Law and Religion Headlines

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Friday, 1 May 2026

Greek Orthodox Church sounds alarm over attacks on Christians in Jerusalem
(Al Jazeera)

Women and church governance: What Pope Francis’s reform changed—and what it left open
(Francisca Pérez-Madrid, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Abrahamic values as the bridge between religions
(Daffa Raynanda, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)

Sri Lankan court indicts extremist monk for insulting Islam
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Christchurch mass killer loses bid to overturn conviction
(BBC)

Norway: The Supreme Court dismisses all accusations against Jehovah’s Witnesses
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Church autonomy returns to SCOTUS
(Stephanie Barclay, SCOTUSblog)

Colorado Catholic schools need not apply - opinion
(Nicole Ault, Wall Street Journal)

Iran: Türk deplores crackdown on dissent, says rights of all Iranians must be respected
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)

Colchester church appeals ban on street preaching after passerby told ‘he was going to hell’
(Independent)

Resolution on the new Chinese law on ‘ethnic unity and progress’ and the intensified suppression of ethnic identities
(European Parliament)

Punjab and Haryana High Court puts on hold plea against anti-sacrilege law, questions petitioner’s credentials
(Indian Express)

Nepal temple celebrates return of stolen Buddha statue
(France 24)

Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton sus­pends tem­po­rary injunc­tion to stop a rul­ing that would have com­pelled the Texas Work­force Com­mis­sion to unlaw­ful­ly aid EPIC City development
(Attorney General of Texas)

Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood wing opts for a cosmetic rebrand
(Ahmad Sharawi, Foundation for Defense of Democracies)

Tajik president denies religious freedom as he strives for total control
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

This Australian coastal town is home to a Punjabi Sikh community that’s a ‘success story’ for multiculturalism
(MSN)

Another Jehovah’s Witness family in Chelyabinsk condemned to years of separation: Oleg Artemov sentenced to 6.5 years in colony
(Jehovah's Witnesses-Russia)

Thursday, 30 April 2026

EVENT, 30 April 2026: 5th Annual Freedom of Religion Roundtable (Kennesaw, GA, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
(Freedom of Religion Roundtable)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 30 April 2026: Hearing on The Impact of FoRB Violations on Children
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

EVENT, 30 April 2026: JRCLS-OC 2026 Annual Religion & the Law Symposium (Orange County, CA, USA)
(J. Reuben Clark Law Society)

Wednesday, 29 April 2026

The upcoming U.S.-China summit cannot ignore victims of China’s religious freedom repression
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Misinterpreting court decisions: The Madrid ruling against the Jehovah's Witnesses
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Kentucky attorney general asks U.S. Supreme Court to allow Catholic church to build shrine
(McKenna Horsley, Kentucky Lantern)

Council of Europe body underreports anti-Christian attacks, ECLJ says
(Chris Eyte, Christian Daily)

Costa Rica president-elect reaffirms role of faith in meeting with Evangelical Alliance
(Javier Bolaños, Christian Daily)

Turkish president urges unity, faith amid suffering in Muslim world
(Middle East Monitor)

Case dropped against woman charged over anti-abortion protest
(BBC)

Syria says Australia won’t repatriate families from camp for those with alleged ties to IS militants
(Abby Sewell, Associated Press)

Czech court hands 7-year prison term to man over attempted synagogue arson attack
(Associated Press)

Freedom of expression, freedom of religion and the abortion debate: R v Skinner
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

London police say stabbing of 2 Jewish men is declared a terrorist incident
(Jill Lawless, Associated Press)

2 Jewish men stabbed in London, in attack British PM Keir Starmer calls ‘utterly appalling’
(Philissa Cramer, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

King Charles invokes faith, ‘shared values’ as he calls for peace in address to Congress
(Kate Scanlon, OSV News)

UCCRO calls on U.S. Congress to pass "Countering Russia’s War on Faith Act"
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Russia: Anti-war Moscow Buddhist leader convicted again in re-trial
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)

Kashmir seminary declared unlawful under Indian law, sparks outcry
(Al Jazeera)

Hungary needs to ensure religious liberty
(Aaron Rhodes and Peter Zoehrer, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Unanimous Supreme Court protects religious ministries from state investigations
(Becket)

North Korea: New report finds evidence of escalation of executions, including for religious activities
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

Catholic Church congratulates President El- Sisi on Labor Day
(Egypt State Information Service)

Germany raises concern over blasphemy laws, rights violations in Nigeria
(Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Leadership)

Sikhs celebrate Sacramento law allowing religious blade in City Hall
(Sacramento Bee)

Answering the call: BYUH students building bridges of peace at 2026 RFHD Conference
(Laine Pukahi, BYU–Hawaii News)

An interview with a powerful Hindu nationalist
(Rob Schmitz, Henry Larson, Adam Raney, Greg Dixon, NPR)

Monday, 27 April 2026

Christian YouTuber in Egypt faces five years’ Imprisonment and hard labor for teaching his faith online
(ADF International)

Egypt extends detention of Ahmadi followers, new defendant added to case
(Manassa News)

Jihadists, Tuareg rebels, claim attacks across Mali
(The Manila Times)

Algeria Sends Fifth Group of Imams to Al-Azhar Under Religious Training Cooperation Programme
(Hana Saada, Dzair Tube)

Nigeria-Turkey security pact not based on religious sentiments, says Chris Musa
(Promise Eze, The Cable)

How Lebanon’s Sunnis approach peace with Israel
(Mohamad Fawaz, Carnegie Middle East Center)

Axum at a Crossroads: Religious coexistence, quest for equal rights in Ethiopia’s ancient city
(Addis Standard)

In stalled law, some see hand of Kosovo’s Islamic and Orthodox authorities
(Serbeze Haxhiaj, Balkan Insight)

Despite promoting religious tolerance, Egypt represses religious life for many
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Annual report chapter - IRFA implementation
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Romanian bishop says Christians face ‘polite persecution’ in Europe
(Orthodox Times)

Released-time provider must get equal treatment with secular organizations
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Articles of interest - 27 April 2026
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Government interference in civil society threatens rights of conscience
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Texas proposes Bible readings for K‑12 students, reigniting century‑old legal battle over their place in public schools
(Charles J. Russo, Conversation)

As Quebec’s secularism laws threaten religious identities, Ontario schools embrace them
(Zehra Kamani, Religion News Service)

California Jewish groups decry antisemitic conspiracy theories printed in governor’s race voter guide
(Grace Gilson, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Assault outside synagogue and rock thrown through Judaica shop window ratchet up Toronto Jews’ concerns
(Joseph Strauss, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Russia: Why did "intelligence service" sponsor attacks on French places of worship?
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

Regulating the funeral industry in England & Wales?
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

United Nations Human Rights Committee issues favorable decision in support of Teymur Akhmedov
(Jehovah's Witnesses)

Indonesia’s religious freedom survey draws criticism
(Jacobus E. Lato, Union of Catholic Asian News)

Pakistan churches reject proposed amendments to Christian marriage law
(Kamran Chaudhry, Union of Catholic Asian News)

Symposium will explore “Faith Meets Global Values - Crisis and Promise of Multilateralism”
(World Council of Churches)

COMECE Spring Assembly in Cyprus: EU bishops call for peace, dialogue and renewed EU engagement
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

France: Haïm and Elishéva Goël, the founders of a new religious movement, under arrest
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

State Security renews detention of 16 Ahmadis
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

The PACE remains silent on attacks and discrimination against Christians in Europe
(European Centre for Law and Justice)

Ruling party in Armenia releases anti-church platform
(International Christian Concern)

America’s founding promise of religious freedom has long coexisted with prejudice, even as many Christians have worked to confront it
(David Mislin, Conversation)

Friday, 24 April 2026

ISIS affiliate threatens religious freedom in Mozambique
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

UN experts concerned by forced conversion through marriage in Pakistan
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)

Balancing Communitarianism and Liberalism: European Court of Human Rights’ Jurisprudence on Religious Conflicts
(Maria Moulin-Stozek, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)

Integrity in Motion: Regrounding UDHR’s Article 18 through Malik’s ‘Freedom of Becoming’
(Pedro Pallares-Yabur, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)

Ecclesial Prison “God Pods”: Inmate Field Ministry and the Abandonment of Religious Neutrality
(Michael Hallett, Cambridge University Press)

Threatening email to UCalgary Muslim students sparks safety concerns
(Henna Saeed, CityNews)

"We must fight for democracy." (German)
(Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)

The urgent imperative for peace in the Middle East and Iran: A multireligious statement
(Religions for Peace)

The OIC Participates in the Ninth Meeting of the International Coalition for a Two-State Solution in Brussels
(Organisation of Islamic Cooperation)

NYC won’t codify a new definition of antisemitism, Mamdani’s antisemitism czar says
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Lavrov’s latest round of religious attacks underscores Russia’s unchanging military objectives — ISW
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Russia: Anti-war Orthodox journalist's 8-year jail term in absentia
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)

Evil of antisemitism must be confronted - bishops
(The Church of England)

Claims of freedom of religion or belief in Nicaragua are greatly exaggerated
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Calls mount for Laos to end Christian repression
(Terry Friel, Union of Catholic Asian News)

Hinglaj Mata Festival Draws 300,000 Pilgrims in Balochistan
(Mirwaise Khan, Balochistan Pulse)

Christians protest after Pakistani court says forced marriage of Christian girl, 13, is legal
(Aftab Alexander Mughal, OSV News)

Vietnam passes revised law on belief and religion
(Tran Thuong, Vietnam Net Global)

Cambodia protests Thai religious activities at Ta Krabey Temple
(Khmer Times)

Algeria’s ongoing barriers to religious freedom
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

‘Slander’: Remarks by leader of Spanish far-right party criticised by bishop
(Fionn Shiner, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Pope Leo condemns capital punishment amid US execution push
(Reuters)

Education and freedom of religion or belief: An essential relationship
(James D. Holt, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Brett G. Scharffs on the evolution of his thinking about Refah Partisi v. Turkey
(Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)

Assisted dying: Proper scrutiny was ‘moral necessity’, says bishop as bill falls
(The Church of England)

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