Law and Religion Headlines
Friday, 16 December 2022
VIRTUAL EVENT, 21 December 2022 (3PM in Beijing): Religions and Ecological Civilization – Harmonious Coexistence between Humans and Nature
(China Committee on Religions and Peace (CCRP) and Religions for Peace)
Texas nurse sues VA over abortion provision rule, wants religious exemption
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Indonesian ex-minister faces jail for insulting Buddhism
(Katharina R. Lestari, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Russia: Three Jehovah’s Witnesses: Guilty, guilty, then acquitted but maybe guilty again
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Ukraine: Orthodox Church/ Moscow Patriarchate and their clerics under fire
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
In the news: Breaking religious freedom stories across the country - 16 December 2022
(First Liberty)
RFI’s Ismail Royer speaks at rally on 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis
(Religious Freedom Institute)
For Mideast Christians, this is not 'the most wonderful time of the year'
(Andrew Bennett and Richard Marceau, National Post)
Ban on worship services during pandemic was illegal, says German court
(Christian Network Europe)
‘I will not beat other people; I am a Christian’ – Cuba’s new criminal code outlaws freedom of conscience
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Thursday, 15 December 2022
VIRTUAL EVENT, 15 December 2022 (13:00 GMT): "Together with URI" Global Community Call: Human Rights
(United Religions Initiative)
WEBINAR, 15 December 2022 (10AM EST): Interreligious Perspectives on Peace and Development: A Conversation with Jeffrey Sachs
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Assault in Toronto mosque highlights alarming rise of Islamophobia in Canada
(Middle East Eye)
Canada: B.C. mom loses appeal arguing Indigenous smudging ceremony infringed on children's religious freedom
(Todd Coyne, CTV News)
Canadian court says school demonstration of indigenous rituals did not violate religious freedom
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
VIRTUAL HEARING: 14 December 2022 (10:30AM ET): China’s Religious Freedom Violations: Domestic Repression and Malign Influence Abroad
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
WEBINAR, 14 December 2022 (1PM in Rome): Global Food Crisis and the Responses – A comprehensive update and discussion
(World Council of Churches and the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples' Mechanism)
Missouri man pleads guilty to federal hate crime and arson charges for burning down Islamic center
(U.S. Department of Justice)
Statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on inter-agency group to counter antisemitism
(The White House)
Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris at signing of H.R. 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act
(The White House)
Religious freedom is for everyone: Europe’s top human rights court condemns Bulgaria for discriminating against Christians
(ADF International)
Pakistan: "Conversion without consent": a plague for Pakistani society
(Agenzia Fides)
Religion and Foreign Policy Webinar: Religious freedom and U.S. national security
(YouTube Video, Council on Foreign Relations)
Nicaragua orders bishop to remain under house arrest
(Associated Press)
Ohio public school teacher forced to resign for declining to ‘put religious beliefs aside’
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Ministerial exception doctrine applies categorically to hostile work environment claims
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
After 50 years, ‘liberation theology’ is still reshaping Catholicism and politics – but what is it?
(Leo Guardado, The Conversation)
A mezuzah on the ambassador’s doorpost: The first Jew in the job reflects on a year in Argentina
(Jacob Kornbluh, Forward)
Biden Administration again keeps Nigeria off religious freedom watchlist
(Sean Nelson, Real Clear Religion)
Bulgarian Orthodox Church recognized the Serbian pseudo-tomos of Church in Republic of North Macedonia
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Azerbaijan: Two women fined for religious work with children
(Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Cardinal Parolin: Europe must recover the "Spirit of Helsinki"
(Vatican News)
Church becomes "permanent partner" in Colombia peace talks
(Marguerite de Lasa, La Croix International)
With Warnock’s win, Democrats eye faith as a pathway to victory in the South
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Biden administration gives up the fight over gender identity workplace rules
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Intergenerational perspectives on faith and biodiversity
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
North Dakota A.G.: Teacher training funds program open to teachers at private (including religious) schools
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
2022 G20 Interfaith Forum contributes to global voices aimed at sustainable existence
(World Council of Churches)
Scandinavian schools want to make Christmas celebration more secular
(Christian Network Europe)
India: Maha decision to collect data on inter-faith couples a retrograde step, shows prejudiced mindset: NCP
(Devdiscourse)
India: Modi government’s stand on ‘right to convert’ is an attack on the freedom of conscience
(SIddharth Varadarajan, The Wire)
Democracy in decline: How BJP has caused India’s fall from freedom
(Amina Fayaz, Brown Political Review)
Vietnam: Authorities destroy Unified Church of Vietnam’s Son Linh Pagoda
(Radio Free Asia)
The new faith-based discrimination
(Louise Melling, Boston Review)
State says IN Supreme Court must end ‘significant uncertainty’ created by ruling in RFRA challenge to abortion law
(Marilyn Odendahl, Indiana Lawyer)
Iran’s protests intensify calls for Shia clerics to step back from politics
(Atlantic Council)
Targeting culture: The destruction of cultural heritage in conflict
(Nicole Winchester, UK Parliament)
Smyth Review – further update
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
The UK Supreme Court in the Scottish case: revitalising the doctrine of remedial secession
(Kushtrim Istrefi, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Mexico: PAN politicians decry proposal to ban publicly funded religious displays
(Mexico News Daily)
The destruction of religious sites by Russian forces in Ukraine
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
USCIRF releases new report on Burma
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
USCIRF releases new report on religious tolerance promotion and religious freedom
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Monday, 12 December 2022
A Proclamation on Human Rights Day and Human Rights Week, 2022
(The White House)
On International Human Rights Day, WEA calls for recommitment to upholding human rights of all
(World Evangelical Alliance)
A flicker of hope for human rights in South Asia
(Yamini Mishra, Al Jazeera)
This Human Rights Day, answer the Parliament’s call to conscience
(Stephen Avino, Parliament of the World's Religions)
Hong Kong court sentences Jimmy Lai on the U.N. Human Rights Day
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Professor Cole Durham on the G20 Interfaith Forum
(Twitter, Voice of Islam Radio)
EVENT, 12-13 December 2022: Live Stream: G20 Interfaith Forum
(G20 Interfaith Forum, G20 Interfaith Forum)
M.T. and Others vs. Sweden: The right to family reunification – Does subsidiary protection status lead to a subsidiary right to family life?
(Christopher Cowan, Strasbourg Observers)
The Belgian reception crisis before the ECtHR: the Court orders Belgium to respect the rule of law
(Jean-Baptiste Farcy, Strasbourg Observers)
Juszczyszyn v. Poland: Article 18 ECHR’s Conservative Contribution to the Polish Rule of Law Crisis
(Joseph Finnerty, Strasbourg Observers)
Pavlov v Russia: Welcoming the Court’s proactive shift in its handling of environmental complaints, including their evidentiary challenges
(Nele Schuldt, Strasbourg Observers)
Jansons v Latvia: when is an ‘eviction’ actually an eviction?
(Serde Atalay and Vladislava Stoyanova, Strasbourg Observers)
8th Circuit mostly backs religious groups' trans policy block
(Kellie Mejdrich, Law360)
Unregistered and unrecognised: the plight of Vietnam’s Duong Van Minh community
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
A Virginia restaurant refused to serve a conservative Christian group. Is that legal?
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
State Court abortion litigation tracker
(Brennan Center for Justice)
Congregations sue to leave United Methodist Church over LGBTQ disputes
(Yonat Shimron, The Washington Post)
PayPal invites Amazon, Intel, Salesforce and Equinix to help kickoff Silicon Valley’s first-ever Interfaith Fair
(Brian Grim, Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Uganda: Deputy Speaker calls upon gov’t to fund Churches
(Uganda Christian News)
Oral Question on Nigeria (podcast)
(Baroness Cox, Amazon Music)
What’s at stake in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis
(Mark Movsesian, First Things)
Murfreesboro: One Mosque’s First Amendment fight to worship
(YouTube Video, Freedom Forum)
Annual Impact Report
(United Religions Initiative)
Religion Watch, Volume 38 No. 1
(Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion)
Lao Evangelical Church conducts workshops on religious freedom and peace building in Vientiane and Savannakhet
(Institute for Global Engagement)
Nepal: Returning to Hindu Rashtra is ultimate solution for Nepal if it wishes to defeat evil designs of Christian conversion mafia: Here is why
(Narendra Sharma, OpIndia)
Pope on Mexican feast day sympathizes with migrant caravans
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
New Japan law aims at Unification Church fundraising abuses
(Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press)
Amid intractable challenges, solutions are ‘within sight’: UN rights chief
(United Nations)
9th Circuit: Native American student's suit over wearing eagle feather at graduation should move ahead
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
HHS must assure parental consent in grantee programs that distribute contraceptives to minors
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Articles of interest - 12 December 2022
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Acknowledging the reality of caste is not Hinduphobia
(Anantanand Rambachan, Religion News Service)
Shopping for a new church? Your politics may determine which pew fits
(Bob Smietana, Religion News Service)
Kiev imposes sanctions against property management of Ukrainian Orthodox Church, heads of 4 dioceses
(Interfax-Religion)
Ukraine's Rada lawyers find ban on Ukrainian Orthodox Church to contradict Constitution
(Interfax-Religion)
Druze protests in southern Syria challenge regime
(Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post)
Syria: What the killing of the fifth ISIS emir means for international terrorism
(Husain Haqqani, Hudson Institute)
European church response to war in Ukraine highlighted at EPP Dialogue event
(Conference of European Churches)
Peru: Bishops call for national unity, calm amid political crisis in Peru
(Ivan Fernandes, La Croix International)
Vermont to reimburse families for tuition to private religious schools
(Kim Roberts, Religion Unplugged)
Indonesia: Bali governor insists sex ban no risk to tourists
(Al Jazeera)
Aging leadership at Christian nonprofits raises succession questions
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Pakistan: Interfaith dialogue ultimate solution to extremism, terrorism: Ashrafi
(Daily Times)
Pakistan: The pandemic of forced conversion and marriages: “No girl should have to go through the heartache”
(Qamar Rafiq, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)
Egyptian MP calls for briefing into insults to mosques in Google Maps
(International Quran News Agency (IQNA))
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