Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 17 July 2023
Pope approves Shanghai bishop appointment after the fact
(Al Jazeera)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest July 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Global Interfaith Monitor No. 13
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Fighting to free the women and children enslaved by IS
(Rachel Wright, BBC News)
Podcast explores the discourse on coexistence in the Arab region
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Canada: NCCM and CCLA continue to challenge Quebec's school prayer ban
(Canadian Civil Liberties Association)
Canada launches investigations into allegations of Uyghur forced labor
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Articles and reports of interest - 17 July 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
In Thailand, ‘socially engaged Buddhism’ goes beyond meditation to seek justice
(Kalpana Jain, Religion News Service)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest July 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Law, African religion, and environmentalism
(Ikechukwu Anthony Kanu, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Holy See calls for development programs to focus on integral human development
(La Croix International)
Catholics in Iraq fear losing government support
(Héloïse de Neuville and Malo Tresca, La Croix International)
Pakistan: Muslim, Christian leaders advocate religious harmony
(Dawn)
Brazil: TJ-SP prohibits use of the phrase 'under the protection of God' and biblical reading in Chamber sessions (Portuguese)
(Bom Dia Advogado)
Iran: Jail sentences on the rise for the persecuted Baha'i minority (French)
(France 24)
Honduras: Religious freedom, issue between ambassador and Archbishop Nácher (Spanish)
(La Tribuna)
Legal Journal Number 9 (18): July (Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)
Friday, 14 July 2023
OIC hails the adoption of the Resolution on Acts of Religious Hatred at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
(Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC))
A climate of hatred and intolerance can only lead to violence
(Maha Akeel, Arab News)
London conference shines spotlight on religious liberty worldwide
(Samuel Benson, Deseret News)
Swedish police authorize protest by man who plans to burn Torah, Bible outside Israeli Embassy
(Karl Ritter and Jan M. Olsen, Associated Press)
South Africa: Summary of FOR SA’s submission to Parliament on the hate speech bill
(Daniela Ellerbeck, Freedom of Religion South Africa)
Korea: Seoul city loses suit against church over COVID-19 spread
(Hwang Jang-jin, Yonhap News Agency)
Iraq’s Christians protest government move against Cardinal Sako
(Julian Bechocha, Rudaw)
Malaysia mulls new law to impose civil penalties against those playing up race, religion and royalty rhetorics
(Channel News Asia)
Australia: Religious freedom debate yet to strike the right balance: Brennan
(Adam Wesselinoff, The Catholic Weekly)
Russian information warfare in the Balkans: How identity and religion are instrumentalized in the Kosovo-Serbia dispute
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Faith-based groups sound alarm about fairness of Guatemala elections
(John Lavenburg, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Does Islam smile on cryptocurrency?
(The Economist)
Council of Churches asserts that the cannabis legalization bill prioritizes drug business over medicine
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Religious regulation and discrimination in Venezuela
(Dennis Petri, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
India’s Modi sparks political storm with pitch for common civil code
(YP Rajesh, Reuters)
What European MPs said during debate on Manipur, India violence
(The Wire)
Life sentence for 3 Indian radical Islamist activists
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Malawi: Religious groups protest homosexuality “an Imposition on Africa, Asia and Latin America”
(Arnold Neliba, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Cuba: Into exile: Alaín Toledano Valiente
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Cuba: Into exile: Yordanys Díaz Arteaga
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Rising religious intolerance is shaming Nigeria
(Punch)
New survey reveals public attitudes towards religious influence in Israel
(The Jerusalem Post)
Japan’s religious right resists marriage equality
(Ernils Larsson, East Asia Forum)
New book: The Gospel and Religious Freedom: Historical Studies in Evangelicalism and Political Engagement
(Edited by David W. Bebbington, Baylor University Press)
China blocks prominent Tibetan lama from preaching
(Sangyal Kunchok, Radio Free Asia)
Wednesday, 12 July 2023
Türk calls on States to combat "the weaponization of religious differences for political purposes"
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
UN Council condemns alarming rise in religious hatred
(Lisa Schlein, Voice of America)
Herzog condemns Quran burning in Sweden, attacks on Christians in Israel
(Zvika Klein, The Jerusalem Post)
After Quran burnings, UN rights body calls for more action to combat religious hatred
(Associated Press)
Afghan Taliban suspend all activities of Swedish aid groups over burning of Islam’s holy book
(Munir Ahmed, Associated Press)
Chinese evangelist refutes state propaganda
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Egypt: Session: Practical solutions for achieving equal citizenship rights for Egypt’s Copts
(YouTube Video, Coptic Advocacy)
For Argentine sociologist Ariel Goldstein: “The growth of evangelical churches is a result of the failure of the state to resolve the major problems that people face”
(Roxana Baspineiro, Equal Times)
Violations of religious freedom in Azerbaijan
(JAMnews)
India: Islam occupies unique 'position of pride' amongst religious groups in India: Doval
(Devdiscourse)
Jordan: Prince Hassan’s UJ lecture centres on multidimensional poverty, human dignity
(The Jordan Times)
Laos accused of replicating China’s religious persecution
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Zimbabwe bishops urge August elections to be ‘different’
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
State and church leaders of Ukraine and Poland pay tribute to the victims of violence in Volhynia during WW II
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
The Netherlands takes steps to prosecute crimes against Yazidis
(Priyanka Shankar, Al Jazeera)
Church deplores ‘anti-state forces’ remark by South Korean prez
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Middle East parliamentarian warns young Christian, Jewish, and Muslim peacemakers of social media hazards
(World Council of Churches)
As South Sudan celebrates 12 years of independence, church leaders amplify peace and hope
(World Council of Churches)
COMECE and its partners share key messages in view of the upcoming EU-CELAC Summit
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Cuba: Into exile: Yoel Suárez
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Cuba: Into exile: Enrique de Jesús Fundora
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Ghana: Navigating the crossroads: Balancing values, religion, and secularism in Ghana's approach to LGBTQI rights
(Isaac Ofori, Modern Ghana)
Nigeria: Govt, cleric warn MURIC against causing religious war in Osun
(The Guardian)
Brazil: Judge meets MPF and orders videos of [Pastor] André Valadão removed (Portuguese)
(Poder 360)
Mozambique: Disastrous prospects for religious freedom (Portuguese)
(Deutsche Welle)
Colombia: In Duitama they signed a pact for the rights to religious freedom (Spanish)
(Siete Dias Boyacá)
Monday, 10 July 2023
Black nun who founded first African American religious congregation advances closer to sainthood
(Luis Andres Henao, Associated Press)
US talks sanctions against Uganda after a harsh anti-gay law – but criminalizing same-sex activities has become a political tactic globally
(Nicolette Manglos-Weber, The Conversation)
Bahrain: Shi’a worshippers blocked from attending Friday prayers
(Human Rights Watch)
Why are Cuba’s religious leaders going into exile?
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Canada: City of Toronto officially launches new ‘Toronto For All’ Anti-Islamophobia Campaign to celebrate acceptance without exceptions
(City of Toronto)
Australia: Faith’s freedom narrows after Calvary
(Patrick McArdle, CathNews)
Council of Churches calls for mutual forgiveness on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Volyn tragedy of World War II
(Institute for Religious Freedom, Ukraine)
Fostering food systems in light of the principle of oneness: Some considerations for the AU – EU partnership
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Articles of interest - 10 July 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Volodymyr Zelenskyy meets with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Police in Nicaragua arrest, jail another Catholic priest
(Reuters)
Alarming similarities between Nicaragua and the New Right emerge on religious liberty
(Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, Real Clear Religion)
Why has environmental governance failed? Greed.
(Arthur Lyon Dahl, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Yemen’s Houthis implement Swedish import ban over Quran burning
(Al Jazeera)
Showcasing the power of interreligious dialogue 2022 Annual Report
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
The world can’t remain silent on China’s Uyghur Muslim’s torture issue – OpEd
(Ibrahim Islam, Eurasia Review)
Süleymancılar: Russia cracks down on Turkish Sufi organization
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
After the fall of Roe, emboldened religious conservatives lobby to restrict abortion in Africa
(Cara Anna, Associated Press)
Religion Watch, Volume 38 No. 8
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Friday, 7 July 2023
New UN policy paper launched to counter and address online hate
(UN News)
Breaking barriers: Amman's first dialogue journalism fellowship training concludes with great success
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Canada: Religion and belief among immigrants to Canada
(Johanna Lewis, Cardus)
Nigeria: Tragic incidents at Salvation Army and Redeemed Christian Church of God
(Christian Association of Nigeria)
The interplay between business and human rights and the rule of law
(Olena Uvarova, Rule of Law and Corporate Actors)
China: House church leaders prosecuted as criminal 'clique'
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
The Statesmanship and Religious Freedom Seminars
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Photos of the week: Quran burning protests; Dalai Lama birthday
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Colombia: President Gustavo Petro affirms commitment to religious freedom and tolerance at national day commemoration
(María Alejandra Trujillo, BNN)
A gunman opens fire at a Lebanon mosque, killing one person and wounding several others
(Bassem Mroue, Associated Press)
Muslims across Pakistan hold anti-Sweden protests to denounce burning of Islam’s holy book
(Munir Ahmed, Associated Press)
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