Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Tajikistan: USCIRF calls on the U.S. Government to impose consequences on Tajikistan due to increasing repression
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Public funds for religious charter school would be unconstitutional, Oklahoma high court says
(Sean Murphy, Associated Press)
Small church in Rome goes to the big court in Strasbourg to find justice
(Evert van Vlastuin, Christian Network Europe)
Belarus human rights group denounces detention of priest who posted Ukrainian flag on social media
(Associated Press)
New Jersey bill allowing standalone crematories could benefit Hindu funeral rituals
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
Israel’s military must enlist the ultra-Orthodox. What will that mean for Netanyahu and the war?
(Melanie Lidman, Associated Press)
Churchgoers believe public perception of Christians is declining in the U.S.
(Aaron Earls, Lifeway Research)
Why the swing state faith voters who really matter in 2024 aren’t evangelicals
(Bob Smietana, Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
UOC-MP Metropolitan Jonathan exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war - media
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Religious exemptions and retaliation under Title IX
(Constance Couch, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Mali: ICC convicts al-Qaeda-linked leader of war crimes in Mali’s Timbuktu
(Al Jazeera)
Uzbekistan: New amendments target parents seeking Islamic education for children in Uzbekistan
(Niginakhon Saida, The Diplomat)
The tiresome claim that pro-life legal measures violate the establishment clause
(John M. Breen, Mirror of Justice Blog)
RFI’s Andrew Kubick offers robust vision of medical conscience rights at Acton University
(Religious Freedom Institute)
Lawsuit challenges new Louisiana law requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments
(Sara Cline and Kevin McGill, Associated Press)
Russia imposes longest sentences yet on Jehovah's Witnesses for 'extremism'
(Reuters)
Pope: All people should be free to choose and practice religion
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
Pope at Audience: 'Moral duty to stop production, trafficking of drugs'
(Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)
Monday, 24 June 2024
At least 20 killed in synagogue, church attacks in Russia’s Dagestan
(Al Jazeera)
Russia: Further jail term for answering fellow prisoners' questions about faith?
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
EVENT, 24 June 2024: Believers and Our Ethics in the Public Square (Washington DC, USA)
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Around the web - 24 June 2024
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
India's 12th state plans law to criminalize conversions
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Franklin Graham announces Billy Graham Defence Fund to support religious freedom in the UK
(Premier Christian News)
Law and religion roundup – 23rd June
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Australia: Proposed extraordinary immigration powers and religious protections face uncertain future
(Brett Worthington, ABC News Australia)
Israel: Heads of churches say Israeli government is demanding they pay property tax, upsetting status quo
(Julia Frankel, Associated Press)
Israel: Some good news from Israel: a new program in interreligious dialogue
(Ron Kronish, The Times of Israel)
'Not in the name of Islam': Muslims speak out against Hamas
(The Jerusalem Post)
Pakistani Christian praised for documenting blasphemy victims. Most are Muslims.
(Jayson Casper, Christianity Today)
Pakistan Defence Minister admits minorities being targeted in name of religion
(Mid-Day)
Defendant in Vatican trial takes case to UN, accuses pope of violating his rights with surveillance
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Miami bagel shop vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti for the fourth time since October 7
(Michael Starr, The Jerusalem Post)
Louisiana's Ten Commandments law raises new concerns over separation of church and state in the US
(Peter Kenny, Ecumenical News)
Arrest warrant issued for Turkish Youtuber over Sharia comments
(Medyascope)
Afghanistan: Minister announces media law update emphasizing Sharia and privacy
(Mohammad Yousuf Hanif, TOLOnews)
CALL FOR PAPERS: The development of Islamic law in Muslim or non-Muslim countries
(De Jure: Jurnal Hukum dan Syar'iah)
New Buddhist temple opens in Berlin
(Christoph Strack, Deutsche Welle)
Supreme Court rejects challenge to Connecticut law that eliminated religious vaccination exemption
(Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 24 June 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Saudi Arabia: What's behind deaths at this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia?
(Zahra Fatima and BBC World Service,, BBC News)
DC Circuit: No tax-exempt status for church promoting psychedelics unless it has received DEA or judicial exemption
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Papal charity flags Islamic extremism in Africa’s Sahel as major threat
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
European bishops say Pope Francis concerned with abortion, EU unity
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Asia/South Korea: Tensions between North and South Korea: Catholics pray for reconciliation and national unity
(Agenzia Fides)
Canada: In Quebec, the delicate end of the religious culture course
(Alexis Gacon, La Croix International)
SBC clarifies new IVF and religious liberty resolutions
(David Roach, Religion Unplugged)
Africa’s challenges to peace and security: Interreligious approaches and promise
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Ukraine: The war, religious beliefs and conscientious objection
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Syria: Army commander promises protection to Christian community in Ras Al-Ein
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Putin and Kim Jong Un’s alliance: A new Cold War threat to religious freedom
(Adriana Azarian, National Catholic Register)
Legal Journal Number 8 (19): June (Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)
Legal Spirits 060: Memorial Day, the Knights of Columbus, and the National Park Service (podcast)
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Friday, 21 June 2024
US lawmakers meet Tibet's Dalai Lama, pressure China on talks
(Charlotte Greenfield, David Brunnstrom and YP Rajesh, Reuters)
Macron condemns antisemitism after Jewish girl is raped
(BBC News)
As France reels from alleged rape of a Jewish girl, antisemitism comes to fore in election campaign
(Associated Press)
France launches widespread raids on Muslims ahead of Olympics
(CAGE International)
Free exercise of religion and Catholic responsibility
(Thomas Farr, The Catholic Thing)
Iran: USCIRF condemns severe medical mistreatment of imprisoned Gonabadi Sufi in Iran
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Information regarding the situation of Iranian Christian refugees (with focus on Türkiye)
(Article 18)
China: Beijing’s crackdown on Islam is coming for kids
(Ruslan Yusupov, Foreign Policy)
Vatican doubles down on courtship of China
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
New book: Culture, Secularization, and Democracy: Lessons from Alexis de Tocqueville
(Edited by Sophie van Bijsterveld, Hans-Martien ten Napel, Routledge)
New book: The Crisis of Civil Law: What the Bible Teaches about Law and What It Means Today
(Benjamin B. Saunders, Lexham Press)
New book: The New Governance of Religious Diversity
(Tariq Modood and Thomas Sealy, Wiley)
World Jewish Congress launches Institute for Technology and Human Rights
(World Jewish Congress)
Pakistan police register a case against a mob that killed a man suspected of desecrating the Quran
(Associated Press)
Pakistan: Authorities must end escalating attacks on minority Ahmadiyya community
(Amnesty International)
Pakistan: Ten long years: Reflections on the Supreme Court ruling that promised much for Pakistan’s religious minorities
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Mine Yildirim and the Freedom of Belief Initiative: Monitoring religious freedom and hate crimes in Turkey
(European Endowment for Democracy)
Arizona is sending taxpayer money to religious schools — and billionaires see it as a model for the US
(Casey Tolan, Rene Marsh and Nelli Black, CNN)
Louisiana’s Ten Commandments mandate violates its own religious freedom heritage
(Mark Silk, RNS Column: Spiritual Politics)
Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law challenges bad Supreme Court precedent
(Natan Ehrenreich, National Review)
New Louisiana law requiring classrooms to display Ten Commandments churns old political conflicts
(Kevin McGill and Sara Cline, Associated Press)
FFRF, coalition to file lawsuit against new Louisiana 10 Commandments law
(Freedom From Religion Foundation)
Communication bridges differences at the 9th Annual Interfaith Solidarity March
(Scientology)
Major Archbishop Shevchuk says Ukraine’s freedom is essential for religious freedom
(Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
The 2024 General Election manifestos on the Prevent Duty and extremism
(Rebecca Riedel, Law & Religion UK)
Canterbury Cathedral to offer Prayers of Love and Faith for same-sex couples
(Canterbury Cathedral)
Nigel Farage comments worrying for Muslims, says community leader
(The Independent)
Colorado town faces religious liberty lawsuit after cracking down on church's shelter ministry for homeless
(Taylor Penley, Fox News)
Americans want values-based foreign policy
(Knox Thames, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs)
South Africa: Parental rights discussion (video)
(YouTube Video, Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA))
Free speech and how Christianity in Ireland will be persecuted under hate speech laws
(Theo McDonald, The Irish Catholic)
Mexico: Peace must be a priority, say Catholic leaders on anniversary of priests’ violent deaths in Mexico
(María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
Wheeler Trucking to pay $65,000 to resolve EEOC discrimination and retaliation lawsuit
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
Brazilian Supreme Court justice accuses bishops of ‘disinformation’ on marijuana debate
(Eduardo Campos Lima, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
German government reports rise in extremist crimes, partly due to Israel-Hamas war
(Toby Axelrod, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Russia: Heavy prison terms for 9 Jehovah’s Witnesses in the occupied territory of Crimea
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)
Russia: Who ordered torture of Jehovah's Witness prisoner of conscience?
(Victoria Arnold, Forum 18 News Service)
New report, side event highlight faith actors and their role in civic space
(World Council of Churches)
Nigeria: MURIC urges Kwara government to protect rights of female Muslims
(The Guardian)
In Nigeria, churches stride forward together in response to HIV and AIDS
(World Council of Churches)
Macedonian courts’ failure to recognize rights and balance interests concerning adoption in the case of Mitrevska v. North Macedonia
(Vesna Stefanovska, Strasbourg Observers)
One Sunday, the new NATO leader, Mark Rutte, preached in the church about the talents from Matthew 25
(Bart-Jan Spruyt, Christian Network Europe)
Tajikistan: Hijab ban: Know all details and reasons behind government’s decision here
(Organiser)
Israelis are getting religion, in spite of a coercive Chief Rabbinate
(Kenneth Brander, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
How churches are stepping up to fill the affordable housing gap
(Sydney Jezik, Deseret News)
Nicaragua: Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes attends masses under surveillance of the Sandinista Police (Spanish)
(Nicaragua Actual)
9th Circuit reverses dismissal of suit challenging refusal to grant religious exemptions to vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
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