Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 20 November 2023
Outside APEC, complaints of intimidation, assaults
(Susan Crabtree, Real Clear Politics)
Russian diplomacy leverages Israel-Hamas war for moral high ground
(John Psaropoulos, Al Jazeera)
Two weeks in review, 6 – 19 November 2023
(Tal Gross, EJIL: Talk! Blog of the European Journal of International Law)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly digest Nov. 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Column from Germany: Jews in Germany are afraid to show their identity
(Christian Network Europe)
Pro-life nuns celebrate win against New York probe: ‘Government never should have done that’
(Kristine Parks /Fox News, Fox News)
Britain’s NHS left Indi Gregory to die (pdf)
(Mark Rienzi, The Wall Street Journal)
Law and religion round-up – 19th November
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Guidance on Churchyard Regulations after Exhall
(David Pocklington, Law & Religion UK)
Daisaku Ikeda, head of global Japanese Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai, dies at 95
(Yuri Kageyama, Associated Press)
Gen Z is moving away from traditional religion, but that doesn't mean they aren't spiritual
(Mark Brodie, KJZZ)
Cuban Christians call on the regime to respect freedom of religion
(Evangelical Focus)
France plans to make a bad law worse
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
In America, national parks are more than scenic − they’re sacred. But they were created at a cost to Native Americans
(Thomas S. Bremer, The Conversation)
Japan, Tibet, Uyghur, and Southern Mongolia conduct seminar condemning China’s infamous religious order No. 19
(Central Tibetan Administration)
India's most populous state bans some Halal-certified products
(Reuters)
Jerusalem Christians rally round Armenian Church over land deal
(Crispian Balmer, Reuters)
Brazil: Podcast Faith, Politics & Citizenship 13-11-23 Dr Gilberto Garcia (Portuguese)
(YouTube Video, TV Metropolitana Rio 2)
Brazil: Paulinho, from the Brazilian [soccer] team, speaks out after suffering religious intolerance (Portuguese)
(Redação Jogada10, Terra)
Brazil: TJ/SP [Sao Paulo court of appeals]: Reading the Bible in a session of the Araraquara Chamber is unconstitutional (Portuguese)
(Redação, Migalhas)
Brazil: Project increases penalty for racial insults committed in sporting, religious and cultural activities (Portuguese)
(Bom Dia Advogado)
Sunday, 19 November 2023
WEBINAR, 19 November 2023 (9AM ET): Touro Talks: Artificial Intelligence and Antisemitism
(Touro University)
Friday, 17 November 2023
Joint statement on the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS Africa Focus Group meeting
(U.S. Department of State)
Canadian white nationalist found guilty of murdering four Muslims in truck attack
(David Ljunggren and Ismail Shakil, Reuters)
Canadian killed family to make Muslims fearful, jury hears
(Nadine Yousif, BBC News)
Canada: Police evacuate Toronto Jewish day school after bomb threat
(Jackie Hajdenberg, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Rise in hate speech and hate incidents
(Marija Pejčinović Burić, Council of Europe)
India: Parsis in Mumbai fight existential decline in aspirants to priesthood
(Priyadarshini Sen, Religion News Service)
India: An appeal for protection of freedom of religion
(The Morung Express)
Thirty years of RFRA: Protecting religious freedom for all
(Becket)
RFRA: The law that changed religious freedom forever
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Celebrating 30 years of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
(First Liberty)
After 30 years, Religious Freedom Restoration Act more important than ever
(Chris Faddis, Newsweek)
Podcast episode S5, Ep. 06: RFRA at 30
(Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty)
Hong Kong’s Roman Catholic cardinal says he dreams of bishops from greater China praying together
(Kanis Leung, Associated Press)
Hong Kong: The slow, insidious attack on freedom of religion in Hong Kong
(Benedict Rogers, The Diplomat)
Religious freedom is having a ‘PR crisis,’ experts say. What can be done?
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Church of England General Synod approves a test of prayers for same-sex couples
(Catherine Pepinster, Episcopal News Service)
The enduring achievement and relevance of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
(Mark Rienzi, National Review)
RFI hosts launch event for policy institute defending Catholic health care providers
(Religious Freedom Institute)
No room in Washington for Christian homeless ministry?
(Charles Snow, Alliance Defending Freedom)
Nepal: Religious liberty situation deteriorating in Nepal
(Massimo Introvigne, Bitter Winter)
OIDAC Europe's Annual Report 2022/23 released
(Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe)
USCIRF condemns U.S. business leaders’ applause for President Xi Jinping
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
Judge rules against tribes in fight over Nevada lithium mine they say is near sacred massacre site
(Scott Sonner, Associated Press)
Nicaragua’s exiled clergy and faithful in Miami keep up struggle for human rights at Mass
(Giovanna Dell’Orto, Associated Press)
Court upholds Oregon's rules for approving adoptive parents over free exercise and free speech challenges
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
US bishops affirm abortion as preeminent political concern
(John Lavenburg, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse)
Missouri judge weighs challenge to near-total abortion ban from religious leaders
(Kacen Bayless, The Kansas City Star)
Lawyers for religious leaders challenging Missouri abortion ban say law imposes beliefs on everyone
(Jim Salter, Associated Press)
NYU announces antisemitism research center as Jewish students file discrimination suit
(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Court refuses Florida’s request to reinstate anti-drag law
(Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog)
Podcast: Once again, why is religion a 'green frog' topic in many mainstream newsrooms?
(Terry Mattingly, GetReligion)
Israel's war brings focus on presidential candidate Cornel West, a key Religious Left voice
(Richard Ostling, GetReligion)
Antisemitism and Islamophobia ‘major drivers’ of hate crime, equality body says
(Jewish News)
Human rights and Orthodox Christianity: Learning from our differences
(John Witte, Jr., Canopy Forum on the Interactions of Law & Religion)
Erdogan in tense talks in Germany as divisions over Gaza war deepen
(Al Jazeera)
Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem release statement on celebration of Advent and Christmas
(World Council of Churches)
What does Catholic just-war doctrine say about Israel and Hamas?
(V. Bradley Lewis, Daniel Philpott and R.R. Reno, National Catholic Register)
What pastors and churches can legally do during election season
(Jorge Gomez, First Liberty)
Developing labour rights under the ECHR in Pengezov: one step forward and one step backward
(Gaia Zanotti, Strasbourg Observers)
Moldova's largest Orthodox church keeps link to Russia
(Alexander Tanas, Reuters)
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest Nov 01-15
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Russia moves to ban ‘international LGBT movement’
(The Moscow Times)
UN speech: Over 100 religious sites have been damaged or destroyed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine: UK statement at the UN Security Council
(Fergus Eckersley, GOV.UK)
Roblox ‘doing all it can’ to tackle proliferation of antisemitic content on platform
(Jewish News)
Why are climate skeptics speaking out about the Uyghur genocide?
(Nithin Coca, Coda Media)
ACLU of Alaska sues Department of Corrections over religious freedom issue
(Alaska's News Source)
Wisconsin: Wauwatosa officials say all holiday decor is welcome in city buildings after viral email
(Bridget Fogarty, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Biden to nominate attorney who would be first Muslim American judge on a federal appeals court
(Zoë Richards, NBC News)
Thursday, 16 November 2023
WEBINAR, 16 November 2023 (12PM ET): Thirty Years of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)
(Senator James Lankford, Eric Baxter, Christopher Bates, Jennie Bradley Lichter, Matt Sandgren, Orrin G. Hatch Foundation)
Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Explanation of Position on a Third Committee Resolution on Combating Intolerance Against Persons Based on Religion or Belief
(Kara Eyrich, United States Mission to the United Nations)
Fact sheet: Biden-Harris Administration takes action to address alarming rise of reported antisemitic and Islamophobic events at schools and on college campuses
(The White House)
Jill Biden hosts tea for female faith leaders and others, including South Carolina prayer partner
(Darlene Superville, Associated Press)
Philippines: Trafficking and modern slavery in the Philippines
(Haidi F. Fajardo, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
To the G20 leaders: An interfaith call to action
(W. Cole Durham Jr. and Katherine Marshall, G20 Interfaith Forum Blog)
USCIRF condemns Iran’s religious persecution of Baha’is
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
USCIRF releases report on religious freedom in the Sahel region of Africa
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
WEBINAR, 15 November 2023 (9:15AM GMT+1): An Interfaith Week Celebration: Putting the spotlight on interfaith activism (for Secondary Schools in the UK)
(The Faith & Belief Forum)
REQUESTS FOR QUOTES, deadline 15 November 2023: 1) Illicit Finance Laws and Religious Freedom; 2) Early Warning Signs Indicated by Religious Persecution
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
VIRTUAL EVENT, 15 November 2023 (10AM ET US & Canada, 15:00 UTC, 17:00 South Africa): Honouring the late Prof. Johan D. van der Vyver, his life and legacy
(African Consortium for Law and Religion Studies)
HYBRID EVENT, 15 November 2023 (2PM ET): Sell Out My Soul: The Impending Threats to Freedom of Religion or Belief in Hong Kong
(Hudson Institute)
Turkish security forces capture so-called bomb expert of Daesh/ISIS terror group in Istanbul
(Ferhat Yasak, Anadolu Agency)
These Catholic nuns took on the state of New York — and won
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
State leaders could decide the legal fate of religious charters
(Preston Green III and Suzanne Eckes, Brookings Institution)
Algerian gov’t cracks down on house churches, arrests pastors amid Israel-Hamas war
(Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post)
Speaker Johnson: Separation of church, state ‘a misnomer’
(Lauren Sforza, The Hill)
Belarus: New Life Church appeals against liquidation
(Olga Glace and Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service)
Beijing bishop visits Hong Kong amid tensions between China and Vatican
(Jessie Pang and Joyce Zhou, Reuters)
The head of China’s state-backed Catholic church begins historic trip to Hong Kong
(Kanis Leung, Associated Press)
Hong Kong: Catholic leaders’ petition to free Jimmy Lai shows politics and religion do not mix
(Ronny Tong, South China Morning Post)
Does religious speech fly with Southwest Airlines?
(Blaine L. Hutchison and Bruce N. Cameron, The Federalist Society)
Washington court refuses to enforce Saudi child custody decree
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Agreement that children "shall be raised in the Orthodox Jewish tradition" is enenforceable
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Thailand interfaith summit urges dialogue for development
(Union of Catholic Asian News)
Thailand’s 4M Muslims to elect successor to nation’s top Islamic leader
(BenarNews)
Australia: New religious vilification laws come into effect in NSW
(Angelica Dino, Australasian Lawyer)
Australia: Free speech advocates at odds with faith groups over NSW hate speech law overhaul
(Tamsin Rose, The Guardian)
Religion and Commonwealth values
(Terry Barringer, The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs)
New Jersey won’t require political candidates to swear oath to God
(Sophie Nieto-Munoz, New Jersey Monitor)
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