Law and Religion Headlines

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Friday, 15 December 2023

Strong and deep nexus between human dignity and religious freedom
(Jan Figel, Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

Tunisia: RFI announces joint report with UK officials on religious freedom in Tunisia
(Religious Freedom Institute)

Church of England to introduce same-sex blessing, as it faces ‘disestablishment’ bill in Parliament
(Catherine Pepinster, Religion News Service)

The tense battleground of religion in schools is not a Jewish Issue (opinion)
(Shimon Cohen, Jewish News)

European Parliament votes in favour of controversial Parenthood Certificate
(Christian Network Europe)

Iran: Criminalizing blasphemy: implications for Iran’s religious minorities
(Lucy Ridout and Saad Ahmad, Minority Rights Group International)

Iran: Religious minorities in Iran face cultural violence
(Fred Petrossian, Global Voices)

Italy: “Religious freedom is still caged in a political-religious culture that has not accepted pluralism”
(Evangelical Focus)

Brazil: The protection of the right to religious freedom of Afro-religious people in Brazil based on the right of response (Portuguese)
(Isabela Maria Soares Silva, Jota)

Thursday, 14 December 2023

VIRTUAL EVENT, 14 December 2023 (12PM ET): Is Our Conscience Revolted? A Conversation on Children in War, Grounded in Rights and Faith
(Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 14 December 2023 (4:30PM GMT+2): Upholding the Dignity of the Human Person
(Swami Sarvapriyananda and Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein, Elijah Interfaith Institute)

Wednesday, 13 December 2023

‘I no longer feel at home here’: German Muslims frustrated by Israel backing
(Kate Connolly, The Guardian)

Kindergarten in Germany removes Christmas tree and sparks debate
(Ivan Dimitrov, The European Times)

Berlin drops Mahmoud Abbas’ Holocaust hate speech case due to diplomatic immunity
(Toby Axelrod, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The future of freedom of religion or belief and human rights | Episode 3 (video)
(YouTube Video, European Union Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 13 December 2023 (11AM ET): USCIRF Conversation: Religious Freedom for Indigenous Communities in Latin America
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

VIRTUAL EVENT, 13 December 2023 (12:30 GMT): The Impact of International Monitoring Mechanisms on Human Rights in the UK
(Linked In, Centre for European Law and Internationalisation - CELI)

Readout of White House meeting with Jewish American leaders to discuss ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism and hate-fueled violence
(The White House)

Ahead of White House Hanukkah celebration, a wave of faith-led cease-fire demonstrations
(Jack Jenkins, Religion News Service)

What philanthropy and nonprofits lose as religion fades
(Drew Lindsay, The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

South Africa: Update on recent or current religious freedom issues and cases
(Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA))

75 years on, stop viewing religious freedom as a second-class human right
(Samuel Brownback and Katrina Lantos Swett, The Hill)

Natural rights are human rights and human rights are natural rights
(Daniel Philpott, Arc of the Universe)

2nd Circuit: Jewish school prevented from purchasing site meets standing and ripeness requirements to sue
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

China’s Christian population appears to have stopped growing after rising rapidly in the 1980s and ’90s
(Conrad Hackett, Pew Research Center)

Bethlehem nativity scene puts Jesus in Gaza rubble
(Gil Zohar, Religion Unplugged)

Is Hamas waging a religious war?
(Graeme Wood, The Atlantic)

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama extols India’s religious harmony
(Central Tibetan Administration)

India: Hundreds of Christians arrested in India under anti-conversion laws
(Andrew Boyd, Anglican Ink)

Republican governor asks for prayers over Satanic Temple display
(Aila Slisco, Newsweek)

Turkey and Iran use religion for influence building in US and Europe
(Majid Mohammadi, Iran International)

Ghana: Religious leaders to petition Parliament to halt Lithium deal with Barari DV Company
(Modern Ghana)

Is it safe to bury the truth under the family tree? The ECtHR’s response in Gauvin-Fournis and Silliau v France
(Sabrina Praduroux, Strasbourg Observers)

USCIRF warns against new French anti-cult draft law
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)

The victory of the Netherlands' Geert Wilders and the crisis of Western values | Opinion
(Miles P. J. Windsor, Newsweek)

McCaul mulls subpoena for State in atheism grant probe
(Susan Crabtree, Real Clear Politics)

How media demonize religious minorities
(Willy Fautré, Bitter Winter)

Far-right lawmaker extinguishes Hanukkah candles in Polish parliament
(Vanessa Gera, Associated Press)

Muslim migrants in New York find refuge in a Nigerian church
(Fiona André, Religion News Service)

Essay series: Holidays as times for peace
(Tobias Winright, William Schweiker, Najeeba Syeed, Leo Lefebure, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)

Hundreds of church leaders call on SNP to ditch conversion therapy plan as Australian comparison made
(Douglas Dickie, Scottish Daily Express)

Independent Safeguarding Board: Review’s findings
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)

Philippines: Jews increasingly living in a time where antisemitism is accepted
(Baby Lyn Cacho Resulta, Religion Unplugged)

Christian group, ACLU sue Metro over rejected bus ads featuring a praying George Washington
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

American Muslims will not sign our ballots in blood
(Irfan Kovankaya, Middle East Monitor)

Faith-based leaders release statement to Global Refugee Forum: “seeking asylum is a basic human right”
(World Council of Churches)

Food, water, climate justice a moral imperative, shows COP28 side event
(World Council of Churches)

Ukraine: Bombed Odesa Cathedral: Financial assistance from Italy expected in December
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)

How to serve kosher eating prisoners
(Christian Network Europe)

Brazil: MDHC establishes National Committee to Respect Religious Freedom (Portuguese)
(Ministério dos Direitos Humanos e da Cidadania)

Brazil: Judge guarantees right of Jehovah's Witness to deny blood transfusion (Portuguese)
(Conjur)

Brazil: Religious freedom and the STF [Supreme Court] at 35 years of the Constitution (Portuguese)
(Ingo Wolfgang Sarlet and Jayme Weingartner Neto, Conjur)

Puerto Rico: Religious freedom law proposed in schools (Spanish)
(Microjuris)

An “offensive” art exhibition and Article 9: Asociación de Abogados Cristianos
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

A day in the Courts analyzes religious freedom (Spanish)
(Diario de Burgos)

Christian group, ACLU sue Metro over rejected bus ads featuring a praying George Washington
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

Japan enacts law to monitor Unification Church assets
(The Japan Times)

USCIRF warns against new French anti-cult draft law
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter: A magazine on religious liberty and human rights)

Christian mother on bail after 19 months in Nigerian prison for “blasphemy”
(ADF International)

An Apostle at Parliament: Elder Cook expresses appreciation for Great Britain’s historical lead on religious freedom, human rights
(Scott Taylor, Church News)

China’s Christian population appears to have stopped growing after rising rapidly in the 1980s and ’90s
(Conrad Hackett, Pew Research Center)

Tuesday, 12 December 2023

EVENT, 12 December 2023: Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees (Geneva, Switzerland)
(World Council of Churches)

Churches reborn as engines of social good
(Drew Lindsay, The Chronicle of Philanthropy)

Monday, 11 December 2023

Türk opens global human rights event with call for hope – and for action
(Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations)

Opinion: Antonyuk; Hardaway; Christian; Spencer v. Chiumento (firearms in places of worship)
(Second Circuit Court of Appeals)

2nd Circuit: NY ban on firearms in places of worship violates Free Exercise rights
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Biden is hosting a Hanukkah ceremony at the White House as fears mount about rising antisemitism
(Will Weissert, Associated Press)

The conservative case for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(David M. Kirkham, Deseret News)

USCIRF marks 75 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Meaningful action needed to check human rights abuses
(Knox Thames, The United States Institute of Peace)

EVENT, 11-12 December 2023: Workshop: The changing faces of nationalism in Central- and Eastern Europe
(Cambridge Interfaith Programme)

CALL FOR PROPOSALS, deadline 11 December 2023: Combating Hate Speech in Sport
(Council of Europe)

EVENT, 11 December 2023 (6PM GMT): Honouring the Uyghur People Seeking Accountability Amidst the Uyghur Genocide on the 75th Anniversary of the Genocide Convention (London, UK)
(Religious Liberty Initiative, University of Notre Dame Law School)

Tajikistan: USCIRF releases report on religious freedom in Tajikistan
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Hong Kong churches under threat: report
(Susan Korah, The Catholic Register)

What comes next for the international religious freedom movement?
(Knox Thames, The United States Institute of Peace)

The Genocide Convention and the failed promise of never again
(Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes)

Church Reporter, Vol. 8, 15 November 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)

November/December 2023 issue
(Liberty Magazine)

Inaugural IPPFoRB Academy in Latin America hosts G20 Interfaith Forum session with parliamentarians in Rio
(International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB))

Articles of interest - 11 December 2023
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)

Israel: As Druze fight alongside Jewish soldiers, Israel looks back on controversial Nation-State Law
(David I. Klein, Religion News Service)

Nigerian prelate says Christians not at risk under country’s new Muslim rulers
(Ngala Killian Chimtom, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Philippines Church says terrorism won’t stop religious dialogue
(Charles Collins, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)

Thousands of non-Jews rally against antisemitism in Berlin
(Toby Axelrod, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Historic visit, European Sikh organization gains support for recognition within the European Union
(Juan Sanchez Gil, The European Times)

Church autonomy and dismissal from employment: Ţîmpău
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Many religious workers don't feel comfortable expressing faith in the workplace - study
(Christian Today)

Hindutva and the Leicester disturbances
(Chris Allen, London School of Economics Religion and Global Society Blog)

Argentina: Javier Milei cites Hanukkah story, gives menorah to Zelensky during inauguration as Argentina’s president
(Juan Melamed, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

As war grinds on, British MPs visit Ukrainian Catholic cathedral to show support
(Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU))

Forthcoming consultation on legal age of marriage in Scotland
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

Law and religion roundup – 10th December
(Frank Cranmer, Law & Religion UK)

France to end contract with biggest Muslim high school amid fears of wider crackdown
(Juliette Jabkhiro, Reuters)

Muslims view French secularization laws as "discriminatory"
(Pascal Charrier, La Croix International)

Spanish Catholics recite rosaries in defiance of government ban
(Clemente Lisi, Religion Unplugged)

Atheists outraged over ‘In God We Trust’
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)

Colombia: WCC delegation visits Colombia to strengthen accompaniment of peace process
(World Council of Churches)

Remarks at the Philos Foundation/Franciscan University conference on Catholic-Jewish relations
(Robert P. George, Mirror of Justice Blog)

Aleksey Gerasimov, one of Jehovah's Witnesses from Kazan, sentenced to six years in prison for talking about the Bible
(Jehovah's Witnesses - Russia)

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