Law and Religion Headlines

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LAW AND RELIGION HEADLINES WORKGROUP

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Thursday, 22 October 2026

EVENT, 22 October 2026: 9th Annual Summit for Religious Freedom (Dallas, TX, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
(DFW Alliance for Religious Freedom)

Thursday, 15 October 2026

EVENT, 15 October 2026: The US Constitution: Where Separation and Unity Meet (Ames, IA, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
(Iowa Religious Freedom Day)

Wednesday, 14 October 2026

EVENT, 14 October 2026: Fourth Annual Interfaith Symposium: Faith, Doubt, and the Next Generation (Chicago, IL, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
(Interfaith Chicago)

Friday, 18 September 2026

EVENT, 18 September 2026: Idaho Religious Freedom Summit (Boise, Idaho, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)

Thursday, 3 September 2026

EVENT, 1-3 September 2026: 8th ICLARS Biennial Conference: State Neutrality and Cooperation with Religion: Protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief without Discrimination (Palermo, Italy)
(International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies)

Sunday, 30 August 2026

EVENT, 30 August 2026: Festival of Faiths (Indianapolis, IN, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)

Friday, 10 July 2026

New polls show plummeting support among faith groups for Israeli government, Netanyahu
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Estonia gives Orthodox church 6 months to choose between God and the Kremlin
(Johannes Voltri, Eesti Rahvusringhääling)

Defining the Boundaries of Church and State: Legal Establishment of Churches in Australia
(Benjamin B Saunders, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)

China: Freedom House welcomes release of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, calls on CCP to release other detained Zion Church members and all political prisoners
(Freedom House)

New Cambridge white paper on religions and economic development
(Cambridge Interfaith Programme)

A country’s story, still being written
(Bahá’í World News Service)

Amicus brief: Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist v. Frederic (U.S. Supreme Court)
(Free Exercise Clinic, Yale Law School)

IGE joins humanitarian delegation to Syria, meeting senior government and religious leaders
(Institute for Global Engagement)

Armenia’s Jews hope Israeli recognition of 1915 Ottoman genocide will jumpstart bilateral ties
(Larry Luxner, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Why religious freedom matters for democratic peace and prosperity
(Allen D. Hertzke, Institute for Global Engagement)

Germany’s Federal Court of Justice backs Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kusserow case
(Jehovah's Witnesses)

Citing synagogue protests, Ann Arbor aims to adopt new law to protect places of worship
(Ryan Stanton, MLive)

English court set to rule on final challenge to Trinidad’s gay sex ban
(Dánica Coto, Associated Press)

Webinar: Voting rights and religious liberty
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

In East India, a Marian shrine draws in Christian, Hindu and Muslim pilgrims
(Priyadarshini Sen, Religion News Service)

Chief Rabbi urges Church of England to reject ‘genocide’ report ahead of Synod vote
(Annabel Sinclair, Jewish News)

'A choice to die will become a duty to die': Churches challenge assisted dying plan for the Isle of Man
(Chris Eyte, Christian Daily)

Vietnam seeks practical roadmap for revised Law on Belief and Religion
(Vietnam Net Global)

Europe must not ignore Egypt's persecuted Baha'is
(Nikos Papandreou, Euronews)

Why removing a distinct religious code for Native American military service members will make their needs invisible
(Kerri J. Malloy, The Conversation)

US sanctions are harming the Cuban Catholic Church, the island’s hope
(Jeffrey von Arx, Religion News Service)

Uzbekistan considers easing restrictions on religious education for minors
(Daryo)

Nga: Govt preparing nationwide inventory of sites for non-Muslim houses of worship
(Zaf Seraj and Amalia Azmi, New Straits Times)

European Parliament strongly condemns ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria following village massacre
(ADF International)

Archbishop of the Episcopal Church: Respecting the faith of others is a practical commitment beyond dialogue, and Christian–Muslim relations centers are essential for building peace
(Anglican Ink)

Muslims and religiously unaffiliated view Palestinians more favorably than other groups do
(Pew Research Center)

‘Secularism is the removal of religion from society’ — An interview with Pierre-Hugues Barré
(Tamás Maráczi, Hungarian Conservative)

Israel appoints first Christian faith envoy
(Premier Christian News)

Uyghur foreign fighters complicate ties between Damascus and Beijing
(Alexis Thomas, Al Hurra)

Wednesday, 8 July 2026

DiReSoM webinar: ECtHR, Sect. I, 11 June 2026, Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses v. Italy. first reflections
(DiReSoM (Law and Religion in Multicultural Societies))

Police intervention against Christian praying and holding Bible at Brandenburg Gate
(Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe)

Anti-Christian incidents June 2026
(Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe)

International Religious Freedom Report (German)
(Austrian Federal Chancellor)

Overview of anti-religious acts (French)
(Ministère de l'Intérieur)

Identity, religion, nationalism, and political mobilization in the Middle East – analysis
(Dr. Mohamed Chtatou, Eurasia Review)

Grand Mufti: Discussions on Muslim-Christian relations reflect long history, shared memory
(Egypt State Information Service)

Decoding Iran’s masterclass in Quran diplomacy
(Kashmir Observer)

Austrian court rules ski resort hotel’s burkini ban is discriminatory
(The Guardian)

Church autonomy doctrine prevents review of Salvation Army's ban on certain methadone treatments in its rehab centers
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

S7, Ep. 11: Immigration is a religious freedom issue
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Catholic nuns are back in court, fighting for their religious exemptions
(Mariya Manzhos, Deseret News)

Between July 4 and Nov. 3, faith leaders seek fair access to the voting booth
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)

Pro-Palestinian interfaith coalition protests Christian Zionist summit
(David Katibah, Religion News Service)

‘Disheartening’: Attacks against Christians nearly double in Israel, territories, says report
(Fionn Shiner, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

In Lisbon, world experts look to old manuscripts for lessons in coexistence
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)

‘Standing for human dignity’: faith leaders urge officials to protect midterm elections
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)

Iran: Religious persecution and issues – Monthly Digest June 2026
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Germany: Jehovah’s Witnesses fight German state for Holocaust archive
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Little Sisters of the Poor look to hand government another loss in federal court
(Becket)

Argentine Catholic priests join hunger strike to protest Milei government
(Lucien Chauvin, America: The Jesuit Review)

Turkish Human Rights Association highlights sealing of historic Syriac Church in Tur Abdin in anti-racism report
(Syriacpress)

Kenyan rastafarians hope court will rule they can smoke cannabis legally
(Africa News)

The Tai Ji Men Case at the European Academy of Religion’s Ninth Annual Conference
(Bitter Winter)

Chhattisgarh HC dismisses plea against Saraswati Vandana prayer directive, says order not coercive
(Deccan Herald)

Christian missions in Central Asia: religious freedom and social tensions
(German Nikolaevich, The Times of Central Asia)

Trump accused of endangering children with Islamophobic post about Twin Cities kindergarteners
(Jason Rantala, Maria Lisignoli, Esme Murphy, CBS News)

Arson attack on Northeast Philadelphia mosque condemned at interfaith event
(ABC 6 News)

Muslim World League chief praises Uzbekistan’s role in Islamic history
(Arab News)

Monday, 6 July 2026

Behind the language of "unity" and "progress," China's new law is about more control and assimilation in Tibet and Xinjiang
(Kyinzom Dhongdue, Amnesty International)

'We will stay Lebanese': Christian villages reject Netanyahu's claim they requested annexation by Israel
(Nada Homsi, Nada Maucourant Atallah, The National)

Turkey arrests popular comedian in Erdoğan insult, religious values case
(Turkish Minute)

Mass trial of prominent Shia clerics begins in Bahrain
(Atlas Press)

What’s China’s new ethnic unity law, and what does it mean for minorities?
(Sarah Shamim, Al Jazeera)

Gender equality and religious freedom in the 2030 Agenda: ten policy briefs
(Universitat de Barcelona)

1st Circuit upholds Maine's antidiscrimination rules for religious schools except its religious expression nondiscrimination requirement
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Articles of interest - 6 July 2026
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

The conservative Christian women turning moral urgency into political power
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)

China frees pastor detained in crackdown on religion after Trump’s urging
(Sui-Lee Wee, The New York Times)

Faith at work, UN Geneva event warns of bias
(Juan Sanchez Gil, The European Times)

Russia: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly News Digest June 16-30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

‘God will not get you out of here’: A pastor’s experience of detention in Venezuela
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

U.S. Solicitor General, 21 states, 43 members of Congress, leading legal scholars, and diverse faith groups urge Supreme Court to end Colorado’s religious discrimination
(Becket)

Nicaragua: Bishop and Roman Catholic leaders arbitrarily detained
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

Brownley, Huffman, Raskin introduce resolution reaffirming church-state separation ahead of America’s 250th anniversary
(Julia Brownley, U.S. House of Representatives)

How Russia turned to medieval saints in its push for ‘traditional values’ – and more babies
(Diana Dukhanova, Conversation)

Alabama AME bishop on redistricting: "The role of the Black Church is to be the guardian of democracy."
(Birmingham Times)

Gambian mothers fear for their daughters as court weighs FGM ban
(Kaddy Jawo, Al Jazeera)

Why an anti-sacrilege law in India's Punjab has sparked controversy
(Abhishek Dey, BBC)

No fundamental right to insist on particular route for religious procession: Allahabad High Court refuses plea seeking new Muharram Tazia route
(Times of India)

The Dalai Lama’s 91st birthday (July 6): the German government must protect the religious freedom of Tibetans
(Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker)

Beyond Catholic Argentina: the nation’s new religious landscape
(Buenos Aires Times)

What is the religious and political messaging behind Khamenei’s funeral?
(Maziar Motamedi, Al Jazeera)

Friday, 3 July 2026

The dual underpinnings of religious freedom in America’s founding: Our inalienable rights from God and our unparalleled duty to God
(David K. Trimble, Religious Freedom Institute)

Religious Diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand: Statement on Religious Diversity
(Te Kāhui Tika Tangata Human Rights Commission)

Religious liberty in America at 250
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Religious exemption from reproductive health care insurance mandate can't be limited to groups "whose purpose is the inculcation of religious values"
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)

Why Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission wants to rethink ‘separation of church and state’
(Emma Pitts, Deseret News)

‘God commands us not to kill’: Faith leaders protest 50 years of executions
(Aleja Hertzler-McCain and Chloe Landen, Religion News Service)

Filipino interfaith group seeks impartial justice amid Marcos-Duterte rift
(Paterno R. Esmaquel II, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Head of DESS meets with UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Ukraine: Will delayed promised Law introduce alternative civilian service in wartime?
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

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