Law and Religion Headlines
Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Nicaragua silences its last outspoken critics: Catholic priests
(Alfonso Flores Bermúdez, Anatoly Kurmanaev and Yubelka Mendoza, The New York Times)
Finland: Päivi Räsänen Court of Appeal proceedings to be delayed one year
(Evangelical Focus Europe)
Germany: Berlin police are investigating whether charges can be filed against Abbas for Israel ‘Holocausts’ comment
(Toby Axelrod, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Germany: Court to hear challenge to German prayer ban near abortion counseling facilities
(ADF International)
Iraq Shiite cleric’s supporters demand assembly be dissolved
(Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Associated Press)
Serbia: If there’s any retaliation at next month’s Europride festival in Serbia it’s likely to have orthodox clerical blessing
(Katherine Kelaidis, Religion Dispatches)
Serbia: Orthodox bishop in Serbia would use weapons against gay parades
(Christian Network Europe)
New book: Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why it Matters
(Bob Smietana, Worthy Publishing)
Iran – Belgium: A couple of converts under threat of deportation from Belgium
(Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Angola: Archbishop Imbamba appeals to MPLA to involve church and civil societies should they win Wednesday elections
(Odiwuor Opiyo, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Ghana: Appoint Catholics as heads of Catholic owned institutions, church appeals to state
(Arnold Neliba, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Cameroon: Bishops oppose medically assisted reproduction as “morally illicit”
(Odiwuor Opiyo, Catholic Information Service for Africa)
Georgia Supreme Court on sincerity and religious exemptions
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Protecting people from their own religious communities: Pseudonymity in litigation
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Protecting people from their own religious communities: Jane Doe in church and state
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Ireland: Cork’s Muslim community invites public to ‘ask us anything’ event
(Irish Examiner)
Netherlands: Islamic center in Veldhoven damaged in attack; Arson assumed
(NL Times)
Netherlands: Amsterdam bans PSV fans from next Ajax match over anti-Semitic chants
(NL Times)
PRC efforts to manipulate global public opinion on Xinjiang
(Global Engagement Center, U.S. Department of State)
China: Beijing tells new Catholic leaders to ‘fend off infiltration by foreign forces’
(Mimi Lau, South China Morning Post)
China's Catholic leaders vow to accelerate sinicization
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Pakistan activists back under fire Christian group
(Kamran Chaudhry, Union of Catholic Asian News)
Pakistan: Christians are being persecuted in Pakistan
(Emma Webb, The Critic)
Think blasphemy laws are obsolete here? Think again
(Lois McLatchie, Premier Christianity)
Youth interreligious cooperation to fight racism in the Americas
(JoAnne Wadsworth, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
Celebration of the fifth anniversary of The Fez Plan of Action – a Global Plan of Action for Religious Leaders & Actors for Ending Incitement to Atrocity Crimes
(Bonnie Evans-Hills, Religions for Peace)
Rights groups accuse UK over arrest of Sikh blogger in India
(Al Jazeera)
Equality advocate appointed Church of England’s first Racial Justice Director
(The Church of England)
Indian politician boasts about getting Muslims killed – on camera
(Al Jazeera)
India's new voter rights in Kashmir could strangle local political parties, Muslims
(Zaffar Iqbal, Religion Unplugged)
As India turns 75, Muslim girls are suing to wear the hijab — and protect secularism
(Lauren Frayer, National Public Radio)
Indian legislator from Modi’s BJP arrested after Prophet remarks
(Al Jazeera)
Scientology in Spain will deliver on 23 September the IX edition of the Religious Freedom Awards
(The European Times)
Tip for reporters: Don't assume what Catholics believe based on politics or Internet memes
(Clemente Lisi, GetReligion)
Patriarch Kirill cancels Kazakhstan trip and chance to meet with Pope Francis
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Archbishop sees ‘genocidal intent’ in Putin, says Ukrainians will die before surrender
(Elise Ann Allen, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Ukraine – Russia: Gap widening between Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Ukraine: President and the First Lady took part in "Prayer for Ukraine"
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))
Texas judge blocks HHS enforcement of emergency room abortions, cites religious objections
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
School policy on treatment of transgender students upheld
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Religious objections to Air Force COVID mandate dismissed for lack of standing and ripeness
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Florida activist to send Arabic 'In God We Trust’ signs to Texas schools
(Steven Santana, My SA)
University professors’ organization misunderstands the nature of antisemitism
(Steven Lubet, The Hill)
How SCOTUS rained on the Left’s anti-religious legal parade and reclaimed the First Amendment
(Rachel Chiu, The Federalist)
Vietnam: Foreign embassies in Hanoi issue joint statement on religious freedom
(Radio Free Asia)
Vietnam: Quash conviction of prominent activist
(Human Rights Watch)
Canada: How Québec's Bill 21 could be vanquished by a rarely used Charter provision
(Kerri Anne Froc, EconoTimes)
Human rights provide useful guardrails for economic policies
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Vodou in photos: How followers of an ancient faith are battling stereotypes
(Dieu-Nalio Chery, The Washington Post)
Senegal: Historic agreement with the Muslim World League
(Twitter, Muslim World League)
Afghanistan: Taliban impose 'harsh' limits on Afghans' religious freedom -U.S. panel
(Reuters)
Afghanistan: USCIRF releases new report highlighting religious freedom in Afghanistan
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Afghan house churches 'continue to grow'
(Jennifer Lee, Christian Today)
Afghanistan: Religious freedom ‘does not exist’ in Afghanistan one year after Taliban takeover, advocates say
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Brazilian authorities register three complaints for religious intolerance per day in 2022; total number is 545 in the entire country (Portuguese)
(Thaiza Pauluze, GloboNews)
Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Youth Interreligious Cooperation to Fight Racism in the Americas
(JoAnne Wadsworth, Viewpoints: A blog of the G20 Interfaith Forum)
Monday, 22 August 2022
Muslims of Middle Eastern or North African descent most likely to report police harassment, study shows
(Amy McCaig, Rice University)
Freedom of religion or belief: a human right
(European External Action Service (EEAS))
Places of worship must be kept safe and accessible in times of peace and in conflict, OSCE human rights head says
(Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)
International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief | 22 August
(António Guterres, United Nations)
Stand in ‘firm solidarity’ with victims of violence based on religion or belief, urges UN chief
(United Nations)
Should a member of the clergy report sex abuse of the penitent? A look inside the priest-penitent privilege
(Tad Walch, Deseret News)
Protesters demand Utah require clergy to report sex abuse
(Sam Metz, Associated Press)
We must condemn abuse of religion or belief as tool of discrimination and violence
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Where do we go from here? (on persecution and violence)
(Knox Thames)
European Union: victims of acts of violence based on religion or belief
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
Vietnam’s religious communities commemorate victims of religious persecution
(Radio Free Asia)
Commemorating the victims of religious persecution
(United Nations)
On UN’s day for religious freedom, WEA highlights abuses in Afghanistan, Algeria, India, Sri Lanka
(World Evangelical Alliance)
Trinidad and Tobago: The right to freedom of religion
(Newsday)
WEBINAR, 22 August 2022 (4PM in London): The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief - Turning Words into Action
(The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute)
Arkansas senator settles lawsuit, will unblock atheist Twitter critics
(The Washington Post)
31 UMC churches in North Carolina demand immediate exit from denomination, threaten lawsuit
(Yonatmron, Emily Mcfarlan Miller, Episcopal News Service)
South Carolina Supreme Court reversal blocks transfer of 6 churches to Episcopal diocese
(Episcopal News Service)
Kansas church hosts workshop on LGBTQ+ rights
(Melodie Woerman, Episcopal News Service)
Appeals court allows priest’s defamation case to proceed against Russian Orthodox Church
(Jeff Brumley, Baptist News Global)
Singapore's religious leaders outline positions on repeal of gay-sex law
(Tham Yuen-C, The Straits Times)
Gays hail Singapore sex-ban repeal, see long way to equality
(Tom Ee Ming and Eileen NG, Associated Press)
New York museums required to acknowledge art stolen under Nazis
(Julianne McShane, NBC News)
In Brazil's politics, populism and religion make natural bedfellows
(Mathew Guest, The Wire)
Brazil: how populist politicians use religion to help them win
(Mathew Guest, The Conversation)
Iran: UN experts alarmed by escalating religious persecution
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Iran: You were born a Muslim, Shiite blood runs in your veins
(Article 18)
Around the web - 22 August 2022
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Nury Turkel’s “No Escape”: Yes, there is a genocide of the Uyghurs
(Marco Respinti, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
China arrests Cardinal Zen and religious freedom now faces a grim future in Hong Kong
(Frank Wolf, Fox News)
Photos of the week: Dormition of Mary; Hindus celebrate Krishna
(Kit Doyle, Religion News Service)
Joint statement on the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
(Kingdom of the Netherlands)
New Dutch Commissioner of Religion: Diplomat Ten Tusscher appointed
(Christian Network Europe)
77% in West face discrimination over ethnicity, religion: Research
(Daily Sabah)
Montenegro government toppled by no-confidence vote
(Dusica Tomovic, Balkan Insight)
Montenegrin government falls over ties with Serbian Church
(Predrag Milic, Associated Press)
On Chile rivers, Native spirituality and development clash
(Giovanna Dell'Orto, Associated Press)
Demolition of shuttered church begins after long battle
(Associated Press)
Pope voices worry over bishop’s detention in Nicaragua
(Frances D'Emilio, Associated Press)
Massachusetts student receives uniform violation for hijab
(Associated Press)
Iraq: Officials: Landslide at Shiite shrine in Iraq kills 8
(Associated Press)
No state action involved in barring of plaintiff from Moorish Science Temple
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Some of fired pastor's claims can move ahead
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Articles of interest - 22 August 2022
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
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