Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 15 September 2023
Chinese government guidelines impose increased political influence on religious venues, sermons and activities
(Church of Scientology)
China’s ‘beautiful Xinjiang’ continues to oppress Uighurs
(Maya Wang, Al Jazeera)
Pope’s Ukraine peace envoy raises stalled Black Sea grain exports in Beijing talks
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Argentina: Police in Argentina raid and close Nazi publisher following investigation spurred by Jewish group
(Juan Melamed, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
"Any power conquered by force is unethical", says African cardinal
(Lucie Sarr, La Croix International)
India: Interfaith couples overcome challenges thanks to ‘Dhanak of humanity’ initiative
(Shadab Farooq, Religion Unplugged)
Algeria: Religious freedom to be on the agenda of a UN Special Rapporteur before his fact-finding mission
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Morocco: Islamic Relief distributes blankets and mattresses as the search for Morocco earthquake survivors continues
(Islamic Relief (Worldwide))
Fiji’s human rights body receives complaint from Grace Road Church
(Timoci Vula, Fiji Times)
Iran: USCIRF calls attention to Iran’s brutal violence and mass Arrests on one-year anniversary of Mahsa Zhina Amini’s killing
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Iran: On one-year anniversary of Jina Mahsa Amini’s death in custody, heightened repression of women and girls and reprisals against protesters and victims’ families is deeply troubling, UN Fact-Finding Mission says
(United Nations Human Rights Council)
Kazakhstan: Achieving peaceful co-existence through recognition of religious diversity: unique experience of Kazakhstan
(Muhammad Zia-Ul-Haq, The Astana Times)
Malaysia: Can Malaysia afford to allow religion to encroach more on politics?
(JD Lovrenciear, Aliran)
Two years of the Taliban’s ‘gender apartheid’ in Afghanistan
(Belquis Ahmadi and Scott Worden, The United States Institute of Peace)
Iran: Crackdown on dissent ahead of protest anniversary
(Human Rights Watch)
UN: World leaders should spotlight global crises
(Human Rights Watch)
Thursday, 14 September 2023
Interview: Andrea Schneider on religion, gender, and negotiation in Jewish communities
(Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Buddhism, Islam and religious pluralism in South and Southeast Asia
(Jonathan Evans, Kelsey Jo Starr, Manolo Corichi and William Miner, Pew Research Center)
Indonesia to replace 'Isa Almasih' with 'Yesus Kristus'
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Indonesian politicians want to ban US film on Abraham
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Vietnam: USCIRF hearing on Vietnam: Challenges and opportunities for religious freedom
(YouTube Video, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Vietnamese Christians pray for greater religious freedom as US, Hanoi elevate diplomatic status
(Lucille Talusan, Christian Broadcasting Network)
Rome must send a clear signal of reassurance to Taiwan
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Mechanism documenting Daesh atrocities to end its work in 2024
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Myanmar: With nearly 200 destroyed, religious buildings targeted by Myanmar’s junta
(Radio Free Asia)
New book: Law and Religion in a Secular Age
(Rafael Domingo, Catholic University of America Press)
Religion Watch Volume 38 No. 10
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Religion and the crisis of displaced persons: gender, religion, and displacement
(Lena Musoka, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
KAICIID’s vision for global peace: A decade of interreligious dialogue and a plan for the future
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Canada truck attack: Trial begins for man accused of killing Muslim family
(Nadine Yousif, BBC News)
Pope Francis’ Ukraine peace envoy Cardinal Zuppi set for 3-day visit to China
(Cyril Ip, South China Morning Post)
Iraqi Christians' never-ending 'black day'
(Raymond Ibrahim, The Stream)
Iraq: 18 Iraq police get jail terms over Sweden embassy fire
(Arab News)
Iraq: Failing to reintegrate Iraq’s Sunni rebels could prove costly
(The Economist)
Pakistan: religious minorities at risk, Christian couple arrested over Quran desecration allegations in Lahore – oped
(Kashif Nawab, Eurasia Review)
Pakistan: The persecution of Christians: Blasphemy laws are making the lives of religious minorities impossible
(Hardeep Singh, The Critic)
Notre Dame Law School's Religious Liberty Clinic students help draft UK Parliamentary report on the state of religious liberty in Nepal
(Arienne Calingo, University of Notre Dame Law School)
China: Betrayal of China’s Muslims undermines the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s credibility
(Aaron Rhodes and Marco Respinti, The Diplomat)
Iran: USCIRF releases report on religious freedom in Iran
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Iran violently crushed peaceful protests in wake of hijab protests, U.S. commission says
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Three anniversaries will force issues of religious persecution at the UN General Assembly
(Knox Thames, Religion News Service)
Israel: ‘Shame and disgrace’: Bennett wins defamation suit over claim mother not Jewish
(The Times of Israel)
Israel: Ultra-Orthodox men block Jerusalem traffic in protest against Israeli military draft
(Associated Press)
India: Goa school students made to perform rituals during mosque visit; principal suspended
(The Hindu)
India: Sikh temples a lifeline for flooded areas of the Himalayas
(Shadab Farooq, Religion Unplugged)
Australia: Muslims angry as Sydney council bans prayers in community center
(About Islam)
Monday, 11 September 2023
Pune: G20 Interfaith Summit at MIT WPU promotes India's diversity for global peace
(Free Press Journal)
G20 Interfaith Forum: Peace must be a priority on the world agenda
(Nation World News Desk)
G20 Interfaith Summit 2023 concludes with renewed hope and unified vision for a better world
(CXOtoday News Desk)
G20 calls for respect for ‘holy books’ and end to ‘religious hatred’
(Middle East Monitor)
G20 now includes Africa’s fast-growing, highly religious countries
(Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Red Deer Catholic school trustee faces dismissal over 'hate-filled' post on social media
(Aaron Sousa, CBC News)
Iran: A year after Iran was shaken by protests, zealots have tightened their grip
(The Economist)
7 Indian Christians get bail in 'conversion' case
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Afghanistan: New pathways to positive engagement in Afghanistan
(Charles Ramsey, Institute for Global Engagement)
Afghanistan: Taliban’s gender crimes against humanity
(Human Rights Watch)
Orthodox Union certifies Israeli brand of lab-grown meat as kosher — but not parve
(Jackie Hajdenberg, The Jerusalem Post)
Why Jerusalem’s Latin patriarch opened church courts to non-Catholic lawyers
(Daoud Kuttab, Religion News Service)
50,000 Jewish worshipers gather for Selichot prayers at Western Wall
(The Jerusalem Post)
Algeria: Religious freedom failures in Algeria must be addressed
(Miles P. J. Windsor, Real Clear Politics)
China's Uyghur villages hide their secrets after Xinjiang crackdown
(France 24)
China: Xi Jinping: Hater of God
(Rebeccah L. Heinrichs, Providence)
Burkino Faso: As persecution worsens in Burkina Faso, Christians come back to the Church
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Canada: Does prayer belong in the public square?
(Brian Dijkema, The Hub)
Gangs and congregations in Latin America: An interview with Stephen Offutt
(Religion & Diplomacy: A Resource of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Diplomacy)
Malaysia: Fatwa against voting for me is absurd: Suhaizan
(New Straits Times)
Articles of interest - 11 September 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Saudi reforms are softening Islam’s role, but critics warn the kingdom will still take a hard line against dissent
(Nathan French, The Conversation)
Gender, religion, and forced displacement in Muslim settings: missed opportunities?
(Sandra Iman Pertek, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
The link between gender and religion: in a populist age, may an intersectional perspective enhance international protection of displaced women?
(Adelaide Madera, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
“I wish I had been asked”: removing gender barriers to coping supports among displaced women of faith
(Kathleen Rutledge, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Antisemitism won’t be stopped by censoring Musk’s X
(Jonathan S. Tobin, Jewish News Syndicate)
Turkmenistan: raids, literature seizures, imam detained
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Five Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to 30 years in prison in all
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)
Russia’s leadership role is wrong for UNESCO
(Knox Thames, The Messenger)
Uganda: Court ruling seeking proof of adultery sparks debate among Christians in Uganda
(John Semakula, Religion Unplugged)
Uganda killed over 500 Daesh/ISIS allied rebels in Congo, says president
(Godfrey Olukya and Hassan Isilow, Anadolu Agency)
Indian Catholics in Goa urged to respect religious sentiments
(Michael Gonsalves, Union of Catholic Asian News)
India: What is happening in India’s State of Manipur?
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
India: Building a more caring world: implications for the family and the community
(Bahá’í World News Service)
"A world free from nuclear weapons is possible"
(World Council of Churches)
WCC general secretary, at gathering in Berlin: “Audacious peace is inspired by our faith”
(World Council of Churches)
Niger, coups, and violence in West Africa
(Eric Patterson, Providence)
Chile: ‘The only church that enlightens is the one that burns’: The glowing embers of Chile’s Latin American success story
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Holy See appeals for adhesion to Convention on Cluster Munitions
(Vatican News)
“You are not alone," - the Vatican Secretary of State addressed the Synod of the UGCC Bishops
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Saturday, 9 September 2023
Vietnam: Biden should raise rights on Hanoi visit
(Human Rights Watch)
Friday, 8 September 2023
Taiwan: Religious groups bring Washington's National Prayer Breakfast to Taiwan
(Jono Thomson, Taiwan News)
Iranian spokesperson expresses concerns over human rights report in Canada
(Tasnim News Agency)
Canada man goes on trial for killing four members of Muslim family
(TRT World)
USCIRF releases report on the bureaucratization of religion in Southeast Asia
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Mongolia: Far-reaching implications of Pope Francis’ visit to ‘island of religious freedom’ Mongolia
(Antonio Graceffo, bne IntelliNews)
Photos of the Week: Shiite pilgrims; Francis visits Mongolia
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Outrage over Abbas's antisemitic speech on Jews and Holocaust
(Yolande Knell, BBC News)
Uzbekistan’s Bukharan Jews are disappearing
(The Economist)
Religion and private law
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Mexico decriminalizes abortion, extending Latin American trend of widening access to procedure
(Fabiola Sánchez and Megan Janetsky, Associated Press)
Nigeria: Rivalry among Boko Haram factions compounds violence in northern Nigeria
(Al Jazeera)
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