Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 29 October 2025
Kovačević v. Bosnia and Herzegovina [GC]: Strasbourg’s uneasy path towards constitutional pluralism
(Casper Vanspauwen, Strasbourg Observers)
Russia’s exit from the Council of Europe – with Philip Leach
(Strasbourg Observers)
Russia: Religious repression denounced at the OSCE human rights conference in Warsaw
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
A religious freedom lifeline to Burma’s persecuted people of faith needs to be extended
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Germany to give more than $1 billion for Holocaust survivors’ home care in 2026
(Kirsten Grieshaber, Associated Press)
Court denies UOC-MP's appeal to continue church activities
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Labour general secretary urges vigilance on antisemitism 5 years after damning EHRC report
(Lee Harpin, Jewish News)
Al Qaeda and the Islamic State: Still alive and fighting in the Sahel
(Philip Wasielewski and Michael DeAngelo, Foreign Policy Research Institute)
Washington state settles controversy over child abuse law that tested the limits of ‘priest-penitent’ privilege
(Ann M. Murphy, Conversation)
Monday, 27 October 2025
USCIRF marks 27th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
“Sacred stuff”: Indigenous religions in post-apartheid South Africa
(Christine M. Venter, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral candidacy stirs Jews in New York – and beyond
(Sarah Ellison and Michelle Boorstein, The Washington Post)
Zohran Mamdani defends his Muslim faith amid ‘racist, baseless attacks’
(Lyndal Rowlands, Al Jazeera)
Kyrgyzstan country update
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Balancing freedom of political speech against freedom of religion a delicate legal issue
(Chris Merritt, Rule of Law Institute Australia)
King Charles III prays with pope in historic visit, a welcome respite from royal troubles at home
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Faith, freedom and fairness: a balancing act for universities
(Lucy Peacock, Times Higher Education)
Queen Camilla writes of importance of antisemitism education
(Michelle Rosenberg, Jewish News)
Samaritan's Purse to play a larger role in Gaza aid distribution
(Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
‘The church is asleep right now’: Ted Cruz calls on Christians to confront right-wing antisemitism
(Asaf Elia-Shalev, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Court to consider whether to hear challenge to same-sex marriage on Nov. 7
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Secularism or militant Marxism? The debate on religious education in North Macedonia
(Nun Euphemia Zajkovska, The European Times)
Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and indigenous religious freedom: The case of Chí’chil Biłdagoteel
(Brady Earley, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Balancing faith and security: Pakistan’s counterterrorism policy and the proscription of TLP – OpEd
(Muhammad Musab, Eurasia Review)
Christian colleges thriving amid higher ed’s demographic Decline
(Jenna Robinson, Religion Unplugged)
Ukraine and Russia: Religion and its role in the conflict
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Christian pastor arrested in India’s largest state
(Nirmala Carvalho, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
‘Hijab’ row in Indian Catholic school settled 'amicably' in court
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
From words to witness: Our covenant of action – Bishop Sipuka’s remarks at IF20 South Africa
(Sithembele Sipuka, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Albanian city hosts Islamic-Christian gathering on theme of family’s values
(International Quran News Agency)
At UN, Pakistan voices concern over rising Islamophobia worldwide, urges respect for diversity
(Fatimah Amjad, Arab News)
New ruling: Religious accommodation duty met in COVID dispute
(Tom D'Agostino, HR Morning)
Romanians flock to a new cathedral that is the world’s largest Orthodox church
(Vadim Ghirda and Stephen McGrath, Associated Press)
Church objects licensing of oil exploration project in Amazon River of Brazil
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The Bishops and ICE
(Isabella Simon, Commonweal)
Pope Leo meets with the Prime Minister of Hungary
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
Sri Lankan unions oppose allowing Islamic dress for nurses
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Iranian women flout law on mandatory veiling as police curtail arrests
(Yeganeh Torbati, The Washington Post)
European Sunday Alliance welcomes EC initiative to explore legislative measures on fair telework and a right to disconnect
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
RFI condemns China’s ongoing hostility toward religion
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Friday, 24 October 2025
Church Moderator is encouraging people to take part in anti-poverty march
(The Church of Scotland)
EVENT, 24 October 2025: 2025 Law & Religion Symposium (Seattle, WA, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
(University of Washington School of Law and J. Reuben Clark Law Society)
CALL FOR INPUT, deadline 24 October 2025: Report on freedom of religion or belief in relation to death and the honouring of the deceased
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Law enforcement and civil society from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership regions join forces against discrimination in Sarajevo
(Council of Europe)
Democracy Forward, Interfaith Alliance sue to force release of documents related to President Trump's so-called "anti-Christian bias" efforts
(Democracy Forward)
State complicity fuelling religious killings in Nigeria – Faith leaders
(Luminous Jannamike, Vanguard Nigeria)
Japan: The dissolution of the Family Federation is “arbitrary”
(Jan Figeľ, Forum for Religious Freedom Europe)
Faithful free speech: From campus to the Hill
(Pete Peterson and Robert George, Faith & Law)
Why the US should prioritize the release of Chinese Christian pastor Ezra Jin Mingri
(Olivia Enos, Hudson Institute)
Global Interfaith Monitor No. 40
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Church urges return to dialogue after military takeover in Madagascar
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Does Oman’s ban on evangelism increase its religious liberty?
(Jayson Casper, Christianity Today)
Kiribati: Rethinking authority in pursuit of a culture of equality
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Kazakhstan’s Congress of World and Traditional Religions: Two decades of interfaith diplomacy
(Religions for Peace)
Sarajevo’s call for peace: Leaders, faith actors, youth, women, and civil society unite for a renewed global movement to end wars
(Religions for Peace)
Walk for Peace: Buddhist monks to embark on nationwide peace walk
(Dhammacetiya)
Why Beijing is looking to exert tighter control over Chinese Christians
(Gerda Wielander, The Conversation)
China conducts Dalai Lama pictures-raid at top monastery outside Tibet Autonomous Region
(Tibetan Review)
The Buddhist monk-military alliance taking over Myanmar
(Sonia Sarkar, Religion Unplugged)
Response to the CRL S22 Committee (video)
(YouTube Video, Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA))
Czech Ministry of Culture will not proceed with dissolution of Jehovah’s Witnesses
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
New brochure from the EKD highlights consensus and discourse on prostitution (German)
(Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)
Michigan town fines church for holding religious activities in newly renovated building
(Jorge Gomez, First Liberty)
Lebanon: Faith, hardship, and the hope of living together
(Chloe El Khoury, Institute for Global Engagement)
Pakistan bans hard-line Islamist party after recent deadly clashes with police
(Munir Ahmed, Associated Press)
9th Circuit: Prison not required to furnish organic food to Messianic Jewish inmate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Jesuits’ role in Vietnam’s post-war refugee crisis
(Bryan Goh, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Lousiana: Why Conservatives Are Emboldened to Push for More Religion in Schools
(Adora Brown, NOTUS)
Thursday, 23 October 2025
EVENT, 23 October 2025 (2-8:30PM): 8th Annual Summit for Religious Freedom (Dallas, TX, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
(Southern Methodist University, DFW Alliance for Religious Freedom)
EVENT, 23 October 2025: Religious Freedom and Human Flourishing (Wichita, KS, USA)
(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
EVENT, 23 October 2025: Torah and Tactics: Jewish Ethics, Just War and the State of Israel (Tempe, AZ, USA)
(Alan Mittleman, Arizona State University)
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Religious Freedom: A global victim of authoritarianism, extremism and war
(Aid to the Church in Need)
Denmark must put an end to the neglect of freedom of religion or belief in the EU
(Center for Church-Based Development)
Statement on the EU’s commitment to freedom of religion or belief
(Center for Church-Based Development)
Presidential message on Diwali
(The White House)
After clergy arrests, religious pushback to ICE expands in Chicago
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Senior churchman defends protestors in Peru as demonstrations intensify
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Churches are building 'coalitions of goodwill' - Archbishop of York
(Archbishop of York)
Why is China again targeting underground 'house churches?'
(Yuchen Li, Deutsche Welle)
The Chinese government and its code of conduct for internet evangelization
(Zenit)
Vatican will return dozens of artifacts to Indigenous groups in Canada as gesture of reconciliation
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Pope meets with global group of clergy abuse survivors to talk zero tolerance
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
She converted during the pandemic. Israeli immigration officials say her Zoom course doesn’t count.
(Asaf Elia-Shalev, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
650+ US rabbis sign letter opposing Zohran Mamdani and the ‘political normalization’ of anti-Zionism
(Grace Gilson, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Canada: Report warns revoking churches’ charitable status could devastate faith sector
(B.C. Catholic)
Violent attacks just one threat facing Nigerian Christians
(Maggie Phillips, Real Clear Investigations)
Quran burning, freedom of expression and the limits of s.5 Public Order Act 1986: R v Coskun
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
UK’s Inter Faith Week and community engagement
(Martin Weightman, The European Times)
Catholic Social Teaching and agnosticism about democracy in the US Church
(Massimo Faggioli, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Political tensions surface amid celebrations honoring Venezuela’s 2 new saints
(Kristina Millare, Catholic News Agency)
Former president accuses authorities of anti-church campaign
(PanArmenian)
Swiss government rejects ban on children’s headscarves in schools
(Swiss Info)
Wisconsin religious exemption upheld for Catholic Charities now back in court
(Kate Scanlon, OSV News)
“Religious freedom fosters peace,” say Bishop Zaidan and Bishop Rhoades
(United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
French senators urge action against rising anti-Christian attacks in the country
(Solène Tadié, Catholic News Agency)
Spanish court acquits priests and journalist accused of hate crime for criticising radical Islam
(The Catholic Herald)
Russia: More long jail sentences, removals of citizenship
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
Monday, 20 October 2025
Sixty years of Nostra Aetate: Interreligious dialogue as a path to justice and peace
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Growing share of U.S. adults say religion is gaining influence in American life
(Chip Rotolo, Pew Research Center)
Is religion's power on its way back in the USA? A growing number of Americans say yes.
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
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