Law and Religion Headlines

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Friday, 3 December 2021

WEBINAR, 3 December 2021 (12:30PM EST): Authoritarianism and Misinformation in Eastern Europe
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Why India is witnessing spike in attacks on Christians, churches
(Neel Madhav and Alishan Jafri, Al Jazeera)

Plea in Delhi HC seeks same-sex marriage registration under religion-neutral, secular law
(Vidyashree S, Republic World)

Ashrafi lauds IRD role in promoting interfaith harmony
(Pakistan Observer)

Pakistan: Sacrilegious attack against Sikhs in Sindh
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Pakistan police: Mob kills Sri Lankan over alleged blasphemy
(Babar Dogar and Munir Ahmed, Associated Press)

Kashmiri Hindus fear another mass departure after civilian killings
(Zaffar Iqbal, Religion Unplugged)

J-K government keeping the Jamia Masjid closed nefarious: Religious body
(The Tribune)

Mormon Battalion monuments vandalized — again
(Tad Walch, Deseret News)

Majority of millennials report frequently feeling depressed, anxious or fearful, study shows
(Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post)

Kyrgyzstan: Jehovah’s Witnesses Books Will Not Be Banned as “Extremist”
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Kyrgyzstan is expected to ban Jehovah’s Witnesses publications for ‘extremism’
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)

Recognizing faith-based perspectives in protecting displaced persons
(The Lutheran World Federation)

Ghana: Empower and amplify youth voices for peace: Youth gather for a 3-day peace camp
(GhanaWeb)

Kazakhstan: Tighter event restrictions back in Parliament's lower house
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

Kazakhstan's Nazarbayev center develops international partnership with Jordan
(Ammon News)

Vaccination status and the law in South Africa: religious rights are "not absolute"
(Webber Wentzel attorneys, The Daily Maverick: Opinionista)

The Abortion Act 1967 and Down Syndrome: Crowter
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Legislation and guidance update – December
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Outrage at Taliban takeover of Afghanistan bar association
(Michael Cross, The Law Society Gazette)

Australia can ban human rights abusers, cyber attackers as Magnitsky laws set to pass
(Anthony Galloway, The Sydney Morning Herald)

The State and the Union (podcast)
(Becket)

USCIRF releases new report on religious freedom violations in Turkey
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

VIRTUAL HEARING, 8 December 2021 (10:30AM ET): State-Sanctioned Religious Freedom Violations and Coercion by Saudi Arabia and Iran
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

USCIRF releases new report about protecting religious freedom online
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

USCIRF releases new factsheet on Saudi Arabia’s specialized criminal court
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Ireland’s birth rate falls off the cliff
(Angelo Bottone, The Iona Institute)

Public worship in a time of Covid
(YouTube Video, YouTube Video)

Shincheonji: Chairman Lee not guilty of COVID offenses, Appeal Court said
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

Iranian Supreme Court's ruling on Christians gives hope for religious freedom
(Christian Today)

The principle of legality in the ICC’s Appeals Judgment on Abd-Al-Rahman’s jurisdictional challenge: A follow-up on merits and shortcomings
(Talita de Souza Dias, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

The immunity saga reaches Latin America. The Changri-la case
(Lucas Carlos Lima and Aziz Tuffi Saliba, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

2021 Fall Conference: 'I have called you by name: Human dignity in a secular world' (video playlist)
(YouTube Video, de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture)

Religious Freedom Index 2021: Panel discussion
(YouTube Video, Becket)

Christian children’s home sues Biden administration over rollback of Trump-era religious protections
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

A step towards justice for the Yazidis: German court secures first ever conviction for the Daesh genocide
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)

ISIL committed war crimes at Mosul prison, UN investigation finds
(Al Jazeera)

Bangladesh mayor arrested for refusing mural of PM’s father
(Al Jazeera)

Leaders say explosive at Olympia mosque meant to stoke fear
(Associated Press)

Vatican takes in 12 migrants as pope denounces indifference
(Menelaos Hadjicostis and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

Scientists use stem cells to create models of pre-embryos
(Laura Ungar, Associated Press)

Deutsche Welle launches independent investigation into antisemitism accusations
(Deutsche Welle)

A weary pope urges Greek, Turkish Cypriots to heal division
(Nicole Winfield and Menelaos Hadjicostis, Associated Press)

Portugal experts to study church sex abuse, not investigate
(Associated Press)

TN Christian children’s home fights for right to make placements consistent with beliefs
(Alliance Defending Freedom)

Oklahoma AG sues to invalidate Biden's vaccine mandate for federal employees
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Ministry designated as "hate group" asks Supreme Court to reconsider "actual malice" test for defamation
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

COMECE mourns the death of Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union Mgr Aldo Giordano
(Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

S3, Ep. 05: What’s the problem with the government funding religious education? A preview of Carson v. Makin
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)

Brazil’s senate OKs evangelical Bolsonaro ally to top court
(Mauricio Savarese, Associated Press)

Biden helps light National Christmas Tree near White House
(Alexandra Jaffe, Associated Press)

Bidens, Harris, Emhoff celebrate Hanukkah at White House
(Associated Press)

Arrested development: the unfinished church dividing Kosovo
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Faith leaders seek religious protections in Build Back Better childcare provisions
(John Lavenburg, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Hanukkah menorahs vandalized in at least 3 Ukrainian cities
(Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Canada: Schools need to step up to address Islamophobia
(Nada Aoudeh and Muna Saleh, The Conversation)

Another Jehovah's Witness benefits from Supreme Court ruling
(OVD.Info, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

Russia acts against evangelical movement with international ties
(Novaya Gazeta, Russia Religion News (Stetson University))

Michigan town elects all-Muslim city government and reaffirms the American project
(Ismail Royer, Religion Unplugged)

Atheists find community on YouTube — and in person
(Nidhi Upadhyaya, Religion News Service)

The Supreme Court takes up religious liberty—again
(Michael A. Helfand and Nathan J. Diament, The Wall Street Journal)

Catholic bishops in El Salvador make safe drinking water a pastoral issue
(La Croix International)

Colombian bishops in Advent message call for good politics, selfless service
(La Croix International)

In most European countries there is a tradition of living together in peace
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)

Nepal should play role in Rohingya refugee crisis solution – OpEd
(Pathik Hasan, Eurasia Review)

Can Maine cover the cost of Christian school tuition?
(Miguel Petrosky, Christianity Today)

The religious problem with religious freedom: Why international theory needs political theology
(Eric Patterson, Religious Freedom Institute)

Extremism and defense of democracy: policing acceptable political ideas via the stat
(Timothy Gutmann, The University of Chicago Divinity School)

Forced conversion and marriages ‘on the rise’ in Pakistan, report finds
(Abigail Frymann Rouch, Church Times)

Thursday, 2 December 2021

WEBINAR, 2 December 2021 (12:15PM ET): Who is a Convert? The Law of Return and the Legality of Reform and Conservative Conversions in Israel
(Schusterman Center for Israel Studies, Brandeis University)

WEBINAR, 2 December 2021 (12:30PM ET): Turkey's Influence on Bosnian Islam: A Conversation with Harun Karčić
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Wednesday, 1 December 2021

Majority of court appears poised to roll back abortion rights
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)

Justices signal they’ll OK new abortion limits, may toss Roe
(Jessica Gresko and Mark Sherman, Associated Press)

Before there was Roe: Religious debate before high court’s historic ruling on abortion
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)

What Americans really think about abortion
(Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux, FiveThirtyEight)

How faith groups feel about this major abortion case
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)

As Mississippi abortion case arrives, key religion stories vote views of Jews, evangelicals
(Julia Duin, GetReligion)

As Supreme Court debates abortion, dueling theologies protest outside
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Australia: Expelling students from religious schools based on sexual orientation?
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)

Australia: Religious discrimination bill: Does the blessing of the law give us the right to discriminate?
(Dawn Lo, UNSW Sydney)

Kyrgyzstan: Jehovah’s Witnesses publications to be banned?
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Kyrgyzstan: Jehovah's Witness book ban in court, criminal case, secret police ban request
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

WEBINAR, 1 December 2021 (11:30AM ET): What Happened in France? Listening to the Voices of Survivors
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

WEBINAR, 1 December 2021 (14:00 GMT/21:00 Bangkok): SEAFORB Webinar 5--Myanmar in Crisis: What the Coup and Conflict mean for Freedom of Religion or Belief
(Southeast Asia Freedom of Religion or Belief Conference)

WEBINAR, 1 December 2021 (14:00 CET): EU-Africa partnership: Returning (to) cultural heritage
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

Law and power: the long road to legal equality for gay men in South Africa
(Zackie Achmat, Ground Up)

New Alberta program will help women fight anti-Black, Islamophobic hate crimes in court
(CBC News)

Societies Act amendments bring procedural changes relating to law and religion landscape in Canada
(Canadian Centre for Christian Charities)

‘Welcome to our world’: Muslims see disparities and dangers in Jan. 6 probe
(Hannah Allam, The Washington Post)

Rep. Omar urges House GOP to address ‘anti-Muslim hatred’
(Brian Slodysko, Associated Press)

Islamophobia controversy worsens after Boebert calls Omar
(Heather Caygle, Sarah Ferris and Olivia Beavers, Politico)

House GOP leaders face calls to confront Islamophobia among their ranks
(Felicia Sonmez and Marianna Sotomayor, The Washington Post)

How red states are using religion to fight vaccine mandates
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)

BYU students stand, cheer as Rev. Dr. William Barber II calls for a moral march on Washington
(Tad Walch, Deseret News)

X v. Poland: A victory, yet not a triumph for homosexual parents in Strasbourg
(Kyriaki Patsianta, Strasbourg Observers)

German court gives life in prison to ex-ISIS fighter for death of 5-year-old in first ‘genocide’ trial
(Loveday Morris, The Washington Post)

Candice Corby - 2021 Global Business & Interfaith Peace Award
(YouTube Video, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

King Husein - 2021 Global Business & Interfaith Peace gold medalist
(YouTube Video, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

Weekly Highlight #184: COVID-19: Exploring faith dimensions: Governance, policies, and religious authority
(Berkley Center, Joint Learning Initiative, WFDD)

German court convicts ex-IS member in Yazidi girl’s death
(Frank Jordans, Associated Press)

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