Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 19 June 2026
Multi-faith project encourages Australians to be counted in the 2026 Census
(Cath News)
Religious freedom ‘rooted in human dignity,’ says expert ahead of US bishops’ observance
(Gina Christian, OSV News)
South African Council of Churches calls for human dignity, justice and solidarity
(Christine Masivo, Vatican News)
Niger military junta introduces new penal code criminalizing homosexuality with 5-10 years in prison
(Associated Press)
Trump envoy’s push to eliminate standalone Holocaust office divides Jewish leaders
(Grace Gilson, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Gurudwara killings deepen fears among Pakistan's minorities
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Egypt’s religious freedom claims collapse for Baha’is
(Samandary Hindawi, The Washington Times)
Uzbekistan and Egypt hold civilization dialogue in Cairo
(UZ Daily)
Why banditry thrives in the North – Muslim stakeholders
(Timothy Agbor, The Guardian Nigeria)
Assessing Egypt’s national human rights strategy through the lens of freedom of religion or belief: the Bahá’í community as a case study
(Minority Rights Group)
Egypt’s Grand Mufti attends Al-Azhar celebration marking Islamic New Year
(Saba Elbalad English)
Baptist World Alliance delegation visits Egypt, Lebanon and Syria, holds dialogues with religious, political leaders
(Daoud Kuttab, Christian Daily)
Jewish groups rally in support of Milwaukee Muslim leader detained in ICE jail
(Ulaa Kuziez, Religion News Service)
‘Not a day off’: For Juneteenth, some faith leaders promote political causes
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Statement on the re-introduction of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
(Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales)
Germany: Reports of antisemitism in 2025 remain high
(Jens Thurau, Deutsche Welle)
Toronto police say young people are being recruited online to shoot at synagogues
(Philissa Cramer, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Feds investigating antisemitism allegations at American Psychological Association
(Andrew Lapin, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Ukraine: Longest prison sentence yet for conscientious objector
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
After Mormon Lawmakers Object, Pentagon Revises Christian Religious Categories
(PRRI)
Cambodia, Myanmar seek to promote religious tourism through shared Buddhist heritage
(Khmer Times)
Thailand mourns Princess Bajrakitiyabha as tributes honor her legal and humanitarian legacy
(Chainarong Monthienvichienchai, Licas News)
New study reveals Americans want a religiously diverse nation
(Cassidy Grom, Religion Unplugged)
Human dignity has no passport: KAICIID brings interreligious dialogue to Europe’s migration debate
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Should journalists have an active role in building peace? KAICIID launches flagship policy paper on media and interreligious dialogue
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Israel signals status quo shake-up over Cave of the Patriarchs, Hebron
(David I. Klein, Religion News Service)
Islamic groups ask for protection for mosques after multiple vandalisms, hate letters
(NL Times)
Being a jerk about religion endangers religious liberty
(Tad Walch, Deseret News)
India: Ethnic Bengalis unlawfully expelled
(Human Rights Watch)
Faith leaders hail Japan’s plan to raise LGBT awareness
(Keiko Kurane, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Statement by the Standing Committee for Family and Life to the Catholic faithful in Canada and all people of good will voicing concern and calling for prayers on the 10th anniversary of euthanasia and assisted suicide (“MAID”)
(Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops)
Sri Lankans demand Sunday tuition break for religious lessons
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Portuguese, Spanish translations available for HIV, migration, and forced displacement: What can the churches do?
(World Council of Churches)
COMECE President reacts to European Parliament vote on the Return Regulation
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Russia: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly News Digest June 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest June 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
States threaten to investigate MLB after issuing warning to players over religious symbols on uniforms
(Thomas Schumacher, WSAU News)
‘Violence begets more violence:’ US Catholics seek abolition of death penalty
(Devin Watkins, Vatican News)
Sikhs alarmed by backlash over Henry Nowak's murder
(Frankie Peck, BBC)
Tuesday, 16 June 2026
EVENT, 16 June 2026: Religious Freedom Annual Review: The USA at 250: Life, Religious Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (Provo, Utah, USA)
(International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), Brigham Young University)
Monday, 15 June 2026
EVENT, 15 June 2026: RFAC Dinner (Provo, Utah, USA)(Religious Freedom Alliance Council)
Video: McCain Institute hosts Senator Coons, religious freedom experts for discussion in U.S. Senate
(McCain Institute)
The ECtHR Judgment in Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses v. Italy: A First Note
(Pierluigi Consorti, DiReSoM (Law and Religion in Multicultural Societies))
Religious liberty ‘the cornerstone of any just society,’ Pope Leo says in message to Becket gala
(Kate Scanlon, OSV News)
Large-scale Russian attack sparks fire at historic monastery and other sites in Ukraine, in photos
(Efrem Lukatsky, Evgeniy Maloletka, and Danylo Antoniuk, Associated Press)
Articles and books of interest - 15 June 2026
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Hare Krishnas celebrate a 50-year milestone with a parade of chariots in Manhattan
(Trisha Mukherjee, Religion News Service)
Amid anti-migrant attacks, South African clergy urge dialogue and open doors
(Fredrick Nzwili, Religion News Service)
Ahead of runoff, Church concerned about political violence in Colombia
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Protests will continue 'until religious group leaves'
(Phil McCann, BBC)
Is this the end of political Islam?
(Ben Hubbard, The New York Times)
Russia: "Without any investigation, they're already presuming us guilty", says pastor
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
From crime to covenant: What Korea’s decriminalization of adultery asks of the church
(Joe Cho, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
More countries had elevated levels of social hostilities involving religion in 2023
(Samirah Majumdar and Vivian Jacobs, Pew Research Center)
Bangladesh has a new Catholic diocese: why Hindus and Muslims are excited, too
(Stephan Uttom Rozario, Religion Unplugged)
Spiritual exploration of possible pathways for providing energy security for all
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum)
Faith, AI, and the planet: John C. Havens on sustainability in an innovating world
(G20 Interfaith Forum)
Indonesian Christians, officials try to end dispute over church construction
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
CAIR-Arizona calls on governor to veto anti-Muslim hate bill
(Council on American-Islamic Relations)
WCC executive committee calls churches to work for peace
(World Council of Churches)
Catholic bishops from G7 countries and COMECE issue joint appeal ahead of G7 Summit in France
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
“Intese”: Strasbourg Condemns Italy’s Forty-Year Exclusion of Jehovah’s Witnesses
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Religious restrictions around the world
(Pew Research Center)
Religious liberty for all: Celebrating this founding freedom at America 250
(Center for American Progress)
China: Detention of church leaders signals intensifying attacks on religious freedom
(Amnesty International)
Rep. María Elvira Salazar cosponsors bipartisan legislation to protect Jewish Americans and combat antisemitism
(María Elvira Salazar, U.S. House of Representatives)
UN calls on Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to reverse crackdown on women
(Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press)
‘Timely and urgent’: Conference studies pathways to religious pluralism
(Rice University)
Unauthorised Buddhist temple hidden in former pub closed by council
(The Times)
Sunday, 14 June 2026
Friday, 12 June 2026
Legal Spirits 078: A short take on religion in the military
(Mark Movsesian, Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Sarah Mullally’s Church of England: A national church with a global voice
(Harriet Pettifer, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Legal Journal Number 6 (21): May 2026 (Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)
UN expert on freedom of religion or belief to visit Nigeria
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Vol. 19 No. 1 (2026): Intermediate actors and religious accommodations
(International Journal for Religious Freedom)
Accommodating religious minorities before the EU Court of Justice
(Costanza Nardocci, International Journal for Religious Freedom)
Reasonable accommodation for religious minorities through trade unions and collective bargaining
(Michael Luther, International Journal for Religious Freedom)
Identity choice, intercultural learning and inclusive citizenship
(Pier-Luc Dupont Picard, Thomas Sealy, Tariq Modood, International Journal for Religious Freedom)
Exploring diversity as a path to lasting peace
(Bahá’í World News Service)
European Court of Human Rights unanimously affirms freedom to peacefully share faith
(Jehovah's Witnesses)
Mosques face increasing challenges to provide security amid growing anti-Muslim fervor
(Ulaa Kuziez and Yonat Shimron, Religion News Service)
Pope visiting ‘dock of shame’ in Canary Islands where migrants slept in squalor
(Nicole Winfield, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
In divided Sri Lanka, monks create display of interfaith unity
(Sonia Sarkar, Religion Unplugged)
New ecumenical group rebukes Philippine senator for 'blasphemy'
(Paterno R. Esmaquel II, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Bahrain bans mourning for Islamic revolution’s martyred leader
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
Italy violated Jehovah’s Witnesses’ rights and must pay them 18,000 EUR, ECHR said
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Caritas in the Canary Islands: ‘The Church is present where the state is not'
(Kielce Gussie, Vatican News)
Ramadan remark revives fired economist's bias case against Energy Department
(Carleen Bongat, Human Resources Director)
Lebanon's Christians flee Tyre, fearing Israel's campaign will prevent return
(Nazih Osseiran and Emilie Madi, Reuters)
Lawmakers want Governor to support religious freedom following Lt. Gov’s comments
(Benjamin Thorp, WFYI)
Italy formally recognises Sanatana Dharma Samgha as official religious denomination amid PM Modi's visit
(Firstpost)
Pakistan: Lahore Archdiocese leads interfaith visit to promote religious harmony
(Yousaf Benjamin, Radio Veritas Asia)
New EU asylum rules could make it harder for Turkish applicants to win protection amid Gülen crackdown
(Stockholm Center for Freedom)
Hindus under threat amid escalating Islamist extremist campaign in Bangladesh: Report
(India Tribune)
Qatar spent decades building its reputation. Deporting Bahá’ís threatens to undo it.
(Kristina Arriaga, Religion News Service)
Ethiopia’s Oromia: 35 Christians killed in ethno-religious tensions
(APA News)
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Anti-Christian incidents May 2026
(Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe)
Banning the kirpan would set a dangerous precedent for religious freedom
(Sabrina Miller, Jewish News UK)
Armenian PM wins reelection amid religious freedom concerns
(Persecution.org)
Press freedom groups concerned over human rights in Egypt
(Renee Ferguson, Jurist)
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