Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 30 March 2026
Articles of interest - 30 March 2026
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Israeli police say new framework aims to ‘enable freedom of worship’ in Jerusalem
(Melanie Lidman, Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Invoking faith in wartime, Pete Hegseth breaks norms and worries critics
(Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post)
Zelensky: Ukraine is ready for Easter ceasefire
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Charedi challenge to the scope of the Universal Infant Free School Meals Scheme: CKS
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
CEC congratulates EU Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief
(Conference of European Churches)
The last lifeline: Christian NGOs bridge gap in India’s post-USAID crisis
(Rishabh Jain, Religion Unplugged)
Preserving religious cultural heritage: Invoking perspectives on human dignity and the virtues of religious freedom
(Brett G. Scharffs, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Ecumenical delegation to visit Cuba as humanitarian crisis deepens
(World Council of Churches)
France: Six-month suspended sentence for an abbot on charges of ‘psychological subjection’
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
No Respite: Another Year of Increasing Repression in Nicaragua (English and Spanish)
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Despite growing crackdown, independent religious groups defy China’s Communist Party
(Daria Impiombato, The Diplomat)
Law widening religious courts’ role in civil disputes sparks debate over choice, rights - analysis
(Sarah Ben-Nun, The Jerusalem Post)
Europe slams Israel over death penalty bill and freedom of religion
(Ferdinand Knapp, Politico)
Canadian House of Commons passes 'hate speech' bill that would remove religious protections
(Ryan Foley, Christian Post)
Czech Parliament reaffirms commitment to the Tibetan cause with re-establishment of Tibet Support Group
(Central Tibetan Administration)
Toronto police escort protest past Jewish institutions as Demonstrators Chant ‘All Zionists Are Terrorists’
(Combat Antisemitism Movement)
Friday, 27 March 2026
Hegseth announces reforms to Chaplain Corps
(Matthew Olay, war.gov)
Comment on Päivi Räsänen
(X, U.S. Embassy Finland)
EVENT, 27 March 2026: Religious Freedom & Human Dignity Workshop (Mesa, AZ, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
(Red Mountain Institute)
Will other Western economies follow Europe on religious slaughter?
(Muhammad Ali Bandial, Salaam Gateway)
Yemeni government condemns Houthis’ displacement of students from a mosque in Ibb
(Yemen Monitor)
The ruling against Päivi Räsänen “lowers the threshold for criminalising peaceful expression”, say European evangelicals
(Evangelical Focus)
Finnish MP convicted for saying homosexuality is ‘developmental disorder’
(Miranda Bryant, The Guardian)
Räsänen "shocked" by Supreme Court hate speech conviction
(YLE News)
Mairead McGuinness appointed EU’s special envoy on religious freedom
(Cormac McQuinn, Irish Times)
CRL advances Section 22 process despite ongoing legal challenges
(Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA))
The Review of Faith & International Affairs, Volume 24, Issue 1 (2026)
(Institute for Global Engagement, Routledge)
‘Barbaric’ – Spain’s bishops condemn the euthanasia of Noelia Castillo
(Fionn Shiner, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
1000+ Diaspora leaders call for action against ‘Jewish-extremist terror in the West Bank’
(Philissa Cramer, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
NYC Council approves ‘buffer zone’ legislation insulating houses of worship from protests
(Grace Gilson, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Political Islamophobia is back
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
UN Syria Commission releases report on July massacres and other grave violations committed in Suwayda and calls for expanded accountability measures
(United Nations Human Rights Council)
Jewish leaders join 700+ faith figures urging rethink on refugee family reunion curbs
(Annabel Sinclair, Jewish News)
Europe’s FoRB envoys: Few posts, many offices
(The European Times)
American politicians talk about persecuted Christians abroad – but here’s what happens when those Christians migrate to the US
(Candace Lukasik, The Daily Sentinel)
‘Policing thought’: French bill to fight antisemitism accused of silencing Israel critics
(Tassa Adidi, Middle East Eye)
Freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in the AI age
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Islamists in Sudan: are they all Muslim Brotherhood?
(Ismail Sati, Sudan Horizon)
Australia’s post-Bondi crackdown accused of targeting pro-Palestinian voices
(Ali MC, Al Jazeera)
Chinese priests, nuns study Xi Jinping’s vision for religion
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Pan-African leaders convene in Geneva to advance strategies for justice and transformation
(World Council of Churches)
SCOTUS delivers major win for a Christian preacher and the Constitution
(Ismail Royer, Religion Unplugged)
Many Latin Americans – especially Protestants – see a role for religion in national leadership, identity and laws
(Pew Research Center)
Report of the personal representatives of the OSCE Chair-in-Office on the country visit to France: Ambassador Evren Dağdelen Akgün, Rabbi Andrew Baker, and Professor Wolfgang Palaver
(Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)
Conscience & Liberty 2026: Toledo hosts landmark conference on religious freedom at a pivotal moment for human rights
(Seventh-day Adventist Church)
ACN helps shape new report on Religious Freedom in Iraq
(Aid to the Church in Need)
“We will not be silent”: Catholic Bishops on “degrading security, humanitarian situation” in DR Congo
(Jude Atemanke, ACI Africa)
China criticises Czech Republic over Senate resolution on Dalai Lama
(Reuters)
Survey: Support for Trump’s immigration agenda craters with all faith groups, especially mainline Protestants
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Wednesday, 25 March 2026
Lebanon’s Sunnis feel trapped between Israel and Hezbollah
(5Pillars)
South Sudan, Sudan Muslim clerics ink deal to spread Islam
(Radio Tamazuj)
Mairead McGuinness to become EU religious freedom envoy
(Eddy Wax, Euractiv)
The secularism debate Morocco can no longer avoid
(Amine Belghazi, Bouchra El Azhari, TelQuel)
Nigeria’s First Lady sells ‘unity’ abroad as pressure builds over Christian killings
(Mary Kiara, Truth Nigeria)
Religious leader Sheikh Umar Tijjani arrested after hosting Peter Obi in Kaduna
(Nigerian Bulletin)
Humanist annual report spotlights religion’s global undermining of rights
(Freedom from Religion Foundation)
How Nigerian universities became centres of Islamic radicalism
(Wardah Abbas, The Republic)
Armed with whips and faith, Nigeria's women vigilantes fight crime
(Reuters)
Cardinal Simoni, imprisoned for years in communist Albania, prays before St. Francis’ bones
(Victoria Cardiel, Herald Malaysia Online)
Muslim families say Islamophobia is shaping Austria’s schools
(Jessica Bateman, Hyphen)
EEOC sues Dollar General for religious discrimination
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
Growing up during Sri Lanka’s civil war taught me that getting along with people across divides is a virtue we can learn
(Eranda Jayawickreme, The Conversation)
Call for women to participate in constitutional amendment process
(X, Zimbabwe Council of Churches)
Holy See urges renewed commitment to human dignity in fight against racism
(Vatican News)
India: Conversion beyond Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism ends SC status, rules Supreme Court
(The Federal)
Over 400 signatories ask Minnesota to pass resolution condemning Hinduphobia
(The Coalition of Hindus of North America)
Islam in Russia and Central Asia: “Instrumentalisation” vs “Limitation”
(Giuliano Bifolchi, Special Eurasia)
King Charles becomes Jewish charity patron
(Reuters)
Budd, Kaine lead bipartisan letter urging President Trump to Advocate for Pastor Ezra Jin’s release ahead of U.S.-China summit
(Ted Budd, U.S. Senate)
Bill banning protests near religious services in Georgia sparks First Amendment concerns
(Ross Williams, Georgia Recorder)
At Pentagon Christian service, Hegseth prays for violence 'against those who deserve no mercy'
(Associated Press)
New law lets rabbinical courts arbitrate civil disputes; opposition head says Israel now a theocracy
(Sam Sokol, Times of Israel)
An arson attack leaves Britain’s Jewish community feeling vulnerable
(Jill Lawless and Danica Kirka, Associated Press)
Iranian Duke scholar: War will increase religious fundamentalism around the world
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Molotov cocktail thrown at participants at March for Life in Lisbon, Portugal
(Natalia Zimbrão, EWTN News)
Pope: Religions can coexist and promote peace in a radicalized world
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
UNESCO alarmed by strikes on Lviv World Heritage Site
(UNESCO)
Armenia ends free land grants to Apostolic Church
(PanArmenian)
Divided Ninth Circuit upholds California exclusion of religious curricula from parent-designed charter school "independent study programs"
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
EU initiatives related to abortion, ban on religious counseling
(Kathryn Idema, Christian Network Europe)
Jewish charter school fights for right to serve Sooner families
(Becket)
Xi Jinping is targeting China’s Christians
(James Moules, Foreign Policy)
Anti-hate bill that provoked bitter debate over religious freedom passes the Commons
(Marie Woolf, The Globe and Mail)
German Supreme Court urges resolution in the Annemarie Kusserow archive case
(Jehovah's Witnesses)
Tuesday, 24 March 2026
EVENT, 24 March 2026: Caring for Those in Need: Collective Responses to Global Crises (Brussels, Belgium)
(European Union & International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
Monday, 23 March 2026
Justice Department sues Harvard University for antisemitism
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Church leaders in India slam government’s dismissal of religious freedom report
(Anto Akkara, EWTN News)
1 year after Papua New Guinea declared itself Christian, bishops say little has changed
(Bryan Lawrence Gonsalves, EWTN News)
A blow to the temple: Clashes with Thailand have taken a heavy toll on Cambodia’s Preah Vihear complex, whose monks fear nothing will be left for the faithful
(Giammarco Sicuro, The Globe and Mail)
Cambodia Closes Diocesan Inquiry into Martyrs’ Cause for Beatification
(Kagnha Keo, Radio Veritas Asia)
First Presidency welcomes Thai ambassador to Temple Square
(Christine Rappleye, Deseret News)
Vietnam rejects assessments in US religious freedom report
(Vinh Tho - Duy Linh, Tuoi Tre News)
Hundreds gather in Nepal to celebrate Eid-Al-Fitr, offering mass Namaz
(Nepal News)
Vietnam’s new legislature includes prominent religious figures
(Hoai Thanh, Vietnam Net Global)
China got Nepal to ban a Tibetan Rinpoche last month, complains about burning of Xi’s books
(Tibetan Review)
New report warns of ‘erosion of citizenship’ in Egypt amid expanding religious governance
(Standard Newswire)
Designating the Muslim Brotherhood: a game changer in the fight against terrorism? – analysis
(Rohan Gunaratna, Eurasia Review)
Netanyahu’s ‘terrorism’ continues to threaten peace, says Turkish president
(Muslim Mirror)
How a ban on religious symbols has triggered a Canadian constitutional debate
(Jessica Murphy, BBC)
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