Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 18 March 2024
Australia: NSW Conversion Practices Bill- risks to religious freedom
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Australia: Religious schools can be sued for acting in good faith, in Albo Government’s proposed reforms
(Michaelia Cash, The West Australian)
UK Parliament APPG FoRB Readout
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
NSS slams government for backtracking on non-stun slaughter labels
(National Secular Society)
Law and religion roundup – 17th March
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Photos of the week: Ramadan begins; Bulgarian patriarch dies
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Religion Watch, Volume 39 No. 4
(Religion Watch, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Air pollution did not violate city residents' free exercise rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
7th Circuit: Zoning denial for Catholic school athletic field lights did not violate RLUIPA
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Articles of interest - 18 March 2024
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Denial of temporary religious worker visa upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Thousands of churches will likely close down. What happens to all that real estate?
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
Gambia moves toward overturning landmark ban on female genital cutting
(Ruth Maclean, The New York Times)
Iraq: Abbas Raad — Photographing moments of religious worship in Iraq
(Dalia Al-Dujaili, We Present)
Iraq: Report reveals ‘deep animosity’ towards Jews and Judaism in Iraqi curriculum
(Jewish News)
Iraq: USCIRF calls for U.S. government to support Iraq’s religious communities on anniversary of genocide determination
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Ireland tries and fails to erase mothers
(John Duggan, First Things)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest March 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Brazil: Father baptizes son without mother's knowledge and is convicted of moral damage (Portuguese)
(Eduardo Velozo Fuccia, Conjur)
Religious freedom and animal well-being (Spanish)
(Pedro Moreno Brenes, Diario Sur)
Friday, 15 March 2024
New definition of extremism (2024)
(GOV.UK)
The British government wants to define extremism. Critics say it risks creating more division
(Jill Lawless and Sylvia Hui, Associated Press)
The UK Government’s new definition of “extremism”
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
No apology for spreading the gospel around the world
(The Church of England)
The Legal History of the Church of England: From the Reformation to the Present
(Edited by Norman Doe and Stephen Coleman, Bloomsbury Publishing)
Canadian bill would not criminalize all religious expression
(Gwen Roley, AFP Fact Check)
Canada: Father asks court to stop 27-year-old daughter's MAID death, review doctors' sign-off
(Meghan Grant, CBC News)
CALL FOR PAPERS, abstracts due 15 March 2024: Islamophobia, antisemitism and philosemitism after October 7
(Cambridge Interfaith Programme)
A Wisconsin ruling on Catholic Charities raises the bar for religious tax exemptions
(Todd Richmond, Associated Press)
Afghan refugee stands trial in first of 3 killings that shocked Albuquerque’s Muslim community
(Susan Montoya Bryan, Associated Press)
India's Citizenship Amendment Act: Why is it controversial?
(Murali Krishnan, Deutsche Welle)
India's new citizenship law for religious minorities leaves Muslims out
(Sheena Goodyear, CBC Radio)
Nicaragua: “The Ortega regime has 100 evangelical pastors in prison”
(Pedro Tarquis, Evangelical Focus)
As threats to Black cemeteries persist, a movement to preserve their sacred heritage gains strength
(Giovanna Dell'Orto and Darren Sands, Associated Press)
Zimbabwe police rescue 251 children used as labor and find graves in religious sect compound raid
(Farai Mutsaka, Associated Press)
50 experts on religious minorities explore in Navarra the significant legislative discrimination in Spain
(The European Times)
Australian efforts on Islamophobia flag despite Christchurch wake-up call
(Lyndal Rowlands, Al Jazeera)
New report details what evangelicals think about social and political issues
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)
5th Circuit: Texas statute giving parents right to consent to teens' contraceptives is consistent with Title X
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
South Africa threatens to arrest dual nationals fighting in Israeli army
(Middle East Monitor)
Ramadan will be difficult for those in Gaza or other war zones – what does fasting mean for those who might be already starving?
(Mahan Mirza, The Conversation)
Philippines: WCC calls on UN to ensure counter-terrorism laws in Philippines don’t infringe on human rights
(World Council of Churches)
China: The world must honour the memory of Cao Shunli by standing up for human rights defenders in China
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Hong Kong: Sixteen international experts express “profound and grave concerns” about looming threat to religious freedom and Sacrament of Penance in Hong Kong
(Hong Kong Watch)
Cuba: Report finds return to hardline tactics
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Brazil: Industry must compensate mechanic who was pressured to change religion (Portuguese)
(Bom Dia Advogado)
3 Egyptian Coptic church monks are killed in an attack at a monastery in South Africa
(Gerald Imray, Associated Press)
Yeezy shoe sales lead Adidas to plan to donate $150 million to anti-hate groups
(Associated Press)
Thursday, 14 March 2024
HYBRID EVENT, 14 March 2024 (13.30 GMT+1): Rethinking Human Rights Treaty Withdrawals (Maastricht, The Netherlands)
(Başak Çalı and Laurence R. Helfer, Maastricht Centre for Human Rights)
EVENT, 14 March 2024 (18:30 GMT+1): Self-Censored Live Premiere (film in English, discussion in German) (Vienna, Austria)
(Ralph Schöllhammer, P. Simon De Keukelaere, Pamela Chavez-Reder, Markus Bauer, Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe)
WEBINAR, 14 March 2024 (17:30 CET): Being a Christian in politics and society
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Wednesday, 13 March 2024
India: 'CAA is not anti-Muslim': Govt calls Al Jazeera's report as 'misleading'
(The Economic Times)
Russia: Religious freedom survey, March 2024
(Victoria Arnold and John Kinahan, Forum 18 News Service)
Imminent risk of irreparable harm: why failure to protect Russians fleeing the Putin regime would be a serious blow to the Court’s reputation
(Eszter Benkő, Tamás Fazekas And Zsolt Szekeres, Strasbourg Observers)
Why we must ban Russian Orthodox Church’s activities in Ukraine
(Mykyta Poturaiev, Kyiv Post)
India announces steps to implement a citizenship law that excludes Muslims
(Sheikh Saaliq, Associated Press)
India: US, UN express concern about India's religion-based citizenship law
(Reuters)
India: How urbanisation – and Hinduisation – is stripping India’s indigenous communities of their cultural heritage
(Smytta Yadav, The Conversation)
Animal chaplains offer spiritual care for every species
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)
Australia: Queensland – new proposed discrimination law
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Australia: NSW gay conversion therapy bill offers exemptions for religion, parents
(CathNews)
Mexico’s presidential candidates sign commitment for peace with church leaders concerned by violence
(María Teresa Hernández, Associated Press)
Alarming religious freedom trends in democracies demand attention
(Johnnie Moore, Real Clear Politics)
Religion and diplomacy in the Middle East – student event blogger report
(Alison Carter, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Public bodies slandering religious minorities: A wrong decision by the Osaka district court
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
Sierra Leone: Africa's high tolerance for other faiths
(Kate Hairsine, Deutsche Welle)
Canada: ‘No empty words’: Muslim Canadians use Ramadan to urge Gaza action
(Jillian Kestler-D'Amours, Al Jazeera)
Canada: Hate and harm: Rethinking dignity, dissent & equality in Canadian law
(Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University)
Rallies held around the globe for Tibetan Uprising Day
(Radio Free Asia)
China: Pastor John Cao’s first testimony after release
(China Aid)
Pakistan’s Christians still ‘living in fear’ after 2023 Punjab violence
(Anne Preckel, Vatican News)
Uzbekistan: “Protection of rights of artistic expression and other cultural rights and diversity in Uzbekistan” - International Expert Discussion was held at the Ilkhom Theater under EU-funded project
(Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan)
South Africa: Three Egyptian Coptic monks killed in S.Africa, Coptic Orthodox Church says
(Reuters)
Iran: USCIRF calls for accountability for Iran’s crimes against humanity
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Cuba: Virgin of Charity unites all Cubans — Catholics, Santeria followers, exiled and back on the island
(Luis Andres Henao and Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press)
Indigenous people rejoice after city of Berkeley votes to return sacred Native land to Ohlone
(Janie Har and Olga R. Rodriguez, Associated Press)
New York's removal of religious exemption from school vaccination requirement is upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Unexpected defeat of referendums shows growing power of Ireland’s traditional Catholics
(Daniel O'Connor, Religion News Service)
Transgender cases at SCOTUS
(Mark Rienzi, Mirror of Justice Blog)
Poll shows slight dip in US support for LGBTQ rights across religious groups
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)
Views on LGBTQ rights in all 50 states: findings from PRRI's 2023 American Values Atlas
(PRRI)
Spirituality, culture, and politics: A conversation with Andrew Prevot
(Andrew Prevot, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Ghana bishops oppose new anti-gay law passed by parliament
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Hong Kong: Cardinal Chow: Taoists and Christians can join hands to build harmonious society
(Joseph Tulloch and Devin Watkins, Vatican News)
Vatican engages Hong Kong, Taiwan in interfaith dialogue
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Pro-Palestinian protesters target Israeli president during opening of Dutch Holocaust museum
(Shira Li Bartov, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Affirmative action, religious liberty, and the freedom to discriminate
(Rachel F. Moran, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Bishops back pro-European Project candidates in upcoming EU elections
(Guillaume Daudé, La Croix International)
Religious objections to vaccines in Africa complicates cholera fight
(Cyril Zenda, Religion Unplugged)
Haiti on the brink: Did Evangelicals break the Caribbean nation?
(Warren Cole Smith, Religion Unplugged)
Faith sector's engagement with migrants, refugees for health and HIV services highlighted
(World Council of Churches)
Orientation session opens ecumenical participation at UN talks on women’s rights
(World Council of Churches)
EU Bishops in view of the 2024 elections: “For a responsible vote promoting Christian values and the European project”
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Notre Dame Religious Liberty Clinic supports Hindu organization’s freedom to use its property for religious practice
(University of Notre Dame Law School)
Brazil: Church must compensate employee called 'demoniated' (Portuguese)
(Eduardo Velozo Fuccia, Conjur)
Brazil: It is necessary to combat the “abusive use” of religion in politics, says Barroso (Portuguese)
(Gabriel Bandeira, Poder 360)
Sadiq Khan hails Jewish attendance at Ramadan Lights switch-on as sign of ‘hope’
(Justin Cohen, Jewish News)
UK government pledges funds to protect Muslim communities
(Mehmet Solmaz, Anadolu Agency)
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