Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 11 April 2025
Syria: Christian leaders urge Syria’s new regime to guarantee safety, rights
(Rémy Videau, La Croix International)
Pakistan: Promoting religious harmony and inclusivity through Sikh pilgrim visas
(Shaikh Moazam Khan, Eurasia Review)
Filipino women fight for the right to divorce in a deeply Catholic country
(Al Jazeera)
Nepal: Christians arrested amid Hindu extremist/pro-monarchy protests in Kathmandu
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Submission to UN SR on FoRB report on freedom of religion or belief and migrants, IDPs, and refugees
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
How the Orthodox church influences Russian families and Putin’s regime
(Thien Bui, Religion Unplugged)
NED Impact Report: Advancing religious freedom and human dignity
(National Endowment for Democracy)
Canada: A wedge has emerged on religious freedom. Pierre Poilievre is on the right side of it
(Robyn Urback, Globe and Mail)
Brazil: CIJ promotes lecture on religious freedom of foster children (Portuguese)
(Comunicação Social, TJSP)
Brazil: Evangelicals in Brazil: the multiplication of churches and believers in the country (Portuguese)
(YouTube Video, G1)
Wednesday, 9 April 2025
Egypt: Why Christians face persecution in Egypt and how there’s hope
(Lizzie Francis Brink, ADF International)
Australia: Multi-faith cemetery hailed as important step
(Cath News)
Sacred sites as a new way to advance pluralism and human rights
(Knox Thames, Open Global Rights)
The future is upon us: Faith & Civil Society in Global Solutions | 11th Annual Symposium
(YouTube Video, World Council of Churches)
The Taliban say the case of a detained British couple will be decided under Islamic law
(Associated Press)
Nicaragua’s crackdown on the Catholic Church is worsening, exiles and human rights advocates say
(Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press)
Colombia appoints allegedly fake rabbi, an anti-Zionist, as director of religious affairs
(Grace Gilson, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Kazakhstan: 15-month criminal investigation of anti-war priest
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Kazakhstan textbooks promote tolerance, respect for Judaism, Israel - IMPACT report finds
(The Jerusalem Post)
Catholic fraternal pluralism and respect for conscience
(Matthew P. Cavedon, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Pakistan: Religious minorities missing in Pakistan’s Islam-heavy textbooks
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Malaysian court affirms no unilateral conversion of Hindu mom’s kids
(Joseph Masilamany, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Nicaragua: No matter how hard it tries, the Nicaraguan government cannot make the evidence of its human rights violations disappear
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Puerto Rico: Senate approves religious freedom bill (Spanish)
(Telemundo)
UGCC Head Meets with Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine
(Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Monday, 7 April 2025
United Arab Emirates: Recognizing youth as protagonists of social change
(Bahá’í World News Service)
UN Commission for Social Development: BIC highlights spiritual foundations necessary for social prosperity
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths: a call to interfaith action
(Religions for Peace)
Articles of interest - 7 April 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
China’s new religion laws a ‘pretext’ for arrests, clerics say
(Ed Condon, The Pillar)
DR Congo’s religious ID drive sparks clash between clergy, justice ministry
(Prisca Materanya, La Croix International)
Metropolitan of Chalcedon condemns total alignment of Patriarch of Moscow with the Kremlin
(Orthodox Times)
India: What Supreme Court said on request for urgent listing of petitions against Waqf Amendment Act
(Bar and Bench)
Australia: Religious leaders in cry for freedoms
(The Australian)
Friday, 4 April 2025
Peru: Church criticizes “anti-NGO” bill in Peru
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Philippines: Bishops join case at Philippines’ top court to stop political dynasties
(Joseph San Mateo, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Religious elements of the Sudanese civil war
(Christopher Tounsel, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
European Parliament urges the unconditional release of Baha’i prisoner of conscience Mahvash Sabet
(Bahá’í International Community)
Turkiye condemns Israel's raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque
(Middle East Monitor)
The Muslim World League condemns Israeli Minister’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and attack on UNRWA clinic
(Muslim World League)
Malaysia avoids a religious firestorm
(Lim Teck Ghee, Eurasia Review)
International law cannot endure without human rights
(Diane Desierto, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
NZ: Chief Human Rights Commissioner apologises to Muslim community
(Radio New Zealand)
At symposium, faith actors and global institutions “find the sun” together
(World Council of Churches)
China’s new religious restrictions severely limit foreign missionary activity
(Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency)
Russian Jehovah's Witness jailed for managing extremist 'cells'
(Mark Trevelyan, Reuters)
South Africa: Timothy Omotoso verdict (video)
(YouTube Video, Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA))
India’s parliament passes bill that would change Muslim land endowments
(Aijaz Hussain and Sheikh Saaliq, Associated Press)
Report: Attacks on Catholics increasingly common and tolerated in Europe and Latin America
(David Ramos, Catholic News Agency)
Wednesday, 2 April 2025
India’s parliament set to debate controversial law on Muslim endowments
(Aijaz Hussain and Sheikh Saaliq, Associated Press)
India: How does India's Sadhan village continue to resist religious polarization?
(Priyadarshini Sen, Religion News Service)
Argentina: A society that gives space to God, that seeks to be guided by him is a society that is a sign of hope
(Agenzia Fides)
Indonesia: Muslims apologize for flags in Christian province
(Ryan Dagur, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Korea: WCC urges swift deliberations from Constitutional Court of Korea to restore confidence in rule of law
(World Council of Churches)
Russia: Religious issues and persecution: Bimonthly Digest March 16-31
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Myanmar: Earthquake intensifies plight of religious minorities in Myanmar
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Myanmar: An attack on St. Patrick’s Cathedral the day before St. Patrick’s Day is yet another indicator of the remorselessness of the Myanmar military
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Ethiopia: Strengthening the peacebuilding role of religious institutions in Ethiopia
(Yirga Abebe Damtie, The Wilson Center)
China: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly Digest March 16-31
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
China adds new restrictions on foreigners’ religious activities
(Anglican Ink)
April 2025 newsletter
(The Association of Religion Data Archives)
Brazil: Why does Brazil have religious holidays if it is a secular state? (Portuguese)
(BBC News Brasil)
Monday, 31 March 2025
The Study of Muslim Family Norms in Contemporary Europe: A Systematic Scoping Review
(Martin Eidrup, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)
IGE and Vietnam partners mark 20 years of progress in religion and rule of law
(Institute for Global Engagement)
Essay series: Religion, The Missing Dimension of Statecraft at 30—Lessons and Legacies
(Debora Tonelli, Judd Birdsall, Douglas Johnston, Katherine Marshall, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Afghanistan: The Taliban leader says there is no need for Western laws in Afghanistan
(Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 31 March 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Cameroon’s bishops urge electoral reform ahead of 2025 presidential election
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Who is Hind Kabawat: Human rights activist and Arab Christian joins Syria’s new cabinet
(Selin Hacialioglu, Türkiye Today)
Kenya’s houses of worship under scrutiny for ‘disruptive’ sound levels
(Joseph Maina, Religion Unplugged)
Justice for victims on the seas: Human trafficking in the fishing industry
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Korean Catholics protest delay in Yoon’s impeachment ruling
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Iran police disperse pro-hijab protest amid security concerns
(Maziar Motamedi, Al Jazeera)
Pezeshkian hopes for greater Muslim unity in Eid al-Fitr message
(Islamic Republic News Agency)
Iran: Religious issues and persecution – Monthly Digest March 2025
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Brazil: Eduardo Paes revokes recognition of practices of African origin in the SUS [health system] (Portuguese)
(Diana Rogers, CNN Brasil)
Saturday, 29 March 2025
A symbol of faith or culture? Brazil’s constitutional dilemma
(Bruno Santos Cunha and Renato Costa, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Francis I: Public theologian
(Greg Marcar, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Russian attack on an evangelical church in Kyiv kills a father and his little daughter
(Evangelical Focus)
Russia: Second jail term for discussing faith during first term
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Jewish Law and International Law: Sovereignty and Exogenous Authority in a Transnational World
(Michael J. Broyde and Yehonatan Elazar-De Mota, Oxford University Press)
Israel’s antisemitism conference draws Europe’s far-right leaders to Jerusalem
(Julia Frankel and Leo Correa, Associated Press)
Despite Church efforts, Uruguay will likely approve euthanasia in near future
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
In UK and Australia, lawmakers are trying to curb protests outside of synagogues
(Grace Gilson, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Constitutions address religious freedom, but not as much as desired
(Dennis Petri and Jonathan Fox, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Africa-Europe forum calls on churches to enhance protection of migrants
(World Council of Churches)
South Sudan: President Kiir in meeting with church leaders, vows unwavering commitment to peace, stability in country
(Paschal Norbert, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Overt and incremental attacks on religious freedom in Latin America
(Rick Plasterer, Juicy Ecumenism, Institute on Religion and Democracy)
Israel: 4 facts about religious switching within Judaism
(Kirsten Lesage and Maria Smerkovich, Pew Research Center)
China: Hui Christian pastor sentenced to nine months in prison
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Türk: Islamophobia weakens our societies and damages everyone
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Zambia: UN expert on freedom of religion or belief to visit Zambia
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
USCIRF's portrayal of Bangladesh's religious freedom situation based on misinformation: Govt
(The Business Standard)
Head of Japan's Unification Church vows to fight loss of legal protections
(Irene Wang and Rocky Swift, Reuters)
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Japan: Court in Japan orders the dissolution of the Unification Church
(Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press)
Japan: Court orders Unification Church demise over donations
(Yuto Yoneda, The Asahi Shimbun)
Japan: The dissolution of the Unification Church damages all religions, Japan, and its international image. All friends of religious liberty should protest a scandalous verdict.
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A magazine on religious liberty and human rights)
China’s religious freedom crisis escalates: Christian churches face comprehensive suppression
(Feng Reng, Bitter Winter)
USCIRF releases 2025 Annual Report
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
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