Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Ecumenical officers share perspectives on peacebuilding in a world marked by conflicts
(World Council of Churches)
Cardinal Parolin urges Europe to renew its commitment to peace
(Vatican News)
Over 100 Christian organisations call on Europe to lead with courage on climate and energy transition
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Russia’s destruction of Ukrainians’ diverse religious identities in the Occupied Territories
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Turkey arrests 110 people for teaching ISIS ideology to children to Fund Networks
(VOI)
Bishop Joanne speaks on justice in maiden House of Lords Speech
(The Church of England)
Will Trump lead again in global religious freedom? opinion
(David Trimble and Thomas Farr, Washington Times)
Catholic ministries urge appeals court to block abortion-accommodation mandate
(Becket)
Four Cao Dai adherents arrested for documenting human rights abuses
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Iowa governor signs bills protecting medical conscience rights, students’ free speech, religious liberty
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
APCR, Jamaat acclaim reversal of hijab ban in Karnataka educational institutions
(Clarion India)
Bill banning egalitarian prayer at Western Wall bound to face serious legal challenges, warns gov't lawyer
(Judy Maltz, Haaretz)
Constitutional issues in the Unification Church dissolution case. 1. Revisiting the Aum Shinrikyo decision
(Bitter Winter)
Federalism would deepen Lebanon’s sectarian tensions
(Imad K. Harb, Arab Center Washington DC)
Chick-fil-A franchisee sued for religious discrimination after denying worker Saturdays off
(AOL)
Hundreds of teachers protest planned reform of religious education in Flanders
(Belga News Agency)
Pope Leo expresses ‘deep concern’ for future of Lebanon, calls for strengthening unity
(Almudena Martínez-Bordiú, EWTN News)
Freedom of religion in South Asia under pressure
(The European Times)
German teachers fear acting against religious tensions in migrant-majority classrooms
(Joakim Scheffer, Hungarian Conservative)
Desecration of Quran part of Zionist project: Yemeni leader
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
Thai-Cambodia tensions flare over temple ‘abuse’
(Terry Friel, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Vaccines, Religious Liberty, and the GVR As Doctrinal Signal
(Zalman Rothschild, Harvard Law Review)
What Happens When Buddhism Is Twinned With Political Power?
(Aatish Taseer, The New York Times)
Pakistani Shi’a in the UAE caught in the crosshairs oran War – analysis
(Eurasia Review)
Thai faith healer charged with rape, child abuse
(The Manila Times)
Vietnam, the new lung of the Church in Asia
(Francisco Otamendi, Omnes)
Sudan’s Islamists turn to Washington, Israeli channels in bid for political survival
(The Arab Weekly)
Monday, 18 May 2026
El-Sisi directs transforming Historic Cairo to global tourist destination, cultural landmark
(Egypt Today)
Erdogan’s Turkey has enabled the comeback of Kurdish Islamic terrorist network
(Abdullah Bozkurt, Nordic Monitor)
Detained, tortured and deported: Pakistani migrants recount UAE’s anti-Shia crackdown amid Iran war
(Mrrors)
Mass rallies in Al Hodeidah in defense of Holy Qur’an & in solidarity with Palestine & Lebanon
(Yemen News Agency)
Imprisoned scholars in Bahrain urge cessation of pressure on Shiites
(Shia Waves)
Imam Khamenei brought Ummah back to Islam: Bahrain’s top Shia cleric
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
Why is Islamic revival reshaping Central Asian societies and politics?
(News.AZ)
PACE urged to condemn Armenia's ruling party for drawing church into politics
(Panorama Armenia)
The enduring commitment of religious congregations to South Sudan’s recovery
(Christine Masivo, Vatican News)
Why is Sudan’s civil war threatening both human lives and the country’s religious heritage?
(News.AZ)
5 dead, including teen gunmen, at San Diego Islamic Center; hate motive probed
(Salvador Hernandez, Suhauna Hussain, Richard Winton and Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times)
Giggle v Tickle, the Federal Court Appeal- two steps back
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Thousands flocked to the National Mall in Washington for an America-themed prayer rally
(Tiffany Stanley, Associated Press)
Takeaways from AP’s report on Jalue Dorje, the US-born teenage Buddhist lama
(Luis Andres Henao, Associated Press)
Articles of interest - 18 May 2026
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Presidential message on the Feast of the Ascension
(The White House)
The US once led on religious freedom. This administration is dismantling that legacy. - opinion
(Jim McGovern, Religion News Service)
Orthodox rabbi at ‘Redicate 250’ rally: ‘Antisemitism is un-American’
(Philissa Cramer, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Catholic clergy can minister within ICE facility after a legal agreement
(Pooja Salhotra, New York Times)
The King's Speech 2026 (opposing antisemitism)
(GOV.UK)
Hijab disputes expose legal gap in faith-based schools
(Joseph Maina, Religion Unplugged)
The Bellwether’s work: Rachel Miner on why genocide is predictable — and preventable
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Crowd on Parliament Hill for national pro-life rally told 'Canada must do better'
(Brian Cox, National Post)
Russia: Religious issues and persecution – Bimonthly News Digest May 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Christian preacher arrested for street sermon has investigation dropped
(Cameron Henderson, The Telegraph)
Archbishop of Canterbury calls to 'make strangers neighbours' amid rising hostility
(The Church of England)
Myanmar: No redress for Rohingya Muslims in Arakan army massacre
(Human Rights Watch)
HHS announces restructuring of its Office for Civil Rights
(U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
Cornyn on new bill to bar aliens who support sharia law from United States
(John Cornyn, U.S. Senate)
Romania marks first National Day of Religious Freedom and contribution of religious denominations
(Aurelian Iftimiu, Basilica)
West Bengal ends religious allowances, introduces women's schemes
(India News Network)
Foreign Policy magazine hosts Muslim World League’s chief for talks on religion, global issues
(Arab News)
Air, Space forces revamp religious accommodations to align with Pentagon guidance
(Cristina Stassis, Military Times)
EEOC issues federal sector appellate decision finding unlawful discrimination in agency’s denial of religious accommodation to COVID-19 vaccine mandate
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
The case of the disappearing Christians of Yemen
(Azeem Ibrahim, Christian Daily)
‘Hindu order runs India’: Court declares another medieval mosque a temple
(Al Jazeera)
CoHNA partners with San Jose Police and Santa Clara DA Office to host Suraksha — a community education event
(Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA))
Friday, 15 May 2026
Muslim group presses NZ police over mosque arson probe transparency
(Muslim Network TV)
Cuba maintains poor religious freedom conditions
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Quran memorization office opens in Egypt’s Sinai
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
Iraqi court rules in favour of Christian woman challenging Muslim religion status
(Obianuju Mbah, Christian Today)
Case against Gülen-linked New York school fuels concerns of Turkey’s transnational repression in US
(Stockholm Center for Freedom)
Halki and the Adana's church-library: the (uncertain) future of Turkey’s Christian heritage
(PIME Asia News)
Catholic ministries in Bangladesh face new challenges from Islamic extremists
(Stephan Uttom Rozario, America: The Jesuit Review)
East African Court case filed: Christian communities in DRC left unable to worship after targeted attacks on churches, charities
(ADF International)
Threats to religious freedom in Somalia
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Religious freedom and rule of law in Syria
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Iraqi national arrested and charged with providing material support to Iranian-backed terrorist organizations and directing attacks targeting U.S. citizens and interests
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Australia bans a neo-Nazi network under new law that criminalizes hate groups
(Charlotte Graham-McLay, Associated Press)
4th Circuit upholds exclusion of theology and religion majors from Virginia's college tuition grant program
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Defendant pleads guilty to damaging the Brooklyn headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Advocate says sentence of Egyptian Coptic scholar has created a ‘chilling effect’ on Christians
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Trump’s ‘Shabbat 250’ proclamation divides America’s Jews ahead of National Mall prayer rally
(Jackie Hajdenberg, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
French Senate rejects assisted dying bill; Christian groups urge lawmakers to uphold decision
(Chris Eyte, Christian Daily)
Statement of the UCCRO on the new crimes against humanity committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine
(Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO))
Archbishop Sarah pledges solidarity with the Jewish community during visit to Sternberg Centre for Judaism
(The Archbishop of Canterbury)
Churches called to remember refugees who died at European borders
(Conference of European Churches)
Chinese authorities arrest six Christians over children’s Sunday school classes
(China Aid)
KAICIID and the Organization of Ibero-American States sign memorandum of understanding to advance dialogue, education and social cohesion across the Ibero-American region
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
From vision to action: KAICIID gathers Europe's changemakers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Israel’s death penalty law: “Jewish and Democratic”?
(Ori Aronson, Talk About: Law and Religion - Blog of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies)
Expanding religious freedom through self-regulation: A joint convening of ACRL and Religions for Peace
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Karnataka government withdraws 2022 hijab ban order in educational institutes, permits 'limited' religious symbols
(Times of India)
Jordan condemns Israeli far-right minister storming of Aqsa Mosque
(The Jordan Times)
China: Religious persecution and issues – bimonthly digest May 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
‘Protect us from the perils of division and hatred’ – Bishops’ prayer for nation
(The Church of England)
How Americans feel about religion’s influence in government and public life
(Chip Rotolo and Gregory A. Smith, Pew Research Center)
SCOTUS to hear religious preschool funding bias
(Erika Navarrete Nagle, The Hill)
The government shouldn’t be organizing prayer for America 250
(Annie Laurie Gaylor, The Hill)
Disputed Bhojshala site is temple of Goddess Saraswati: Madhya Pradesh High Court
(Ravish Pal Singh, India Today)
EEOC sues Hatch Trick, Inc. for religious discrimination
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
Thailand: What happens when Buddhism is twinned with political power?
(Aatish Taseer, New York Times)
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