Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 3 May 2023
Are some human rights more important than others? Religious freedom advocates often put it first
(Laura E. Alexander, The Conversation)
Indonesia: All religions elevate human dignity: Istiqlal Grand Imam
(Antara News)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 3 May 2023 (8:30AM in Arizona): Religion, Property Law, and the Crisis of Houses of Worship
(CSLR and Canopy Forum)
Rampant jihadists are spreading chaos and misery in the Sahel
(The Economist)
India reopens its Khalistan wounds
(Alishan Jafri, Coda Media)
Misinformation on India's Muslim population fuels Islamophobia
(Daily Sabah)
With staunch religious and political opposition, will same-sex marriage be accepted in conservative India?
(Annika Burgess, ABC News Australia)
The demolition of dissent in India
(Tusha Mittal, Coda Media)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 3 May 2023: PeaceCon 2023: Beyond Fragile Ground
(The United States Institute of Peace)
NGOs file UN petition to free Nigerian humanist Mubarak Bala on the 3rd anniversary of his arrest
(Freedom House)
The Bible and us: Canadians and their relationship with scripture
(Andrew P.W. Bennett, Cardus)
Muslim mayor blocked from White House Eid celebration
(Aamer Madhani, Associated Press)
Christian banned from Türkiye brings case before European Court of Human Rights
(ADF International)
Turkish singer sentenced over joke on religious schools
(Deutsche Welle)
In centennial year, Turkish voters will choose between Erdoğan’s conservative path and the founder’s modernist vision
(Ahmet T. Kuru, The Conversation)
Decimated Daesh: How Türkiye helped take down terror group's leaders
(TRT World)
Repression of women points to worsening religious freedom trends abroad
(Nury Turkel and Abraham Cooper, Religion News Service)
Kenya: Will calls for tough laws on religious leaders succeed this time?
(Victor Abuso, The Africa Report)
WCC interview: Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen, general secretary of the Conference of European Churches
(YouTube Video, World Council of Churches)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest April 16 – 30
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia: In March-April, 12 Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to 76 years in prison in all
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Vatican No 2 confirms Russia-Ukraine peace mission plans
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
US Supreme Court won’t take up Indiana’s abortion burial law
(Tom Davies, Associated Press)
Clergy sue federal penitentiary to obtain physical contact with death row inmates
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Sign permit did not infringe 1st Amendment rights of anti-abortion protester
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Bills promoting religion in public schools are advancing in the Texas legislature
(Don Byrd, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Religious violence can feel like a faraway problem. It’s not
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Faith leaders ask Biden to mark Mother’s Day with prayer day against gun violence
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Religious freedom commission calls out violations in Iran, China, elsewhere
(Susan Crabtree, Real Clear Politics)
China is blocking Tibetan monks and writers from spreading religious content online
(Radio Free Asia)
The long road to confronting China’s war on religion: Part I
(Carl M. Cannon and Susan Crabtree, Real Clear Politics)
Court postpones consideration of Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery's lawsuit until June
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Jews, Muslims, Sikhs get coronation role as king reaches out
(Danica Kirka, Associated Press)
Public Order Act 2023
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Ecclesiastical court judgments – April 2023
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Conference essay: Religious covenants on former church property
(Patrick E. Reidy, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Conference essay: Pluralism and the future of religious property
(Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Conference essay: Houses of worship after closure and sale: Recognizing the enduring ‘readability’ of religious meaning
(Angela C. Carmella, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Conference essay: Closing congregations: On the hunt for patterns
(Wendy Cadge, Muna Güvenç, Feigele Lechtchiner, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Conference essay: A new vision for American houses of worship
(Thomas Frank and Rick Reinhard, Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Book review: A land of faith and liberty
(James Bruce, Law & Liberty)
The Iraqi government launches data collection to create a digital "database" on Christian communities
(Agenzia Fides)
Celebrating World Press Freedom Day, and religious freedom
(Paul Marshall, Religious Freedom Institute)
World Press Freedom Day: 10 reasons why press freedom is vital for interreligious and intercultural dialogue
(KAICIID Dialogue Centre)
Hate speech bill advances in Ireland amid fears it would silence J.K. Rowling and the Church
(Kevin J. Jones, Catholic News Agency)
Swedish ecologist revives old Norse myths and rituals to tackle environmental crises
(Meara Sharma, Religion Unplugged)
Feds tell Catholic hospital to blow out sanctuary candle or face penalties
(Becket)
Feds to Catholic hospital: Douse chapel candle or lose health care payments
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
HK bishop clarifies ‘loving one’s country and Church’ remark
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Bangladeshi bishop deplores vandalism of Hindu temples
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
WCC sends greetings to meeting of Hindus and Christians in Europe
(World Council of Churches)
Mgr. Crociata’s keynote speech on Christian values and politics at EPP Workshop in Vienna
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Young delegates of the EU Bishops’ Conferences discuss the role of youth in fostering the European project
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
The European Sunday Alliance advocates for including fight against loneliness in the EU agenda
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
Rep. Raskin introduces resolution to recognize a National Day of Reason
(Congressman Jamie Raskin)
Norwegian Jehovah's Witnesses lose temporary right to marry couples
(Christian Network Europe)
Erica Lizza | An Interview with David Trimble | IRF Summit RFI Profiles
(YouTube Video, Religious Freedom Institute)
Stanford law school’s groundbreaking religious liberty clinic celebrates milestone anniversary
(Monica Schreiber, Stanford Law School)
EEOC Sues Mercy Health St. Mary’s for Religious Discrimination
(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC))
Tuesday, 2 May 2023
HYBRID EVENT, 2 May 2023 (12PM CEST): Waves of Harm and Hope: Faith Communities addressing the historic and present economic inequities and injustices affecting People of African Descent
(World Council of Churches)
Monday, 1 May 2023
Asian perspectives on human dignity
(The Human Dignity Initiative)
USCIRF releases 2023 annual report highlighting worsening religious freedom conditions around the world
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
US religious freedom panel again recommends India for blacklist
(Al Jazeera)
Iran, 27 other countries critiqued by watchdog for religious freedom violations
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Religious freedom commission calls on Blinken to admonish China, Nicaragua, others
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
USCIRF releases new report on abuses against Fulani Muslim civilians
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT, application deadline 1 May 2023: Accountability for Religious Freedom Violations Globally
(Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State)
EVENT, 1 May 2023 (New date and forum) (9AM ET): 2023 Annual Report: Key Findings and Recommendations
(United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Iran: religious persecution and issues – Monthly digest April
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Treasury sanctions senior Iranian officials overseeing violent protest suppression and censorship
(U.S. Department of the Treasury)
Misinformation, hate speech and ethno-religious tensions in Myanmar
(Arthur Klark and Gabriela Sagun, The United States Institute of Peace)
Statement from the Muslim World League on Islamophobia
(Muslim World League)
Iran: Security forces kill, torture, abuse children
(Human Rights Watch)
France: Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
(Human Rights Watch)
The UK: Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
(Human Rights Watch)
Mozambique legalizes militia to fight insurgency in north
(Nirvaly Mooloo, Human Rights Watch)
Afghanistan special envoys should hold firm line on rights
(Patricia Gossman, Human Rights Watch)
Thailand: Detained Uyghur asylum seeker dies
(Human Rights Watch)
Afghan women urge against foreign recognition of Taliban in protest
(Daily Sabah)
District school board in Canada adopts anti-Islamophobia program
(Daily Sabah)
Muslims faced brunt of Netherlands' religious inequity in 2022
(Daily Sabah)
Muslim minors in US targeted by Islamophobic discrimination
(Daily Sabah)
Taliban kill Daesh leader behind Kabul airport attack: White House
(Daily Sabah)
Palestinians, Israelis attend iftar in West Bank to boost dialogue
(Daily Sabah)
Report says Islamophobia on the rise in Canada, women more vulnerable
(TRT World)
Erdoğan says Turkish forces killed ISIL chief in Syria
(Hurriyet Daily News)
France takes flak at United Nations over racism, police violence
(Daily Sabah)
How the Telugu immigrant community is instilling their culture in the next generation
(NPR)
Second Chance Month: The Church and incarcerated individuals go together
(Carmelle Norice-Tra, The Christian Post)
Egypt frees Al Jazeera journalist Hisham Abdel Aziz after four years
(Raffi Berg, BBC News)
Pastor Paul Mackenzie: What did the starvation cult leader preach?
(Peter Mwai, Deka Barrow, and Rose Njoroge, BBC News)
France under fire at UN for police violence, racial and religious discrimination
(France 24)
Uganda: Catholic lawyers set to start Peace and Technology University in Karamoja
(The Independent)
Supreme Myths podcast with Michael Helfand
(Hosted by Georgia State College of Law professor Eric Segall)
Photos of the Week: Kenyan cult deaths; Francis in Hungary
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
“For the Betterment of the World”: Publication sees release of new edition at International Convention
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Russia: The termination of SOVA – Final blow to civil society?
(Forum for Religious Freedom-Europe)
How lesser-known religions have protected religious freedom for all
(Freedom Forum)
Canada: Alberta invites halal finance to its sandbox
(James Langton, Investment Executive)
Court calls for fuller explanation for denying religious exemption from covid vaccine mandate
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Email Subscription
The International Center for Law and Religion Studies maintains a Law and Religion Headlines service covering news about freedom of religion or belief internationally. All interested may subscribe to this service, free of charge, using the link below.
Subscribe