Law and Religion Headlines

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Wednesday, 13 May 2026

CAIR Md. applauds Rep. Raskin’s forceful Defense of religious freedom during heated Congressional ‘Anti-Sharia’ hearing
(Council on American-Islamic Relations)

Catholic diocese fights Trump administration plan to seize pilgrimage site for border wall
(Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Religion News Service)

Kemp signs Georgia bill criminalizing clergy sexual abuse
(Mark A. Kellner, Religion Unplugged)

Parents tell 10th Circuit boarding their children with trans students violates their religious freedom
(Joe Duhownik, Courthouse News Service)

41% of Muslim youths in Vienna place sharia above Austrian law
(Zoltán Kottász, The European Conservative)

Christian woman wins legal challenge against Muslim designation in Iraq’s official database
(ADF International)

Egypt’s family law reforms expose the limits of sectarian citizenship
(Christin El-Kholy, New Lines Magazine)

Karasu: Democratic integration doesn't mean denying Kurdish identity
(Hawar newse)

UAE, Syrian religious authorities hold talks in Damascus to promote moderate fatwas, unity
(Gulf News)

Inside the Houthis’ ideology: How do they view the United States?
(Mahmoud Shehrah, Homeland Security Today)

Madhya Pradesh and the crisis of religious freedom
(Ranjan Solomon, Counter Currents)

Right to Freedom of Religion cannot be breached in the name of social reform: SC in Sabarimala case
(Press Trust of India)

India’s anti-conversion laws betray Constitution’s promise of religious freedom
(Harsh Mander, Scroll.in)

Looking heavenward for unity and harmony
(Alden Pua, Ke Alaka'i)

Thailand prepares nationwide royal and religious events for major 2026 commemorations
(Pattaya Mail)

Vietnam simplifies procedures under revised Law on Belief and Religion
(Tran Thuong, Vietnam Net Global)

State restrictions on religious freedom in Saudi Arabia
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Israel's government is expected to collapse over ultra-Orthodox military draft
(Daniel Estrin, NPR)

Can the Middle East learn how to respect religious freedom from Kurdistan?
(Christian Today)

Soros’ Open Society Foundations commit $30M to groups fighting antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate
(James Pollard, Associated Press)

Federal employees sue USDA secretary over Christian messaging
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)

Georgian Orthodox Church elects new leader at fraught time for the influential institution
(David I. Klein, Religion News Service)

Three tribal church leaders killed in Manipur ambush
(The Hindu)

Can the state force religious preschools to promote other religions?
(Denise Harle, SCOTUSblog)

Bulgarian Patriarch attends Opening Session of the 52nd National Assembly
(Orthodox Times)

Liquor ban debate intensifies in J&K amid political sparring, growing calls for prohibition
(Fayaz Wani, New Indian Express)

WCC contributes to KAICIID fellows programme exploring interreligious learning and coexistence in Ethiopia
(World Council of Churches)

General Secretaries of EU Episcopates gather in Brussels and meet with EP Vice-President Sberna
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

Cape Verde: Holy See and Cape Verde deepen a 50-year diplomatic partnership as Archbishop Gallagher unpacks the soul of papal diplomacy
(Catholic Information Service for Africa)

Letter: Extend the Special Rapporteur's mandate, move the accountability agenda forward
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)

Pastors and political leaders are ‘praying for Maine’
(Sean Scott, The Maine Monitor)

A Christian nation? At 250, America is still fighting over what that means
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

White House to host 9-hour prayer festival focused on Christian roots of U.S.
(Michelle Boorstein, Laura Meckler and Natalie Allison, The Washington Post)

US must address China’s escalating war on religion
(Sam Brownback, The Hill)

Tuesday, 12 May 2026

EVENT, 12 May 2026: Brussels Family Policy Exchange & 2026 European Family Values Award
(European Union & International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Sutherland Institute)

Monday, 11 May 2026

Delegated violence: Jihadist organizations and the strategic logic of small wars
(Sami Daoud, Small Wars Journal)

Turkey may reopen historic Greek Orthodox seminary closed for over 50 years
(Stella Mazonakis, Greek City Times)

EU urges protection of religious symbols after incident in S. Lebanon
(MENA FN)

Terrorists, not religion, behind killings in Nigeria — German commissioner
(Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Leadership Nigeria)

One small country set the model for reintegrating ISIS families from Syria. Here’s what Australia can learn
(Helen Stenger, The Conversation)

Preserving social bonds amid mental illness
(Oman Observer)

EVENT, 20-21 May 2026: Dare to Overcome, 7th National Faith @ Work Conference (Washington, DC, USA)
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)

China codifies and escalates its policy on the “sinicization of religion”
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

USCIRF urges President Trump to nominate an Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Israeli troops get prison for desecration of Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon
(Julia Frankel, Associated Press)

Rejecting church and state separation is on the wish list for Trump’s religious liberty commission
(Peter Smith, Associated Press)

Nebraska Supreme Court rules on non-custodial parent's right to influence children's religious upbringing
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Articles of interest - 11 May 2026
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Black clergy strategize, preach and urge election turnout after Voting Rights Act gutting
(Adelle M. Banks and Fiona André, Religion News Service)

In new signature drive, Filipino Church breaks bonds of political dynasties
(Paterno R. Esmaquel II, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Religion steers Bengal politics in Bangladesh, India — again
(Anupam Deb Kanunjna, Deutsche Welle)

Labour politician is booed as thousands rally against antisemitism in London
(Philissa Cramer, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The US urgently needs a confirmed ambassador for religious freedom
(Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, The Hill)

Open call for evidence: Independent review into antisemitism
(GOV.UK)

Norway’s FoRB policy sets a global standard
(Robert Johnson, The European Times)

Man charged with disturbing place of worship after allegedly making threats at north Brisbane mosque
(Sarah Richards, ABC News Australia)

Cleric slams arrest of Shia scholars in Bahrain
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))

Land rights and mining: WCC, CWM demand reform in Africa
(World Council of Churches)

Europe Day: COMECE president urges EU to rediscover its founding spirit
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))

Germany: UN called upon to investigate Germany’s “religious screening” in EU tenders
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Iran: Religious persecution and issues – Monthly Digest April 2026
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Iraq: Religious minorities in Kurdistan discussed at the European Parliament
(Awring Shaways, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

When regulation becomes repression: The expanding question of state power in India
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Church leaders launch Mapping Migration report on Europe
(Chris Eyte, Christian Daily)

Morrisey defends religious vaccine exemptions in W.Va. Supreme Court filing
(Steven Allen Adams, WV News)

Villagers call for Fiji to be recognised as Christian state
(Sosiveta Korobiau, Fiji Sun)

Legislation to shut down illegal places of worship passes parliament
(NSW Government)

USAG Rheinland-Pfalz dedicates Sembach Chapel, strengthens spiritual readiness
(Mary Del Rosario, U.S. Army)

Theocratic visions and liberal vacuums: Iran’s crisis of meaning
(Religion Unplugged)

Vatican's Vesak message calls on Buddhists and Christians to become “artisans of peace”
(Francesca Merlo, Vatican News)

Vatican official making rare trip to Taiwan for Buddhist charity celebrations
(Reuters)

In unanimous Jewish American Heritage Month statement, Republican governors denounce rising antisemitism, reiterate solidarity with Israel
(Combat Antisemitism Movement)

Muslim solidarity is “sign of hope” in Mozambique, says bishop
(Paulo Aido, Aid to the Church in Need)

Japan’s Muslim residents face increasing barriers to Islamic burial
(Muslim Network TV)

Bosnian Serb jailed for wartime killing of Muslims
(TRT World)

When regulation becomes repression: The expanding question of state power in India
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Friday, 8 May 2026

EVENT, 7-8 May 2026: FORB and the European Union (Leuven, Belgium)
(Institute for the Study of Freedom of Religion or Belief, ETF Leuven)

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS, deadline 8 May 2026: Clinical Program 2026/2027 (Kraków)
(Centre for Law and Religious Freedom, Jagiellonian University)

Retired pastor guilty of abortion buffer zone breach
(Maria McCann, BBC)

Anti-Christian incidents April 2026
(Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe)

Aides cite friendly meeting as Rubio aims to mend U.S. ties with Pope Leo
(Anthony Faiola, Stefano Pitrelli and Adam Taylor, The Washington Post)

Court orders CAIR Muslim group to surrender donor records
(Liz Lykins, The Sift)

Lebanese army intelligence arrests man over alleged sectarian incitement and insults to religious and state figures
(LBC International)

How Dubai strengthens social cohesion through interfaith partnerships
(Tricia Gajitos, Gulf News)

Decolonising Sudan in the political imagination
(Muhammad Elamin, Islamic Human Rights Commission)

North Africa signals new openings for Jews as Morocco weighs citizenship reform, Tunisia sees pilgrimage return
(Ailin Vilches Arguello, The Algemeiner)

Uganda arrests 62 Nigerians over alleged illegal religious activities, immigration breaches
(Leah Ndagi, Leadership)

Sultan dismisses Islamisation claims, urges religious literacy for national unity
(Collins Nnabuife, Nigerian Tribune)

Freedom of belief and religion in Vietnam cannot be distorted - Op-ed
(Vietnam Plus)

Nonstate violators of religious freedom in Nigeria: Fulani militants
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Finnish MP to appeal ‘hate speech’ conviction to Strasbourg
(Javier Villamor, The European Conservative)

Islamic militants attack Congo villages near Uganda, killing 40 people, local group says
(Jean-Yves Kamale, Associated Press)

Israel indicts Jewish man accused of attacking Christian nun in Jerusalem
(Melanie Lidman, Associated Press)

Presidential message on National Day of Prayer
(The White House)

Foreign visitors return to Jewish pilgrimage in Tunisia under tight security
(Khaled Nasraoui and Ghaya Ben Mbarek, Associated Press)

Do Jews have a future in Europe? A historian of antisemitism has her doubts.
(Andrew Silow-Carroll, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Yeshivas celebrate after Hochul says NY will opt into federal school choice tax credit
(Jewish News)

Man who firebombed a demonstration in Colorado, killing 1, is sentenced to life in prison
(Mead Gruver, Associated Press)

Balancing Article 8 rights and educational need in planning law: R (ELY)
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Freedom of religion and belief in Afghanistan
(John T. Pinna and Emily Hilliard, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)

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