Law and Religion Headlines

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Wednesday, 31 May 2023

Bill to make Diwali federal holiday in the US introduced
(Arul Louis, South Asia Monitor)

Jordan’s churches approve law on equal inheritance for Christian women
(Daoud Kuttab, Christianity Today)

EEOC sues Triple Canopy, Inc. for religious discrimination and retaliation
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC))

Law enforcement and faith leaders eye a proactive approach to hate crimes
(Sean Higgins, KUER 90.1)

New Jersey medical group settles religious discrimination claims
(Bloomberg Law)

The Kentucky Court of Appeals tackles religious property tax exemptions
(Rachael High Chamberlain and Kenny Schwalbert, Lexology)

Understanding Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders and their views
(Madelyn Snodgrass, PRRI)

Uganda’s president signs repressive anti-LGBT law
(Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, Human Rights Watch)

Yemen: Houthis forcibly disappear Baha’is
(Human Rights Watch)

India: Investigate police bias alleged in Manipur violence
(Human Rights Watch)

Delegation of European churches meets Swedish EU Presidency
(Conference of European Churches)

Politics as a form of social friendship
(Ryan Service, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

"Little Tibet": Positioning Ladakh as a Homeland for Tibetan Buddhism in India
(Elizabeth Williams-Oerberg, Project MUSE)

Nepal raises concerns to the US over religious freedom report in diplomatic note
(Asim Khan, BNN)

IGE announces leadership transition
(Institute for Global Engagement)

Registration, recognition, and freedom of religion or belief
(Brandon Reece Taylorian and Marco Ventura, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)

Accommodating Non-Muslim Rights: Legal Arguments and Legal Principles in the Islamic Jurisprudence of the Indonesian Supreme Court in the Post-New Order Era
(Muhammad Lutfi Hakim and Khoiruddin Nasution, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)

Cogency, Seriousness, Cohesion, and Importance: Assessing the Strasbourg Case-Law on Religion or Belief
(Tim Wolff, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion)

8 killed in northern Cameroon by Boko Haram fighters, regional official says
(Edwin Kindzeka Moki, Associated Press)

“Violent acts”: Armed Houthis attack Bahá’í gathering in Yemen, arresting at least 17, in fresh crackdown
(Bahá’í World News Service)

Italy: Media’s role in fostering social cohesion
(Bahá’í World News Service)

Nexus of Religion and Immigration: Islamicized and Securitized
(Jocelyne Cesari, Oxford University Press)

Pakistani Christians just ask fair treatment, leaders say
(John Burger, Aleteia)

Cuba: Here’s the most important thing Catholic bishops in Cuba should not concede to the regime
(Teo A. Babun, Miami Herald)

World religions to share values and knowledge at COP28
(Vatican News)

Ministerial exception and RFRA defenses rejected in suit over firing of Bible translation company IT employee
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

The Roberts Court takes aim at the Establishment Clause
(David Schultz, The Hill)

Israel Foreign Ministry to boycott event focused on spitting attacks against Christians
(Barak Ravid , author of Axios from Tel Aviv, Axios)

Brazil: Reject harmful bill on Indigenous rights
(Human Rights Watch)

Monday, 29 May 2023

Not just Israel’s Ben-Gvir: A new Al-Aqsa provocation is rising
(Eliyahu Freedman, Al Jazeera)

Jewish settlers erect religious school in evacuated West Bank outpost after Israel repeals ban
(Associated Press)

Orthodox Jews demonstrate against Christian 'missionaries' at Western Wall
(Zvika Klein, The Jerusalem Post)

Spain grants historic tax exemption to Jehovah’s Witnesses
(Jehovah's Witnesses)

Bill requiring Ten Commandments in Texas classrooms fails in House after missing crucial deadline
(Robert Downen, The Texas Tribune)

Al-Shabab terrorists target African Union army base in Somalia
(Daily Sabah)

The Moscow Mechanism Expert Report on the Forcible Transfer and Deportation of Ukrainian Children
(Veronika Bilkova, Cecilie Hellestveit and Elīna Šteinerte, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)

American evangelism and complementarianism: authority and abuse
(Jennifer McKinney, OUPblog: Religion)

Charges reduced for ‘Indigenous Peoples 5’ in toppling of Junipero Serra statue
(Alejandra Molina, Religion News Service)

Fourth Circuit: Church seeking to operate as brewery or farm winery did not state RLUIPA claim
(Evan Seeman and Ryan Hoyler, RLUIPA Defense Blog)

Iran: ‘We use money that could feed hungry Muslims to restore Christian churches’ – tourism minister
(Article 18)

Religious leaders commitment to building trust and joint action on peace and security in Mombasa County
(Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK))

Nigeria should release prisoner accused of blasphemy
(Katrina Lantos Swett, Real Clear Politics)

Around the web - 29 May 2023
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)

Deputy cleared in traffic-stop baptism
(David Wells, Courthouse News Service)

Casteless utopia: California religious group backs bill to ban caste discrimination
(Deepa Bharath, Associated Press)

US: Chinese agents paid bribes in plot to disrupt anti-communist Falun Gong movement
(Michael R. Sisak, Associated Press)

1st Circuit: Free Exercise claim by Maine healthcare workers over COVID mandate may move forward
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Articles of interest - 29 May 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Connecticut legislature absolves those tried for witchcraft in 17th century
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

DeSantis’ spiritual-warrior style a bid for support from like-minded pastors
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

Faith at Work conference builds momentum on religious inclusion in workplace
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)

God, Moses and the rule of law
(Joe Lieberman, The Wall Street Journal)

Two forms of Catholic nationalism
(James M. Patterson, Law & Liberty)

Islamic Center of England closed down by order of charity regulator
(Press TV)

Law and religion round-up – 28th May
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

HRWF calls upon the UN, EU and OSCE for Turkey to stop deportation of 103 Ahmadis
(Willy Fautré, The European Times)

Being a Turk and a Christian at the same time? You can't do that in Turkey
(Christian Network Europe)

European Muslim Forum backs Erdoğan in Turkish runoff
(Daily Sabah)

Sri Lanka to introduce law against religious slander on social media
(The Times of India)

Sri Lanka arrests stand-up comedian for insulting Buddhism
(Union of Catholic Asian News)

Amid repatriation attempts, OIC chief visits Rohingya in Bangladeshi camps
(Md Kamruzzaman and SM Najmus Sakib, Anadolu Agency)

The Department of State and the drama of religious liberty in Japan
(Massimo Introvigne, The Washington Times)

Taiwan: The U.S. State Department Report focuses on religious property law
(Zsuzsa-Anna Ferenczcy, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Pluralistic Islamic religious education: A vision for Indonesia
(Abdul Mu’ti, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

Measuring subnational variation in freedom of religion or belief violations: Reflections on a path forward
(Jason Klocek and Dennis P. Petri, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

Revisiting religious freedom as a national security lens: The case of China
(Eric Patterson, Piper Smith and Linda Kamau, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

Can we have religious freedom and social harmony?
(Dennis R. Hoover, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

Clergy as first responders: Rethinking leadership in religion and peacebuilding
(Gladys Ganiel, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

Religious communitarianism, covenants, and liberal theory: On the political thought of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
(Nahshon Perez, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

Is interreligious dialogue in international relations “dialogue-washing” for authoritarian regimes? An exploration of KAICIID and ICCS as track 1.5 diplomacy
(Paul Hedges, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

China’s religious diplomacy for its Belt and Road Initiative: A review and assessment
(Juyan Zhang, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

The effectiveness of freedom of religion or belief as a framework in international relations: The case of Uyghur Muslims and other religious minorities in Xinjiang, China
(David Garciandía Igal, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

Indonesia’s fragmented responses to international pressure during the 2016–2017 blasphemy case
(Rizky Alif Alvian, The Review of Faith & International Affairs)

Brazil: Religious freedom at risk in business (Portuguese)
(Cristiano Stefenoni, Comunhão)

Brazil: It has never been so urgent to face religious intolerance (Portuguese)
(Magali Cunha, Carta Capital)

Saturday, 27 May 2023

EVENT, 27 May 2023 (9.00 h): 1º Fórum de Liberdade Religiosa (Fortaleza)
(Assembleia Legislativa do Estado do Ceará)

Friday, 26 May 2023

Some worshippers switching congregations amid United Methodist split over LGBTQ issues
(Peter Smith and Holly Meyer, Associated Press)

What is Christian nationalism, anyway?
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)

Pope sends Vatican official to Bolivia as abuse allegations escalate
(Carlos Valdez, Associated Press)

Catholic clergy sexually abused Illinois kids far more often than church acknowledged, state finds
(Michael Tarm and Kathleen Foody, Associated Press)

New Mexican Spanish, a unique American dialect, survives mostly in prayers
(Giovanna Dell Orto, Associated Press)

Happy birthday, Buddha! Why the founder of Buddhism has so many different birthdays around the world
(Megan Bryson, The Conversation)

Shavuot: The Jewish holiday that became all about children
(Laura Yares, The Conversation)

IRFBA statement on Christians
(U.S. Department of State)

IRFBA Chair’s statement on the arbitrary detention of Reverend Dr Hkalam Samson
(International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA), U.S. Department of State)

The U.S. strategy for international religious engagement: 10 years on
(Peter Mandaville and Julia Schiwal, The United States Institute of Peace)

MP introduces urgent legislation for accountability in Canada’s security agencies
(Steven Zhou, Canada's National Observer)

Revictimization in the search for a solution to conflicts related to religious freedom
(Pablo Vargas, FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)

Mosque in Germany gets letter with neo-Nazi threats
(Ayhan Simsek, Anadolu Agency)

Religious persecution at the far edge of India
(Knox Thames, The Diplomat)

The crisis in Manipur has been brewing: Depths of discord in northeastern India
(Martin Macwan, South Asia Monitor)

India: Atal Behari Vajpayee: The man who made Hindu nationalist politics acceptable
(Soutik Biswas, BBC News)

Sacred Spheres: Religious Autonomy as an International Human Right
(Diana V. Thomson and Kayla A. Toney, Catholic University Law Review)

New book: Fatwa and the Making and Renewal of Islamic Law: From the Classical Period to the Present
(Omer Awass, Cambridge University Press)

Blasphemy laws in Nigeria
(UK Parliament)

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Releases First-Ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism
(The White House)

Universal Periodic Review – the UK’s status as a human rights champion could be under threat
(Marcial Boo, Equality and Human Rights Commission)

Travel to Brazil, Suriname, and Guyana
(Twitter, Office of International Religious Freedom)

Chechen leader slams Quran-burning incident in Volgograd as outrageous
(TASS)

Russia acknowledges Vatican peace initiative, says no steps yet for a mission to Moscow
(Paolo Santalucia and Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)

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