Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 8 May 2023
Forbidden transactions between Muslims and Hindus in Gujarat, India
(Sabah Gurmat, Center for Religion and Media at NYU)
Articles of interest - 8 May 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Statement from the Secretary General on Sudan
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Gunmen in Nigeria kidnap 40 worshippers from church
(Reuters)
Ukraine: second conscientious objector jail sentence
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Autocephaly, geopolitics, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
(Nicholas Denysenko, Georgetown Journal of International Affairs)
Brazil: Religious intolerance crimes triple in Espírito Santo [State] in one year (Portuguese)
(Redação, A Gazeta)
In the Assembly, a draft Law on religion in Ecuador was presented (Spanish)
(Roger Vélez, El Comercio)
Friday, 5 May 2023
Canada: CSIS head tells MP Michael Chong that he and family were targeted by China
(Steven Chase and Robert Fife, The Globe and Mail)
Canada: Ontario offers $10K grants to religious, cultural institutions for anti-hate measures
(CBC News)
Canada: Bill C-11’s effect on religion remains to be seen
(Quinton Amundson, B.C. Catholic)
The Gambian Parliamentary FORB Caucus in action
(Express News)
How governments and civil society can help China's Uyghurs
(Maya Wang, Human Rights Watch)
China: Phone search program tramples Uyghur rights
(Human Rights Watch)
US Commission: China’s suppression of Tibetan Buddhism intensified
(International Campaign for Tibet)
Religion and the crisis of displaced persons: Nigeria
(Lena Musoka, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
The Muslim prayer hall that may spark the next Israeli-Palestinian battle
(Daoud Kuttab, Religion News Service)
Russia and the Jehovah’s Witnesses again: Nabokikh
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Religious minorities bear the brunt of Myanmar's repression
(Valentin Cebron, La Croix International)
We can work together to build a more just and peaceful future for all
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
India trashes USCIRF report, calls it misrepresentation of facts
(The Times of India)
India: Deleting history, deepening the divisive agenda
(Ram Puniyani, South Asia Monitor)
Kerala Story: Film on alleged Indian ISIL recruits gets pushback
(Shaheen Abdulla, Al Jazeera)
Church leaders in Papua: “the current situation is a human tragedy”
(World Council of Churches)
WCC moderator speaks on ethical considerations in light of the war of aggression against Ukraine
(World Council of Churches)
Photos of the week: Vesak festivities; Coronation prep
(Religion News Service)
Leaders of Islamic State have a short life-expectancy
(The Economist)
A zero-tolerance policy has helped Bangladesh contain terrorism and militancy
(Kamal Uddin Mazumder, South Asia Monitor)
Bangladesh, Myanmar and food diplomacy: Can it lead to resolution of the Rohingya refugee crisis?
(Harunur Rasid, South Asia Monitor)
Saudi Arabia says LGBTQ visitors are now welcome
(Julia Buckley, CNN)
Argentina: The Court protected freedom of worship and rejected a lawsuit against the Church (Spanish)
(Esteban Pittaro, Aleteia)
Proposed law in Colombia would leave Christians unprotected (Spanish)
(Puertas Abiertas)
Brazil: Restriction of religious freedom in the pandemic and its legislative competence (Portuguese)
(Fernando Capez, Conjur)
Nigeria struggles to bridge ethnic divide after the election
(Daniel Adeyemi, Coda Media)
Wednesday, 3 May 2023
Celebrating our shared humanity by building peace
(Bridget Moix, Religion News Service)
Are some human rights more important than others? Religious freedom advocates often put it first
(Laura E. Alexander, The Conversation)
Indonesia: All religions elevate human dignity: Istiqlal Grand Imam
(Antara News)
Rampant jihadists are spreading chaos and misery in the Sahel
(The Economist)
India reopens its Khalistan wounds
(Alishan Jafri, Coda Media)
Misinformation on India's Muslim population fuels Islamophobia
(Daily Sabah)
With staunch religious and political opposition, will same-sex marriage be accepted in conservative India?
(Annika Burgess, ABC News Australia)
The demolition of dissent in India
(Tusha Mittal, Coda Media)
NGOs file UN petition to free Nigerian humanist Mubarak Bala on the 3rd anniversary of his arrest
(Freedom House)
The Bible and us: Canadians and their relationship with scripture
(Andrew P.W. Bennett, Cardus)
Christian banned from Türkiye brings case before European Court of Human Rights
(ADF International)
Turkish singer sentenced over joke on religious schools
(Deutsche Welle)
In centennial year, Turkish voters will choose between Erdoğan’s conservative path and the founder’s modernist vision
(Ahmet T. Kuru, The Conversation)
Repression of women points to worsening religious freedom trends abroad
(Nury Turkel and Abraham Cooper, Religion News Service)
Kenya: Will calls for tough laws on religious leaders succeed this time?
(Victor Abuso, The Africa Report)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest April 16 – 30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia: In March-April, 12 Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to 76 years in prison in all
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Vatican No 2 confirms Russia-Ukraine peace mission plans
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Religious freedom commission calls out violations in Iran, China, elsewhere
(Susan Crabtree, Real Clear Politics)
China is blocking Tibetan monks and writers from spreading religious content online
(Radio Free Asia)
The long road to confronting China’s war on religion: Part I
(Carl M. Cannon and Susan Crabtree, Real Clear Politics)
Court postpones consideration of Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery's lawsuit until June
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
The Iraqi government launches data collection to create a digital "database" on Christian communities
(Agenzia Fides)
Celebrating World Press Freedom Day, and religious freedom
(Paul Marshall, Religious Freedom Institute)
World Press Freedom Day: 10 reasons why press freedom is vital for interreligious and intercultural dialogue
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
HK bishop clarifies ‘loving one’s country and Church’ remark
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Bangladeshi bishop deplores vandalism of Hindu temples
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Erica Lizza | An Interview with David Trimble | IRF Summit RFI Profiles
(YouTube Video, Religious Freedom Institute)
Monday, 1 May 2023
Asian perspectives on human dignity
(The Human Dignity Initiative)
USCIRF releases 2023 annual report highlighting worsening religious freedom conditions around the world
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
US religious freedom panel again recommends India for blacklist
(Al Jazeera)
Iran, 27 other countries critiqued by watchdog for religious freedom violations
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
USCIRF releases new report on abuses against Fulani Muslim civilians
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Iran: religious persecution and issues – Monthly digest April
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Misinformation, hate speech and ethno-religious tensions in Myanmar
(Arthur Klark and Gabriela Sagun, The United States Institute of Peace)
Iran: Security forces kill, torture, abuse children
(Human Rights Watch)
Mozambique legalizes militia to fight insurgency in north
(Nirvaly Mooloo, Human Rights Watch)
Afghanistan special envoys should hold firm line on rights
(Patricia Gossman, Human Rights Watch)
Thailand: Detained Uyghur asylum seeker dies
(Human Rights Watch)
Afghan women urge against foreign recognition of Taliban in protest
(Daily Sabah)
District school board in Canada adopts anti-Islamophobia program
(Daily Sabah)
Taliban kill Daesh leader behind Kabul airport attack: White House
(Daily Sabah)
Palestinians, Israelis attend iftar in West Bank to boost dialogue
(Daily Sabah)
Report says Islamophobia on the rise in Canada, women more vulnerable
(TRT World)
Egypt frees Al Jazeera journalist Hisham Abdel Aziz after four years
(Raffi Berg, BBC News)
Pastor Paul Mackenzie: What did the starvation cult leader preach?
(Peter Mwai, Deka Barrow, and Rose Njoroge, BBC News)
Uganda: Catholic lawyers set to start Peace and Technology University in Karamoja
(The Independent)
Photos of the Week: Kenyan cult deaths; Francis in Hungary
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
“For the Betterment of the World”: Publication sees release of new edition at International Convention
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Russia: The termination of SOVA – Final blow to civil society?
(Forum for Religious Freedom-Europe)
Canada: Alberta invites halal finance to its sandbox
(James Langton, Investment Executive)
Articles of interest - 1 May 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Bolivia: Raw materials, or sacred beings? Lithium extraction puts two worldviews into tension
(Mario Orospe Hernández, The Conversation)
UNSC condemns Taliban ban on UN women workers in rare unanimity show
(Arul Louis, South Asia Monitor)
UN excludes Taliban as it holds Afghanistan crisis talks in Qatar
(Daily Sabah)
Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution condemning the Taliban’s repression of Afghan women and girls
(Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Mission to the United Nations)
Alliance for Human Rights in Afghanistan Joint Statement - Afghanistan: Taliban de-facto authorities must end chilling crackdown on dissent
(Freedom House)
China: Religious persecution and issues, Bimonthly Digest April 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Ministry of Education in Rwanda upholds schoolchildren’s right to freedom of religion
(JW.org)
India: No incident of forceful conversion in State, citizens are at liberty to choose religion: TN to SC
(The Economic Times)
Indian religious leaders hail order on hate speech
(Bijay Kumar Minj, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Cuban bishops present vision for country in meeting with communist government
(Eduardo Berdejo, Catholic News Agency)
Politics and religion in Cuba and Nicaragua
(Dennis P. Petri, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
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