new report on shari’ah criminal law in northern Nigeria
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Australia: Second draft of Religious Discrimination Package released
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
New USCIRF report on apostasy, blasphemy and hate speech laws in Africa
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Indian protesters stage shutdown against citizenship bill
(Wasbir Hussain, Associated Press)
India’s crackdown hits religious freedom in disputed Kashmir
(Aijaz Hussain, Associated Press)
Nicaraguan Church leaders call out Ortega regime for human rights abuses
(Inés San Martín, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Kenyan nun uses law degree to navigate Church through African society
(Christopher White, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Experts say formal Vatican-China ties are a distant hope
(Elise Harris, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
‘It felt from the very first days of the February Revolution that its twin brother October walked near it’ (Russia)
(Matvey Antropov, Realnoe Vremya)
Coalition's revamped bill allows religious organisations to discriminate against staff
(Paul Karp, Guardian (Australia))
Controversial religious discrimination bill overhauled as Government releases new draft
(Stephanie Dalzell, ABC News Australia)
India considers religion-based citizenship, U.S. panel opposes
(Devjyot Ghoshal, Reuters, Christian Science Monitor)
Cambodian Christians’ government endorsement represents a ‘modern-day miracle’
(Bob Craft, Christianity Today)
Sudan’s new government can’t succeed if it remains on the U.S. blacklist
(Hala Al-Karib, El Sadig Hassan, Foreign Policy)
Religious prejudice: A cancer to peaceful coexistence
(Abubakar Obilan, New Vision (Uganda))
Human Rights Day 2019: Knowing the history and significance
(Hindustan Times)
Human Rights Day, 10 December 2019: Statement by David Zalkaliani, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia
(Council of Europe Newsroom)
Human Rights Day — Resources
(United Nations)
UN General Assembly President on Human Rights Day 2019
(Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, UN General Assembly, YouTube Video)
Standing up for human rights for everyone
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Monday, 9 December 2019
Amid terrorism fears in Indonesia, heavy security planned for Christmas
(Catholic News Agency)
India parliament passes citizenship amendment bill
(Alistair Walsh, Deutsche Welle)
Protests erupt as India pushes for religion-based citizenship bill
(Zarir Hussain, Abhirup Roy, Reuters)
USCIRF raises serious concerns and eyes sanctions recommendations for citizenship (amendment) bill in India, which passed lower house today
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
India: In a remote Indian village, a victory against persecution
(Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture.org)
India continues to struggle with surrogacy
(Pinki Virani, Mercator Net)
Sudan: Concern remains regarding the Criminal Code despite the repeal of the Public Order Laws
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Physical interventions on the bodies of children to 'affirm' their 'gender identity' violate sound medical ethics and should be prohibited
(Ryan T. Anderson & Robert P. George, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)
Nigeria: The slumbering and plummenting state of human rights
(Emmanuel Onwubiko, The Nigerian Voice)
Australia: Assisted dying bill leaves sick and elderly open to coercion
(Xavier Symons, The Sydney Morning Herald Opinion)
Main Lebanon PM candidate withdraws from consideration
(Omar Akour, Associated Press)
The rising trend of Christian persecution
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Religion Unplugged)
Nina Shea: Lebanon’s Christians threatened, need US help
(Nina Shea, Fox News Opinion)
Christmas: a Kenyan story (A tale of family traditions and the inculturation of a Christian feast)
(Mathew Otieno, MercatorNet)
Catholics split, Vatican largely mum on Hong Kong protests
(Elise Harris, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Cardinal Zen targets Vatican silence on China, Hong Kong
(Michael Sainsbury, La Croix International)
China claims everyone in Xinjiang camps has ‘graduated’
(Yanan Wang, Associated Press)
China always protects freedom of religious beliefs
(Bai Tian, New Straits Times)
'Not to clericalize women, but to declericalize Church'
(Mikael Corre and Céline Hoyeau, La Croix International)
Cardinal Tagle, new 'red pope'
(Nicolas Senèze, La Croix International)
USCIRF raises alarm about speech laws that restrict religious freedom in more than half of African countries
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Palestinians in Bethlehem look beyond religious tourism
(Joseph Krauss and Mohammad Daraghmeh, Associated Press)
Pope Francis prays to mark start of Italy’s holiday season
(Associated Press)
Pope prays for ‘Normandy Summit,’ peace in Ukraine
(Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service)
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