Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Kenya declares cult an ‘organised criminal group’ after starvation deaths
(Al Jazeera)
India: ‘Emperor of Hindu hearts’: Narendra Modi rebranded
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
India: Modi’s party set to bring contentious common civil laws across religions in India
(Al Arabiya News)
India: Hate crime tracker Hindutva Watch blocked in India ahead of national vote
(Yashraj Sharma, Al Jazeera)
Pope Francis meets with President of Guinea Bissau
(Vatican News)
Four Jehovah's Witnesses sentenced to seven years each in Russia
(Reuters)
Russia: Another trial of Muslims meeting to study Nursi's works
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest Jan. 16-31
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Japan’s dispute with church a test of liberty everywhere
(Ben Wolfgang, The Washington Times)
‘Emperor of Hindu hearts’: Narendra Modi rebranded
(Mervyn Thomas, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Monday, 29 January 2024
VID shows sub-Saharan countries are the epicentre of modern martyrdom
(Ronald Boyd-MacMillan and Dennis P. Petri, International Institute for Religious Freedom)
Human rights need religion
(Daniel Philpott, Arc of the Universe)
Myanmar: Catholics in Myanmar’s civil war
(Antonio Graceffo, Providence)
Photos of the week: Ayodhya Ram temple; March for Life
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Israel: Identity and connection: how the war has changed religion in Israel
(Lianne Kolirin, Religion Media Centre)
Why religion is a critical ingredient to a post-Oslo peace process
(Kristian Noll, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Religions for Peace Executive Committee announces the appointment of Ms. Deepika Singh as Deputy Secretary General
(Religions for Peace)
Brazil: Catholic hospital’s refusal to implant IUD stirs controversy in Brazil
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Articles of interest - 29 January 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
In Kyiv, experts provided evidence of the occupiers' crimes against religious communities and violations of International Humanitarian Law
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Two weeks in review, 15 – 28 January 2024
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Egyptian composer gets 6-month jail term for insulting Quran
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
Iran: Monthly digest – Religious persecution and issues in January
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia: EU sanctions against an Orthodox military training company
(Dr Evgeniia Gidulianova with Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia: Russian Orthodox Church Conference “The war on Ukraine is a Sacred War”
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
“Gender critical” victories in tribunal cases
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Church of England leader says a plan to send migrants to Rwanda undermines the UK’s global standing
(Jill Lawless, Associated Press)
Canada: Memo: Alberta's Budget 2024 Consultation
(Cardus)
Friday, 26 January 2024
2024 Holocaust Remembrance and Education
(United Nations)
Congressman Tom Lantos' human rights legacy -- Ep. #124 (podcast)
(Katrina Lantos Swett, Never Again Is Now)
Nepal: Pastor must begin prison term for praying after Nepali Supreme Court denies his appeal
(ADF International)
Nepal: Peace harmony and religious tolerance
(United Religions Initiative)
Top UN court orders Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza but stops short of ordering cease-fire
(Mike Corder and Raf Casert, Associated Press)
Russia fires a top geneticist who claimed people could live to 900 before sins caused Biblical flood
(Associated Press)
Haiti: Six nuns and two other people kidnapped in Haiti have been released, archbishop says
(Associated Press)
Saudi Arabia opens its first liquor store in over 70 years as kingdom further liberalizes
(Jon Gambrell, Associated Press)
Nicaragua released imprisoned priests, but repression is unlikely to relent – and the Catholic Church remains a target
(Kai M. Thaler, The Conversation)
Uyghur Youth Initiative video on genocide goes viral
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)
The Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine met with the Leader of the European People's Party
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Uzbekistan: Muslim prayer rooms closed, Bukhara Baptists unable to meet
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)
International Religious Freedom Summit aims for worldwide grassroots movement promoting liberty
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
India: Muslim shopfronts torn down in Mumbai after religious clashes
(AFP, Arab News)
India: Catholics request security after Hindu radicals assault churches in central India
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Iraq: Beware of Rayan al-Kildani and the ‘Christian’ Babylon Brigade
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Bishop approved by pope ordained in China in apparent thaw in relations
(Philip Pullella, Reuters)
UN Human Rights Commissioner: From tech to ceasefires, a call for dignity and peace
(Francesca Merlo, Vatican News)
Vietnam sentences ethnic minority man to 4½ years for religious activities
(Radio Free Asia)
Mexico: What is the status of medically assisted death in Mexico?
(Amapola Nava, Medscape)
Argentina: Milei government official ‘repents’ remarks against Pope, Judaism, Islam
(Juan Pablo Kavanagh, Buenos Aires Times)
Wednesday, 24 January 2024
Why did the Israeli Supreme Court strike down judicial reform?
(Ori Aronson, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
India: Muslim group denounces opening of Hindu temple on site of demolished historic Babri Mosque in India
(Middle East Monitor)
India PM Modi inaugurates Hindu temple on razed Babri mosque site
(Geeta Pandey and Yogita Limaye, BBC News)
BIC Geneva: Iranian thought leaders call for an end to the “historical shame” of Bahá’í persecution
(Bahá’í International Community)
Indonesia country update
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Indonesian diocese to build church after 15-year wait
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Myanmar: Churches, temples and monasteries regularly hit by airstrikes in Myanmar, activists say
(Associated Press)
Rome’s Chief Rabbi voices ‘great disappointment’ with Vatican over Gaza
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Kazakhstan: "harsh" religion law changes to reach Parliament soon?
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
In Ukraine, the rights of believers are protected by law," - Lubinets on World Religion Day
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
DRC: Catholic bishops set agenda for reelected DR Congo president
(La Croix International)
Pakistan: Islamic studies no longer compulsory for Pakistan's non-Muslims
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Symposium highlights why collaborations between UN, faith-based groups are paramount
(World Council of Churches)
Brazil: Curitiba may declare African Religions cultural heritage (Portuguese)
(Redação, Tribuna PR)
Brazil: On National Day to Combat Religious Intolerance, MDHC [Human Rights Ministry] reinforces reporting channel and commitment to promoting religious freedom (Portuguese)
(Ministério dos Direitos Humanos e da Cidadania)
Monday, 22 January 2024
Indonesia: A step for freedom of religion and belief in Indonesia
(Andreas Harsono, Human Rights Watch)
India Hindu temple opening stokes religious minority fears
(Meenakshi Ganguly, Human Rights Watch)
India: Modi inaugurates controversial Ayodhya temple
(Deutsche Welle)
India: Modi opens Hindu temple built on ruins on razed mosque, in political triumph for prime minister
(Biswajeet Banerjee, Sheikh Saaliq and Krutika Pathi, Associated Press)
India: ‘Might get worse’: As Modi unveils Ram temple, Indian Muslims fear future
(Sanjay Kapoor, Al Jazeera)
Women bear the brunt of religious freedom abuse
(Judith Golub and Lou Ann Sabatier, Real Clear Politics)
China: Vague definitions and arbitrary crackdowns make the struggle of China’s religious minorities that much harder
(Ellis Heasley, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Australia: “Equality” Bill threatens religious freedom in NSW
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Religious Reasons and Liberal Legitimacy
(Kim Leontiev, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)
The fight for justice in African churches (video)
(Mimi Mefo Takambou, Deutsche Welle)
Religions for Peace, UNICEF and JLI convene the five-year FPCC global stocktaking meeting in Nairobi, Kenya
(Religions for Peace)
Thailand: Offerings necessities and blankets to monks and people
(The World Fellowship of Buddhists)
Can social scientists be religious?
(London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
The Toxic Games: Shiaphobia on online gaming platforms
(Michael Dhanoya, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Haiti: Top religious leaders in Haiti denounce kidnapping of nuns and demand government action
(Associated Press)
Elon Musk visits site of Auschwitz death camp
(Shiona McCallum & Chris Vallance, BBC News)
Discussion on the situation in the religious sphere in Ukraine amid the full-scale war held at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Sri Lanka’s Cardinal Ranjith opposes new laws ahead of polls
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Activists decry Tibet 'cultural genocide' ahead of China rights review
(Nina Larson, Barron's)
Brazil: Number of cases of religious intolerance increases in Brazil (Portuguese)
(Fastástico, Globo)
Brazil: Day to Combat Religious Intolerance is celebrated with unity of faiths (Portuguese)
(Carolina Braga, Correio Braziliense)
Friday, 19 January 2024
The strong and deep nexus between human dignity and religious freedom
(Ján Figeľ, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
World Watch List 2024
(Open Doors)
India: Ayodhya: Transforming a flashpoint holy city into the ‘Hindu Vatican’
(Soutik Biswas, BBC News)
India: Indigenous faithful and Christians work with environmentalists to conserve India’s sacred forests
(Deepa Bharath, Associated Press)
India: A celebrated temple in India is also a symbol of the country’s anti-Muslim campaign
(Safa Ahmed, Religion News Service)
India's top court halts plans for survey of centuries-old mosque
(Reuters)
Gaza’s oldest mosque, destroyed in an airstrike, was once a temple to Philistine and Roman gods, a Byzantine and Catholic church, and had engravings of Jewish ritual objects
(Stephennie Mulder, The Conversation)
Mexican civil society leader convicted of “gender-based political violence” over tweets appeals to international body for justice
(ADF International)
Vietnam: Diversity of festivals demonstrates freedom of religion in Việt Nam
(Việt Nam News)
Pope meets Vietnam political delegation, wants to visit the country
(Philip Pullella, Reuters)
Pope Francis meets with President of Colombia
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
Bishops warn of 'top five threats' to America's Christians
(Benjamin Lynch, Newsweek)
Anti-Christian persecution on the rise according to Open Doors
(Lisa Zengarini, Vatican News)
In South America’s ‘Lithium Triangle,’ Indigenous people defend sacred sites
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Religion News Service)
Email Subscription
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies maintains a Law and Religion Headlines service covering news about freedom of religion or belief internationally. All interested may subscribe to this service, free of charge, using the link below.
Subscribe