Law and Religion Headlines

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Wednesday, 12 June 2024

WCC calls for a permanent ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access in Gaza
(World Council of Churches)

Sudan: WCC reiterates solidarity with Sudan, lifts up vulnerable people
(World Council of Churches)

Nigeria: ‘They realised their guns weren’t fast enough’
(Jonathan Downing, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Vatican official: Hundreds of millions of Christians ‘face high levels of persecution’
(Andrés Henríquez, Catholic News Agency)

Australia: The government is drafting anti-hate speech laws. Here are 4 things they should include
(Nicole Shackleton, The Conversation)

Pakistan army promotes first Christian woman to brigadier general
(Arshad Mehmood, The Jerusalem Post)

Indonesian court jails comedian for joking about the name Muhammad
(Reuters)

Canada: RCMP official calls for debate on hate speech law after probe of controversial imam ends without charges
(Daniel Leblanc, CBC News)

NZ: Auckland Tibetan Association calls on PM Luxon to raise Tibet during the Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to New Zealand
(Central Tibetan Administration)

Bolivia: Following forced closure of Catholic Teachers College, Bishops sue Bolivian state, take case to international human rights enforcer
(ADF International)

In the eyes of the Cuban government, leading a church can make you a threat to national security
(Anna Lee Stangl, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Monday, 10 June 2024

South Africa: Saffron in the rainbow nation: Hindu nationalism’s presence in South Africa
(Nikhil Mandalaparthy, Religion Unplugged)

S. African bishops urge politicians - 'work together' - after governing party loses 30-year long majority
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)

Vol 3 No 1 (2024): January-June, 2024
(The Contemporary Issues on Interfaith Law and Society)

Canada: Muslim advocacy group blasts Quebec secularism law in front of Commons committee
(Raffy Boudjikanian, CBC News)

Saudi Arabia condemns storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli officials, and extremist settlers
(Arab News)

Statement on storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque
(X, Muslim World League)

Pakistan: USCIRF troubled by violence against Christians in Pakistan
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Canada: Proposals to Strengthen MAiD Safeguards and Oversight
(Cardus)

India: Anti-conversion acts and the criminalisation of interfaith marriages
(Acharaj Kaur Tuteja, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

Religiophobia or Islamophobia? Deciphering India’s inconsistency
(Muhammad Ahmad Khan and Shafaq Zernab, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

Myanmar: Forging genuine unity amidst deep conflict in Myanmar: Prospects and challenges
(Naw Dii, Institute for Global Engagement)

The Supreme Mufti of Crimea and the Mufti of the RAMU "Ummah" of Ukraine called on Muslim countries to support the Peace Summit
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Uzbekistan: No religious freedom for Jehovah’s Witnesses, Protestants & Muslims denied registration
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Mozambique: Locals tell stories of Christians killed for their faith: “They are our martyrs”
(João Vissesse, ACI Africa)

Articles of interest
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

UN: Uzbek atrocity apologist elected to UN Human Rights Committee
(Aaron Rhodes, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Australia: Archbishop warns of religious freedom erosion in Australia, calls for ‘saints for our time’
(AC Wimmer, Catholic News Agency)

Turkey, Constitutional Court: Expulsion of Protestant leaders does not violate freedom of faith
(Asia News)

Cuba: PCC prohibits Corpus Christi procession in Nueva Paz, Mayabeque (Spanish)
(Kike Perdomo, Cuba Trendings)

Cuba: Priest banned from ringing bells in protest over Cuban crisis (Spanish)
(Eduardo Berdejo, ACI Prensa)

Indonesia: Leimena Institute participates in Raimuna V BPK Penabur (Indonesian)
(Institut Leimena News)

Indonesia promotes cross-cultural religious literacy at the Indonesian Embassy in The Hague (Indonesian)
(Institut Leimena News)

Friday, 7 June 2024

Nigeria: Faith leaders and community in Nigeria: An antidote to violent extremism
(Shefiu Abdulkareem Majemu and Olimma Adinwenka Nueka, The United States Institute of Peace)

Interreligious friendships are consolation amid wars, pope says
(Cindy Wooden, Catholic Review)

Indonesia law giving religious groups mining permits slammed
(AFP, Union of Catholic Asian News)

Australia: Facing religious discrimination at work? These are your options
(SBS)

Turkish man officially changes religion to exempt child from mandatory Islamic lessons
(Stockholm Center for Freedom)

Egypt: Religious freedom advocates call on Egypt to release detained Christians accused of ‘terrorism’ for peaceful engagement on Facebook
(ADF International)

Australia: Voluntary assisted dying laws have been passed in the ACT. Here’s what happens next
(Ben White, Lindy Willmott, and Madeleine Archer, The Conversation)

Hong Kong: New law could force Chinese priests to share secrets of the confession
(Premier Christian News)

Chile’s bishops push back against president’s abortion and euthanasia advocacy
(Julieta Villar, Catholic News Agency)

Russia: Towards a liquidation of the Greek Catholic Church?
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Religious freedom advocates demand Egypt release Christians jailed for using Facebook
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)

Cuba: IRFBA statement – Pastor Lorenzo
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Israel: Women get a voice in Israel’s vote for chief rabbi. It may not save a deeply unpopular institution.
(David I. Klein, Religion News Service)

Experts at conference held at the Church of Scientology of Rome, make the point on the state of freedom of belief in Italy and the world
(The European Times)

Malaysian NGO cautions against unlawful conversion of minors
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

New report on “values that are needed” will be released at Human Rights Council
(World Council of Churches)

Japan: Hate crimes epidemic against the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Japan: Who is responsible?
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Pakistan: Religious freedom is a pipe dream for Pakistan’s minorities
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Pakistan: All communities enjoying religious freedom in Pakistan: Minister For Law And Justice, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar
(Fahad Shabbir, Urdu Point)

India: Modi’s narrow re-election win: How Indian voters saw through his religious rhetoric
(Sumit Ganguly, Religion Unplugged)

India election results: what next for persecuted Christians?
(Open Doors)

Conference calls for new global platform for religious freedom
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)

Brazil: Influencer accused of religious intolerance after associating tragedy in RS with African-based religions becomes defendant (Portuguese)
(G1 Minas)

Wednesday, 5 June 2024

Conference recordings: Oceanian Perspectives on Human Dignity
(YouTube Video, International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), Brigham Young University)

Palermo: The Tai Ji Men case discussed at the European Academy of Religion
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Religious and Anti-religious Hatred: Reflections on the January 2024 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on FoRB
(Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Applying vernacularization to hate speech based on religion or belief: a short exploration
(Eugenia Relaño Pastor, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Hatred on religious grounds and the risk of double standards
(Montserrat Gas-Aixendri, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

How does hate speech directed at one community affect another community?
(Jagbir Jhutti-Johal, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

The real danger of hate speech and its impact on vulnerable groups
(Alberto Jose Ferrari Puerta, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

India's BJP concedes defeat in Ayodhya, where Modi opened grand Ram temple
(Saurabh Sharma and Shivam Patel, Reuters)

India: Plurality under BJP dominance
(Arun Swamy, The East Asia Forum)

India: What does the death of a jailed Jesuit priest say about India's democracy under Modi?
(Lauren Frayer, NPR)

Moses Mendelssohn and the Jewish Questions of Modern Natural Law
(Meirav Jones, Cambridge University Press)

Haifa Symposium: Religion as a path to peace amid Middle East conflict
(Noa Amouyal, The Jerusalem Post)

Canada: Man charged with murder of Sikh activist arrested near site of planned Sikh gathering in Ontario
(Evan Dyer, CBC News)

Mexico Catholics optimistic about new president’s government
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

DRC: Attacks by Islamists in DR Congo increase in East of African country
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Occupied Ukraine: After year in detention, Orthodox priest's "espionage" trial imminent
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

South Africa: Catholic bishops laud ‘free and fair elections,’ urge party leaders to put ideologies aside for common good of country in coalition talks
(Paschal Norbert, Catholic Information Service for Africa)

Monday, 3 June 2024

Mexico: Elections in Mexico: Freedom of religion or belief remains an unaddressed issue
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Mexico: Claudia Sheinbaum to be Mexico’s first woman, Jewish president
(Jewish News Syndicate)

Argentina: President Milei’s surprising devotion to Judaism and Israel provokes tension in Argentina and beyond
(Isabel Debre and Almudena Calatrava, Associated Press)

Israel: Yeshiva representative to High Court: Draft of Haredi men would violate freedom of religion
(Jeremy Sharon, The Times of Israel)

Lag B’Omer pilgrimage to Tunisian synagogue chilled by Gaza war
(David I. Klein, Religion News Service)

Climate change and the importance of indigenous knowledge
(JoAnne Wadsworth, Viewpoints, a blog of the G20 Interfaith Forum Association)

United Methodists to lose 12% of global membership as African churches exit over LGBTQ-friendly move
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

India: USCIRF Annual Report 2024: A deep dive into religious freedom in India - OpEd
(Humma Rehman Qureshi, Eurasia Review)

Indonesian environmentalists slam law allowing religious groups to manage mining areas
(Arie Firdaus, Benar News)

NGOs protest outside Eritrean Embassy in London
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

The Case for Banning Cousin Marriage
(Patrick S Nash, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)

Barbados: Anglican Church intends to help Barbados seek reparations
(YouTube Video, Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation)

Pakistan: Church leader demands protection of minorities, their rights
(The Nation)

Pakistan: A Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy and attacked by a mob has died of injuries
(Babar Dogar, Associated Press)

Articles of interest - 3 June 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Russian Human Rights Commissioner acknowledged the detention of two UGCC clergymen by Russia
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Russia: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly Digest May 16-31
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Interfaith, multiculturalism and sustainable development
(Karma Salloum, Eurasia Review)

China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest May 16-31
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Vietnam: Thich Minh Tue, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk who walks barefoot for faith and (religious) freedom
(Asia News)

Uganda: Religious freedom advocates collect signatures to block RFOs proposed policy
(Jeff Andrew Lule, New Vision)

Friday, 31 May 2024

South Africa: Exploited South African miners turn to churches for help
(Nyasha Bhobo, Christianity Today)

Uganda: Religious leaders protest against proposed policy to regulate churches
(Sylivia Katushabe and Jane Nafula, Monitor)

Nigeria: Faith-based initiative helping Nigerians beat unemployment
(Chinonso Kenneth, Religion Unplugged)

Nigeria: Hundreds of hostages, mostly women and children, are rescued from Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria
(Haruna Umar, Associated Press)

China: Volkswagen: Address Uyghur forced labor
(Human Rights Watch)

China: Religion in China
(Council on Foreign Relations)

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