Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 9 October 2023
UN expert on freedom of religion or belief to visit Sweden
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Overcoming racism: Fostering social cohesion at the grassroots in Sweden
(Bahá’í World News Service)
Israel vows complete siege of Gaza as it strikes the Palestinian territory after incursion by Hamas
(Josef Federman and Issam Adwan, Associated Press)
Death toll climbs to 800, IDF regains control of border towns as Hamas attack enters day 3; ‘complete siege’ of Gaza planned
(Philissa Cramer, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Citing Al-Aqsa Mosque, Hamas launches broad attack as Israelis celebrate Simchat Torah
(Josef Federman and Issam Adwan, Religion News Service)
Jewish diaspora mourns attack on Israel, but carries on by celebrating holidays
(Bobby Caina Calvan and Amy Taxin, Associated Press)
The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem unite in a call for peace and justice
(Anglican Communion News Service)
Church leaders in Holy Land call for de-escalation, respect for human rights
(World Council of Churches)
Pope prays for peace in Israel and Palestine: ‘Every war is a defeat!’
(Christopher Wells, Vatican News)
Statement from the Muslim World League
(Twitter, Muslim World League)
OIC comment on developments in conflict
(Twitter, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation)
How we got to the ‘Al-Aqsa tsunami’
(Daoud Kuttab, Religion News Service)
Security Updates
(BYU Jerusalem Center)
Saudi Arabia: Historic Torah scroll on display at Riyadh International Book Fair
(Gil Zohar, Religion Unplugged)
The government just reached a landmark settlement in a religious freedom case
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Representatives from African nations and interfaith leaders attend landmark religious freedom event in the US
(Church News)
Churches confess and repent for sins against Native and Indigenous people
(Jason DeRose, NPR)
Hate crime, England and Wales, 2022 to 2023
(GOV.UK)
Bill to ban protests at Scottish abortion centres published
(BBC News)
Law and religion round-up – 8th October
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)
HS2 and the Church of England
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Canadian repatriated from Syrian prison camp now faces terrorism charges
(CBC News)
China: A family shattered for 24 years – the story of Falun Gong activist Fang Bin
(FoRB in Full: A blog by CSW)
Japan: Why the Unification Church should not be dissolved
(Tatsuki Nakayama, Bitter Winter)
Japan: Curious to know Islam, Japanese visit Türkiye-run Tokyo mosque
(Daily Sabah)
Islamic State's expanding footprints pose grave security threat to Pakistan and South Asia
(Aparna Rawal, South Asia Monitor)
Mali crisis: Life in Timbuktu and Gao under siege by Islamist fighters
(Mohamed Ibrahim, BBC News)
Muslims in Kenya protest at Supreme Court over its endorsement of LGBTQ right to associate
(Evelyne Musambi and Brian Inganga, Associated Press)
Around the web - 9 October 2023
(Law and Religion Forum, St. John's Law School Center for Law & Religion)
Australia: Two cases on sex and gender identity
(Neil Foster, Law and Religion Australia)
Pakistan: 'We don't exist': Pakistan's Ahmadi minority living in fear
(France 24)
Allied Against Hate: A Toolkit for Faith Communities
(The White House (via Religious Freedom & Business Foundation))
What is separation of church and state?
(David Callaway, Freedom Forum)
In the midst of atrocity crimes in Ukraine, will Russia be allowed to rejoin U.N. Human Rights Council?
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)
Religious hatred: Türk urges a renewed social contract based on trust and respect
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)
Church Reporter, Vol. 8/9, 26 September 2023 - Newsletter for the English speaking members and friends of the Church Law Society (PDF)
(Jiří Rajmund Tretera, Záboj Horák, et al., eds., Church Law Society Prague – Brno – Olomouc – Stříbro – České Budějovice)
Iran is doubling down on headscarves
(Sina Toossi, Foreign Policy)
Malaysia: Be fair to all, King urges shariah courts
(Bernama)
Statement on nuclear disarmament and advocacy for a path forward
(Parliament of the World's Religions)
California governor vetoes bill that would have banned caste discrimination
(Deepa Bharath, Associated Press)
Yeshiva University president headlines tri-faith sustainability event in UAE
(Israel Hayom)
1st Circuit remands covid vaccine religious exemption case
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Articles of interest - 9 October 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
School district settles suit by Native Americans over cutting of students' hair
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Uzbekistan: new punishments "correspond to international standards"?
(Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service)
CEC publishes new book “Alternatives to Populism from a Human Rights Perspective”
(Conference of European Churches)
National ‘Faith & Blue Weekend’ seeks to build bridges between cops, congregations
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Two weeks in review, 25 September – 8 October 2023
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
Establishment as tradition
(Marc DeGirolami, Mirror of Justice Blog)
Legal Journal Number 11 (18): September (Spanish)
(Observatorio de Libertad Religiosa de América Latina y El Caribe)
Friday, 6 October 2023
Türkiye arrests 92 Daesh/ISIS terror suspects
(Anadolu Agency)
Iran: Terrorist network linked to Daesh arrested in Iran
(Tehran Times)
Experts condemn growing intolerance against Christians in Türkiye at largest human rights conference in Europe
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Colorado Supreme Court to hear case against Christian baker who refused again to make LGBTQ cake
(Brooke Migdon, The Hill)
Colorado Supreme Court to hear cake baker’s latest religious freedom case
(Catholic News Agency)
Pope takes on climate change deniers in ‘Laudate Deum,’ a new document on global warming
(Thomas Reese, Religion News Service)
An Arizona school board member was told to stop quoting the Bible. Now she’s suing.
(Kathryn Post, Religion News Service)
Michigan hockey defenseman, women's lacrosse player identified in alleged vandalism of Jewish Resource Center
(Austin Nivison and Isabel Gonzalez, CBS Sports)
Hate in the Prairie State: Extremism & antisemitism in Illinois
(Anti-Defamation League)
America’s nonreligious are a growing, diverse phenomenon. They really don’t like organized religion
(Peter Smith, Associated Press)
Supreme Court is increasingly putting Christians’ First Amendment rights ahead of others’ dignity and rights to equal protection
(Pauline Jones and Andrew Murphy, The Conversation)
11th Circuit protects religious minorities from government discrimination
(Alliance Defending Freedom)
Nigeria: An atheist in northern Nigeria was arrested. Then the attacks against the others worsened
(Chinedu Asadu, Associated Press)
Environmental faith groups laud Pope Francis’ new climate exhortation
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)
Pope suggests blessings for same-sex unions possible in response to 5 conservative cardinals
(Nicole Winfield, Associated Press)
Philippine drag artist arrested for ‘offending religion’
(Ryan Thoreson, Human Rights Watch)
Kenyan churches seek inclusion of Constitutional studies in school curricula
(Winfrey Owino, The Standard)
Laos: Local officials in Laos stop worship, expel Christians
(Evangelical Focus)
India: Nonreligious struggle to find their voice and place in Indian society and politics
(Deepa Bharath, Associated Press)
Israelis are more divided than ever on Judaism, religion and state - poll
(The Jerusalem Post)
Israel is perennially swept up in religious conflict. Yet many of its citizens are secular
(Ilan Ben Zion, Associated Press)
Fearing ostracism or worse, many nonbelievers hide their views in the Middle East and North Africa
(Mariam Fam, Associated Press)
Feds agree to repair Native American sacred site
(Ryan Colby, Becket Law)
US government agrees to help restore sacred Native American site destroyed for Oregon road project
(Claire Rush, Associated Press)
Potential candidate challenges religious oath on New Jersey candidate petition forms
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Persecution of the Baha'i faith in Iran - FCDO statement
(GOV.UK)
UN HRC54: ID with High Commissioner on Religious Hatred
(GOV.UK)
South Africa: FOR SA’s submission on draft marriage bill focuses on protecting marriage officers
(FOR SA)
EVENT, 18 November 2023: Religious Freedom Symposium (Topeka, KS, USA)
(Washburn University)
Supreme Court of Mauritius decriminalizes same sex relations
(United Nations Development Programme)
Uruguay: Q&A: Jose Mujica on Uruguay’s secular history, religion, atheism and the global rise of the ‘nones’
(Luis Andres Henao and Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press)
FFRF gets cross, bible quote removed from Indiana classroom
(Freedom From Religion Foundation)
Japan: In secular Japan, what draws so many to temples and shrines? Stamp collecting and tradition
(Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press)
Nearly 80% of Italians say they are Catholic. But few regularly go to church
(Giovanna Dell’Orto, Associated Press)
Highlights from AP-NORC poll about the religiously unaffiliated in the US
(Peter Smith, Associated Press)
Religious perspectives of women and youth as the future-oriented way to peace
(Elisabeth Naurath, Interreligious Council of Albania)
Catholic bishops urge Oireachtas members to reject legalisation of assisted suicide
(Pádraig Hoare, Irish Examiner)
Brazil: Eliana Bayer creates Parliamentary Front in defense of religious freedom (Portuguese)
(Ariel de Souza, ALRS)
Parliament debates relationship between religious freedom and freedom of expression (Portuguese)
(Agencia Lusa Observador, Observador)
Colombia: National Day of Religious Freedom and Worship (Spanish)
(Municipio de Dosquebradas)
Special program. Religious freedom. (Spanish)
(Cope)
Thursday, 5 October 2023
EVENT, 5 October 2023 (14:00): Addressing Anti-Religious Hate Crime in the OSCE Area (Warsaw, Poland)
(Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE))
Wednesday, 4 October 2023
VIRTUAL EVENT, 4 October 2023 (10 AM ET): The Faith Factor in Climate
(PRRI)
School board member told to stop citing Scripture at meetings: lawsuit
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
In Hindu Heritage Month, Hindu Americans seek to educate the public — and themselves
(Richa Karmarkar, Religion News Service)
Daughter of 'jailed' Muslim Uighur scholar appeals for global support
(TRT World)
Pope suggests Catholic Church could bless same-sex couples
(Christy Cooney, BBC News)
Danish opposition parties ask MPs to ensure parliament attendance to reject bill banning Quran burning
(Ebad Ahmed, Anadolu Agency)
Convivial narratives as agency: Middle-class Muslims evading racialisation in Copenhagen
(Amani Hassani, Sage Journals)
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