Law and Religion Headlines
Saturday, 23 March 2024
Australia: Shift in religious identity reflected in regions as Christianity declines, faiths such as Sikhism grow
(Sophie Holder and Elyse Armanini, ABC News Australia)
Nicaragua: “Tourism yes, processions no”, the policy imposed by Rosario Murillo during Holy Week (Spanish)
(100% Noticias)
Guinea-Bissau: Religious intolerance is increasing in Guinea-Bissau (Portuguese)
(Djariatú Baldé DW, Deutsche Welle)
Mozambique: Religious leaders trained in matters of religious freedom and worship (Portuguese)
(Hermínio José, Vatican News)
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Australia: Should an employer's religious views influence a dismissal decision?
(Paulinet Tamaray, HCAMag)
Australia: Future of Anthony Albanese’s religious discrimination legislation is in Peter Dutton’s hands
(Michelle Grattan, The Conversation)
Australia: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese eyes up religious discrimination protections igniting fierce debate
(Georgia Roberts, ABC News Australia)
The 2023 Gender Report
(Open Doors)
Militant secular worldviews as state religions
(Thomas Paul Schirrmacher, International Institute for Religious Freedom)
Egypt criticised for amnesty given to Daesh militants, while political prisoners languish in jail
(Middle East Monitor)
Canadian Jewish agencies sue over government rules they say have curbed kosher meat production
(Jackie Hajdenberg, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Canada: You can co-exist as Indigenous, Christian speakers share
(Quinton Amundson, The Catholic Register)
Canada: Minority communities in Canada’s Quebec slam ‘discriminatory’ secularism law: ‘I feel alienated’
(Sonia Sarkar, South China Morning Post)
Bangladesh: Proposal for blasphemy law raises eyebrows in Bangladesh
(Emran Hossain, Union of Catholic Asian News)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly digest March 01 -15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
China: Wangfenggang Christian church in Huainan receives notice of cross removal
(China Aid)
Global Interfaith Monitor No. 21
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Exploring religion and economic development
(Iona C. Hine, Cambridge Interfaith Programme)
Vatican cardinal hints at possible rethink on two-state solution in Middle East
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Pakistan: Marital rape and Islamic principles: a delicate balance
(Muhammad Majid Bashir, The Express Tribune)
Pakistan: Islamabad forum stresses Muslim world unity to confront Islamophobia
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
The growing cost of standing up for human rights in Nicaragua and Cuba
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Opinion: Michaelia Cash: Religious schools can be sued for acting in good faith, in Albo Government’s proposed reforms
(Michaelia Cash, The West Australian)
The West must call out attacks on religious freedom in Ukraine
(Robert Amsterdam, Comment Central)
Challenging Nigeria university bans against Christian fellowship on campus
(ADF International)
The court in Chuvashia announced the verdict for faith to one of the oldest prisoners of conscience. Yuriy Yuskov was sentenced to 5 years suspended.
(Jehovah's Witnesses - Russia)
Women’s rights activists and right-wing groups face off at CSW
(Stephanie Fillion, Devex)
Sierra Leone's first lady gets personal about child marriage
(Anna Gawel, Devex)
Beyond God and atheism
(Philip Goff, OUPblog: Religion)
(New Book) Religion and Contract Law in Islam: From Medieval Trade to Global Finance
(Valentino Cattelan, Routledge (ICLARS Series on Law and Religion))
Algeria scolds television stations for Ramadan advertising blitz and immoral programming
(Associated Press)
Colombia: District Religious Liberty Committee elected its new board of directors (Spanish)
(Secretaria del Gobierno)
Monday, 18 March 2024
UN experts warn Islamophobia rising to “alarming levels”
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
USCIRF calls attention to prevalence of anti-Muslim hate around the world
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Somalia's Syl hotel attacked by al-Shabab fighters in Mogadishu
(George Wright and Ian Wafula, BBC News)
Chora Church, a famed Christian icon, to be reopened as a Mosque
(Engy Magdy, The Tablet)
Multi-country statement on the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
(U.S. Department of State)
Australia: NSW Conversion Practices Bill- risks to religious freedom
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Australia: Religious schools can be sued for acting in good faith, in Albo Government’s proposed reforms
(Michaelia Cash, The West Australian)
Photos of the week: Ramadan begins; Bulgarian patriarch dies
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Religion Watch, Volume 39 No. 4
(Religion Watch, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Articles of interest - 18 March 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Gambia moves toward overturning landmark ban on female genital cutting
(Ruth Maclean, The New York Times)
Iraq: Abbas Raad — Photographing moments of religious worship in Iraq
(Dalia Al-Dujaili, We Present)
Iraq: Report reveals ‘deep animosity’ towards Jews and Judaism in Iraqi curriculum
(Jewish News)
Iraq: USCIRF calls for U.S. government to support Iraq’s religious communities on anniversary of genocide determination
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest March 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Brazil: Father baptizes son without mother's knowledge and is convicted of moral damage (Portuguese)
(Eduardo Velozo Fuccia, Conjur)
Friday, 15 March 2024
Canadian bill would not criminalize all religious expression
(Gwen Roley, AFP Fact Check)
Canada: Father asks court to stop 27-year-old daughter's MAID death, review doctors' sign-off
(Meghan Grant, CBC News)
India's Citizenship Amendment Act: Why is it controversial?
(Murali Krishnan, Deutsche Welle)
India's new citizenship law for religious minorities leaves Muslims out
(Sheena Goodyear, CBC Radio)
Nicaragua: “The Ortega regime has 100 evangelical pastors in prison”
(Pedro Tarquis, Evangelical Focus)
Zimbabwe police rescue 251 children used as labor and find graves in religious sect compound raid
(Farai Mutsaka, Associated Press)
Australian efforts on Islamophobia flag despite Christchurch wake-up call
(Lyndal Rowlands, Al Jazeera)
South Africa threatens to arrest dual nationals fighting in Israeli army
(Middle East Monitor)
Ramadan will be difficult for those in Gaza or other war zones – what does fasting mean for those who might be already starving?
(Mahan Mirza, The Conversation)
Philippines: WCC calls on UN to ensure counter-terrorism laws in Philippines don’t infringe on human rights
(World Council of Churches)
China: The world must honour the memory of Cao Shunli by standing up for human rights defenders in China
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Hong Kong: Sixteen international experts express “profound and grave concerns” about looming threat to religious freedom and Sacrament of Penance in Hong Kong
(Hong Kong Watch)
Cuba: Report finds return to hardline tactics
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Brazil: Industry must compensate mechanic who was pressured to change religion (Portuguese)
(Bom Dia Advogado)
3 Egyptian Coptic church monks are killed in an attack at a monastery in South Africa
(Gerald Imray, Associated Press)
Wednesday, 13 March 2024
India: 'CAA is not anti-Muslim': Govt calls Al Jazeera's report as 'misleading'
(The Economic Times)
Russia: Religious freedom survey, March 2024
(Victoria Arnold and John Kinahan, Forum 18 News Service)
Why we must ban Russian Orthodox Church’s activities in Ukraine
(Mykyta Poturaiev, Kyiv Post)
India announces steps to implement a citizenship law that excludes Muslims
(Sheikh Saaliq, Associated Press)
India: US, UN express concern about India's religion-based citizenship law
(Reuters)
India: How urbanisation – and Hinduisation – is stripping India’s indigenous communities of their cultural heritage
(Smytta Yadav, The Conversation)
Australia: Queensland – new proposed discrimination law
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Australia: NSW gay conversion therapy bill offers exemptions for religion, parents
(CathNews)
Mexico’s presidential candidates sign commitment for peace with church leaders concerned by violence
(María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
Alarming religious freedom trends in democracies demand attention
(Johnnie Moore, Real Clear Politics)
Religion and diplomacy in the Middle East – student event blogger report
(Alison Carter, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Public bodies slandering religious minorities: A wrong decision by the Osaka district court
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Sierra Leone: Africa's high tolerance for other faiths
(Kate Hairsine, Deutsche Welle)
Canada: ‘No empty words’: Muslim Canadians use Ramadan to urge Gaza action
(Jillian Kestler-D'Amours, Al Jazeera)
Canada: Hate and harm: Rethinking dignity, dissent & equality in Canadian law
(Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University)
Rallies held around the globe for Tibetan Uprising Day
(Radio Free Asia)
China: Pastor John Cao’s first testimony after release
(China Aid)
Pakistan’s Christians still ‘living in fear’ after 2023 Punjab violence
(Anne Preckel, Vatican News)
Uzbekistan: “Protection of rights of artistic expression and other cultural rights and diversity in Uzbekistan” - International Expert Discussion was held at the Ilkhom Theater under EU-funded project
(Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan)
South Africa: Three Egyptian Coptic monks killed in S.Africa, Coptic Orthodox Church says
(Reuters)
Iran: USCIRF calls for accountability for Iran’s crimes against humanity
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Cuba: Virgin of Charity unites all Cubans — Catholics, Santeria followers, exiled and back on the island
(Luis Andres Henao and Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press)
Spirituality, culture, and politics: A conversation with Andrew Prevot
(Andrew Prevot, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Ghana bishops oppose new anti-gay law passed by parliament
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Hong Kong: Cardinal Chow: Taoists and Christians can join hands to build harmonious society
(Joseph Tulloch and Devin Watkins, Vatican News)
Vatican engages Hong Kong, Taiwan in interfaith dialogue
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Religious objections to vaccines in Africa complicates cholera fight
(Cyril Zenda, Religion Unplugged)
Haiti on the brink: Did Evangelicals break the Caribbean nation?
(Warren Cole Smith, Religion Unplugged)
Faith sector's engagement with migrants, refugees for health and HIV services highlighted
(World Council of Churches)
Orientation session opens ecumenical participation at UN talks on women’s rights
(World Council of Churches)
Brazil: Church must compensate employee called 'demoniated' (Portuguese)
(Eduardo Velozo Fuccia, Conjur)
Brazil: It is necessary to combat the “abusive use” of religion in politics, says Barroso (Portuguese)
(Gabriel Bandeira, Poder 360)
Monday, 11 March 2024
Türk calls for measures to address religious hatred
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Iraq hopes to lure Christian pilgrims with new church in ancient Ur
(Reuters)
Afghanistan: If you are a girl in Afghanistan, the Taliban has decided your future for you
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
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