Law and Religion Headlines

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Monday, 20 October 2025

Iran's new metro station honours Virgin Mary
(France 24)

Metropolitan Epifaniy meets with with Czech Republic's President and Foreign Minister
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Does Gen Z have a future without religion?
(Iona Institute)

Torture and ill treatment are tools of violating religious freedom
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Thousands of Orthodox Jews rally in New York to protest change in Israel's military draft rules
(Associated Press)

Coalition advances bill mandating mezuzahs, allowing Orthodox rituals in public spaces
(Ariela Karmel and Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel)

Hispanic Christian leaders voice support for the GOP-backed Dignity Act of 2025
(Christianity Daily)

New guide on addressing anti-Christian hate crimes launched by ODIHR
(Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)

Catholic bishops object to White House's initiatives creating greater access to IVF
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Articles of interest - 20 October 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Court upholds right of divorced father to raise his young children in Sikh tradition
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

New York faith leaders join ‘No Kings’ march against Trump administration agenda
(Fiona André, Religion News Service)

Pope Leo appeals for ceasefire in Myanmar, peace in war-torn lands
(Devin Watkins, Vatican News)

Prominent NYC rabbi urges congregants to vote against Zohran Mamdani in Shabbat sermon
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Sikh pilgrims allowed to visit Pakistan after India reverses ban
(Zaffar Iqbal, Religion Unplugged)

Russia: Another Jehovah's Witness tortured during arrest
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)

Law and religion roundup – 19th October
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Int. – Charity Commission
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Pakistan’s hybrid legal system: Negotiated coexistence of secular and Islamic law
(Jo D. Chitlik and Rashid Mehmood, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

Here’s why church and state must remain separate: A Q&A with Hunter Baker
(Micah Watson, Public Discourse: The Journal of the Witherspoon Institute)

Joint session of KAICIID's governing bodies held in Lisbon
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)

Two arrested in Assen city center as banned Pegida Quran-burning protest sparks unrest
(NL Times)

Al-Azhar Observatory warns of AI misuse to spread anti-Muslim hate in India
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))

Discrimination "due to community complaints" about person's "Zionist views" isn't based on race or religion, Court holds
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)

China: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly Digest October 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Russia: Religious issues and persecution: Bimonthly Digest October 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Religious freedom can prevent the next caliphate and a new wave of terrorism
(Sam Brownback, Caden Benedict and Clint Lyons, The Hill)

US religious envoy-designate pledges to combat antisemitism, Christian persecution
(Michael Starr, The Jerusalem Post)

Turkey faces landmark legal battle on religious freedom
(Jules Gomes, Middle East Forum)

Friday, 17 October 2025

Portuguese parliament approves bill banning face coverings in public
(Associated Press)

King Charles III’s visit to Vatican marks a historic step in path of unity between two churches
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

A common future for Kurds and Jews: A shared history and moral duty - opinion
(Amed Mardin, The Jerusalem Post)

USCIRF condemns nationwide detention of church leaders across China
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

On Christian justice and its potential to renew our political order
(Daniel Philpott, Arc of the Universe)

Leading bishop among Armenian clerics arrested in government crackdown on church
(Avet Demourian, Associated Press)

Court dismisses religious challenges to Trump's executive order on portraying American history
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Ramaswamy's TPUSA moment leaves believers asking, 'Why is Hinduism so hard to explain?'
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)

Bangladesh’s Christian community seeks representation in the next parliamentary election
(Stephan Uttom Rozario, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

A prayer room in the Pope’s library: Vatican’s gesture Toward Muslim Scholars Sparks Quiet Storm A Prayer Room in the Pope’s Library: Vatican’s Gesture toward Muslim scholars sparks quiet storm
(Valentina Di Giorgio, Zenit)

Government announces plans to tackle NHS antisemitism
(Jewish News)

How voluntary assisted dying in the NT would be different to down south
(Geetanjali Lamba, Kane Vellar, and Paul Komesaroff, The Conversation)

Minorities cautious as Pakistan cracks down on far-right Islamist party
(Kamran Chaudhry, Union of Catholic Asian News)

Interfaith solidarity offered up hope after floods devastated Pakistan
(Jamaima Afridi, Religion Unplugged)

Why is India prosecuting Muslims who said ‘I love Muhammad’? (video)
(Al Jazeera)

Consecration of the Auxiliary Bishop of Shanghai, China
(Vatican News)

OSCE: Anti-Semitism in Europe, Warsaw Conference 2025
(Andrew Baker, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

8 facts about divorce in the United States
(Jake Hays, Pew Research Center)

Put a stop to the enemies of freedom of religion and belief!
(International Society for Human Rights)

Arkansas adopts faith-based 10:33 Project to help poorest residents
(Kim Roberts, Religion Unplugged)

Thursday, 16 October 2025

VIRTUAL EVENT: 16 October 2025: State-Controlled Religion in China (Washington, DC, USA)
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 16 October 2025: Driving Inclusive Development in Fragile and Hard-to-Reach Contexts through Faith-Based Collaboration
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Wednesday, 15 October 2025

Detention of Zion House church leaders in China
(Marco Rubio, U.S. Department of State)

Nordic bishops visit Ukraine, urge return of children
(Conference of European Churches)

Pope urges Italy to remain open to migrants during rite of passage visit to presidential palace
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

This is why the story of Abraham is coming up in the push for Middle East peace
(Peter Smith, Associated Press)

Death row inmate's RLUIPA claim rejected
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Most Icelanders back separation of church and state, poll finds
(Michael Chapman, Iceland Review)

Court halts $850,000 installation of 2 large statues of Catholic saints at Mass. building
(Heather Morrison, Mass Live)

Freedom of faith in Belarus: How to preserve independence under total oppression
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

“Public welfare” and religious liberty in Japan: The case of the Unification Church
(Patricia Duval, Bitter Winter)

Punjab: Parents demand justice for 17-year-old girl goes missing after 'conversion' to Islam
(Shafique Khokhar, Asia News)

What is SB 509, the vetoed bill dividing Hindus and Sikhs?
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)

As ICE rocks Chicago, Catholics respond with prayer — and protest
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Venezuelan Catholics among those quietly celebrating Nobel Peace laureate María Corina Machado
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Kyrgyzstan: Did torture cause jailed Reform Adventist pastor's brain damage?
(Mushfig Bayram and Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

The Council of Europe, counter-terrorism and freedom of assembly
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Locking the church doors – religious pluralism and property rights: Ptycha
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Weddings law reform: the MoJ response
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Prime minister: ‘Globalise the intifada’ is antisemitic call to attack Jews
(Lee Harpin, Jewish News)

More U.S. Jews shield identity in public amid antisemitism fears, Post poll finds
(Michelle Boorstein, Scott Clement and Emily Guskin, The Washington Post)

New Oklahoma schools superintendent rescinds mandate for Bible instruction in schools
(Sean Murphy, Associated Press)

Iraq: Patriarch Sako: Fewer than seventy Christian families remain in Mosul
(Agenzia Fides)

Korean Church seeks better worker rights under new law
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Tens of thousands of Muslims are leaving France because of toxic Islamophobia
(5 Pillars)

Churches called to remember, resist, and rebuild: GETI plenary reflects on faith amid persecution
(World Council of Churches)

A (binary) right to self-determination: T.H. v. Czech Republic
(Sam Chollet, Strasbourg Observers)

Americans United launches investigation into Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission
(Americans United for Separation of Church and State)

Singapore doubles down on zero tolerance for identity politics, foreign interference
(Jean Iau and Kolette Lim, South China Morning Post)

Kazakhstan: Religion as the inspiration for cooperation
(Bahá’í World News Service)

The wrongheaded religious freedom narrative
(Richard Garnett, SCOTUSblog)

Monday, 13 October 2025

Federal judge advances religious freedom claims of incarcerated amputee
(Michael Karlik, Colorado Politics)

WCC welcomes ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, urges lasting peace
(World Council of Churches)

Warsaw Human Dimension Conference 2025: Statement by UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief
(Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and David Smith, GOV.UK)

Iran: Christians brought before notorious judge on ‘propaganda’ and ‘collusion’ charges
(Article 18)

Iran: Religious persecution and issues – Monthly Digest September 2025
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

'Cameroon is a powder keg': Catholic bishops challenge nonagenarian president
(Victor Gaetan, Religion News Service)

Serbian church under fire for backing authoritarian regime
(Sonia Sarkar, Religion Unplugged)

On the front lines of religious freedom
(Dennis Wieboldt, Law & Liberty)

Kyrgyzstan: Secret police raid, police fine Baptists for "illegal" worship meeting
(Mushfig Bayram and Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)

CEC contributes to discussion on theology, empire, and the role of church in the war
(Conference of European Churches)

Complexifying psychedelic “mysticism”: Analytical, therapeutic, and legal considerations
(Jay Michaelson, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

WCC facilities exchange at Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development forum
(World Council of Churches)

Muttaqi's Deoband visit and the soft power lesson it holds for India
(Faisal C K, The New Indian Express)

A Muslim sanitation caste and the constitution of India
(Shireen Azam, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

India is forcibly deporting Muslims, including its own citizens, after Kashmir violence
(Omkar Khandekar, NPR)

Articles of interest - 13 October 2025
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

China detains dozens of underground church pastors in crackdown
(Laurie Chen, Reuters)

Religious leaders offering communion to detainees turned away at Broadview ICE facility
(Marissa Sulek, CBS News)

CSW70: NGOs decry gender-based violence and religious persecution of minority women
(Juan Sanchez Gil, The European Times)

As Bolivia’s elections near, why socialism is out and the Catholic Church might be in
(Graciela Ibáñez, Religion Unplugged)

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