Law and Religion Headlines

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Wednesday, 29 January 2025

Ghana: Challenging religious non-accommodation: Shafic Osman vs. Wesley Girls’ Mission School – A constitutional battle for religious freedom in Ghana
(JURISTnews)

Cameroon: Government leader in Cameroon complains after bishop says ‘Devil’ would be better than current president
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Pope Francis taps travel agent Cardinal Koovakad to lead Interreligious Dialogue dicastery
(Hannah Brockhaus, Catholic News Agency)

Thailand: Islamic leaders call for unity against extremism at Bangkok conference
(Arab News)

Vietnam bars monk from attending US religious freedom conference
(Radio Free Asia)

Vietnam arrests Protestant pastor for ‘anti-state propaganda’
(Radio Free Asia)

In Australia, Jew-hate is out of control
(Alex Ryvchin, The Free Press)

Australia: Latest issue of Australian Journal of Law and Religion; my “surrejoinder” on s 109
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

Colombia: Faith comes under fire amid rising attacks on religious leaders
(World Religion News)

El Salvador: A little noticed major victory for life
(Daniel Philpott, Arc of the Universe Blog)

India: Police say at least 30 people have died in a stampede at the massive Maha Kumbh festival
(Rajesh Kumar Singh and Sheikh Saaliq, Associated Press)

ROC plans on a fivefold increase in the number of “combat priests” at the front
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Kyrgyzstan: Repressive new religion law in force from 1 February
(Felix Corley and Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)

Turkmenistan convicts Brother Arslan Vepayev for conscientious objection
(Jehovah's Witnesses)

Iran arrests 13 Baha'is, accusing them of proselytising, Iranian media say
(Reuters)

Monday, 27 January 2025

Syria: Religious minorities in post-Assad Syria
(Knox Thames and Andrea Pin, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Syria: Kurdish unity efforts gain momentum amid uncertain future
(Wladimir Van Wilgenburg, The Washington Institute)

Supreme Court of Canada to hear challenge to Quebec secularism law
(Harjaap Ahluwalia, Jurist News)

Voluntary assisted dying is legal in Australia – but many of us don’t know
(Ben White, Lindy Wilmott, Rachel Feeney, The Conversation)

Pope Francis warns of ‘scourge of antisemitism’ ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day
(Associated Press)

Australia: Statement on recent hate crimes
(Human Rights Watch)

Articles of interest - 27 January 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Zimbabwe: Christian leaders in Zimbabwe oppose plans to drop term limits for president
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation recognizes the Vatican's role in prisoner exchange with Ukraine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

India’s BJP-ruled Uttarakhand implements ‘totally biased’ common civil code
(Al Jazeera)

India's top court refuses Christian man burial in his village
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Pakistani court sentences 4 people to death for blasphemy
(Asim Tanveer, Associated Press)

Algeria: Five Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to two years in jail in Algeria for sharing their faith
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Legal Journal Number 4 (20): January(Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)

Hostages recovered, terrorists released: Religious and political considerations (Spanish)
(Fishel Szlajen, Infobae)

Friday, 24 January 2025

Nigeria: Empowerment over palliatives, Archbishop Martins urges government to rethink poverty alleviation strategies
(Paschal Norbert, Catholic Information Service for Africa)

Nigeria: An obnoxious legislation
(Ebenezer Obadare, Council on Foreign Relations)

Pakistan: MEPs appeal to EU Human Rights Envoy on behalf of persecuted Christians
(EU Today)

Toleration: A Very Short Introduction
(Andrew R. Murphy, Oxford University Press)

Voice for the Voiceless: Over Seven Decades of Struggle with China for My Land and My People
(The Dalai Lama, HarperCollins)

Bill to ban Moscow Patriarchate sent to Estonian Parliament
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Liberia news: Muslims still pushing for holiday
(New Republic Liberia)

Why African governments are seeking to repeal tax exemptions for churches
(Cyril Zenda, Religion Unplugged)

DRC: Protestants and Catholics in Congo launch roadmap to peace
(World Council of Churches)

China: Ten church co-workers taken away by police during Sunday worship at house church in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province
(China Aid)

Iran’s Christians experienced sixfold increase in prison sentences in 2024, report finds
(Article 18)

Afghanistan: Taliban reject ICC arrest warrant as ‘politically motivated’
(AFP, Courthouse News Service)

Philippines: Mark Villar pushes for mandatory Muslim prayer rooms in public offices
(Senate of the Philippines)

Canada: Supreme Court of Canada will hear legal challenge on Quebec secularism law
(Matthew Lapierre, CBC News)

India: Madhya Pradesh government to implement total liquor ban in 17 religious cities and towns across state: CM Mohan Yadav
(Swarajya)

India: Religious persecution in the world’s largest democracy
(Jetti A. Oliver, Plough)

India: Marrying person of another faith doesn’t mean automatic conversion: HC
(Times of India)

India: Use of loudspeakers not essential to any religion: Bombay HC
(Urvi Mahajani, Free Press Journal)

Syria's new leaders turn to Islamic law in effort to rebuild Assad's police
(Amina Ismail and Khalil Ashawi, Reuters)

Brazil: The challenges of exercising freedom of belief (Portuguese)
(Eduardo Cassar, UFRJ)

Brazil: The return of the political value of religion (Portuguese)
(Sebastiano Maffettone, Instituto Humanitas Unisinos)

Russia: Getting alternative civilian service "a hellishly difficult task"
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Iraqi lawmakers pass a bill that critics say legalizes child marriage
(Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Stella Martany, Associated Press)

Iranian court sentences pop star Tataloo to death for blasphemy
(AFP, The Guardian)

Australian state commits more police to investigate antisemitic crime
(Rod McGuirk, Associated Press)

Australia: Childcare centre torched in latest antisemitic attack
(Christine Chen and Renju Jose, Reuters)

Canadian government considers changing churches’ tax status
(Adam MacInnis, Christianity Today)

Holocaust remembrance for dignity and human rights
(United Nations)

Tajikistan: Persecution of Christians
(Antonio Graceffo, Providence)

Colombia: Interreligious education within the framework of Colombia’s public policy on religious freedom and worship
(Camila A. Sánchez Sandoval, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

Venezuela: Bishops’ commitment for the Jubilee: “Country, person, truth, justice, rule of law, freedom and peace”
(Agenzia Fides)

Council of Parties appoints Ambassador Almeida-Ribeiro as KAICIID Acting Secretary General
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)

Philippines: Religious groups stage opposing rallies ahead of 2025 midterm polls
(Camille Elemia, Benar News)

Looking towards the future while reviewing the past
(Marianna Richardson, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

Ethiopia: Thousands protest in Mekelle against hijab ban in Axum schools, demand enforcement of court ruling
(Addis Standard)

Kyrgyzstan bans face coverings in public places
(Azerbaycan24)

China: When the facts and the law don’t matter, a guilty verdict is only a matter of time
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Brazil: STF decisions reinforce combat against religious intolerance (Portuguese)
(Adriana Romeo, Supremo Tribunal Federal)

Brazil: National Day to Combat Religious Intolerance: MPGO highlights religious freedom promotion actions carried out in 2024 (Portuguese)
(Cristina Rosa, MP GO)

Brazil: On the Day of Combating Intolerance, followers of different religions fail to believe in their beliefs. (Portuguese)
(Agência Gov)

Brazil: January 21: Day of mourning against Religious Intolerance in Brazil (Portuguese)
(Débora Costa, Diario do Para)

Monday, 20 January 2025

India: Muslim homes burned down after Hindu-Muslim elopement
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

India: Hindu persecution against Christians increases and reaches 800 cases. They also seek to apply a new anti-Christian law India: Hindu persecution against Christians increases and reaches 800 cases. They also seek to apply a new anti-Christian law
(Zenit)

Pope welcomes Cuba’s prisoner release following talks with Vatican as part of long-standing dialogue
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

Pope praises Buddhist revival in post-Soviet Mongolia
(Joseph Tulloch, Vatican News)

Psychedelics and religion: A complex relationship
(Alberto Cavallarin and Hans Van Eyghen, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

Human Freedom Index 2024
(Cato Institute and the Fraser Institute)

Parliamentary committee supports legislative initiative to establish National Day of Prayer
(Institute for Religious Freedom, Ukraine)

In Conversation: Podcast explores BIC’s contributions to the discourse on societal harmony
(Bahá’í World News Service)

Articles of interest - 20 January 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Religious persecution in Burma is becoming a regional crisis
(Dr. Sasa and Sam Brownback, Newsweek)

Uzbekistan: Eight Muslim prisoners of conscience tortured, handed long jail sentences
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)

Secularity, dignity, and human rights: A review of Human Rights in a Divided World by David Hollenbach, S.J.
(David Little, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

Building values-based communities: A shared responsibility
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)

Indonesia: Church leaders slam Indonesian forces' denial of Papua refugees
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

2025/4 “The Impact and Complexity of Saudi Funding on the Dissemination of Wahhabism and Salafism in Indonesia”
(A’an Suryana, Yusof Ishak Institute)

Iranians punished with longer prison sentences for practicing Christianity
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)

Newly released WCC video addresses freedom of worship in Jerusalem
(World Council of Churches)

Russia: Religious issues and persecution: Bimonthly Digest January 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Egypt: MRG urges action on minority and indigenous rights
(Minority Rights Group)

Brazil: Religious intolerance in Brazil (Portuguese)
(Ivanir dos Santos, ICL Noticias)

Brazil: Law that authorizes the emission of noise levels above the limit in religious temples is unconstitutional, decides OE (Portuguese)
(Comunicação Social, TJSP)

Brazil: Combating religious intolerance and midwives are highlighted (Portuguese)
(Rilton Pimentel, Agencia Brasil)

Saturday, 18 January 2025

Will the world protect Syria’s religious minorities?
(Knox Thames, The Dispatch)

Syrian Christians want their identity and freedoms protected in any new constitution, envoy says
(Menelaos Hadjicostis, Associated Press)

Pope: ‘Religions must work together to seek bridges of peace’
(Lisa Zengarini, Vatican News)

Pope: ‘Investing in weapons to kill is madness’
(Lisa Zengarini, Vatican News)

Three keys to loving your neighbor in a multibelief world
(Chris Seiple, Religion News Service)

High Representative’s remarks on the launch of the United Nations Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism
(United Nations Alliance of Civilizations)

Rome's chief rabbi criticises Pope Francis over Israel remarks
(Joshua McElwee, Reuters)

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