Tag: Religious freedom

Freedom of religion or belief ‘undermined’ in corrupt countries

June 2, 2016 Global News -- No Particular Country Afghanistan, Asia-Pacific, Central Asia, Colombia, Corruption, David Cameron, Eastern Europe, Europe, G20, Libya, London, Mexico, Middle East, Nigeria, North Africa, Religious freedom, Somalia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan, Yemen

Corruption is increasingly seen as a factor behind the persecution of minority Christians around the world, and the world leaders who gathered at an Anti-Corruption Summit in London in May showed they are beginning to pay more attention to the effects of corruption on freedom of religion or belief. Evidence . . . Read More

Freedom of religion among Myanmar’s ‘biggest challenges’

May 26, 2016 Myanmar Cardinal Bo, Chin, Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Ma Ba Tha, Myanmar, Naga, Religious freedom, Yangon

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Myanmar’s first Catholic Cardinal, at the UK Parliament in London, 25 May, 2016. World Watch Monitor Myanmar’s first ever Catholic Cardinal has said protecting freedom of religion or belief for all is among the “biggest challenges” facing his country as it adapts to life after . . . Read More

Vietnam Christian woman’s ‘intolerable’ harassment

May 18, 2016 Vietnam Human rights, Nguyen Cong Chinh, Religion Law, Religious freedom, Torture, Vietnam, Women

The harassment of a Vietnamese Christian human rights activist, whose husband, pastor Nguyen Cong Chinh, is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence, has become “intolerable” . Tran Thi Hong was recently questioned by the authorities about interviews with the foreign press, her “unauthorized, unapproved and illegal” Lutheran faith and her . . . Read More

EU appoints first int’l religious freedom envoy

May 11, 2016 Europe, Jan Figel, Minorities, Pope Francis, Religious freedom

The European Union has appointed its first special envoy for religious freedom with a brief outside of the EU. Jan Figel, former leader of Slovakia’s Christian Democratic Movement and a former EU Education and Culture Commissioner, was appointed as by President Jean-Claude Juncker on 6 May. The President made the . . . Read More

The UN is about to take a very close look at Sudan’s treatment of Christians

May 4, 2016 Bahri, Converts, Darfur, Hassan Taour, Human rights, International Criminal Court, Kuwa Shamal, Mariam Ibrahim, NISS, Omar al-Bashir, Religious freedom, Sharia, South Sudan, Sudan, Sunni, Telal Rata, UN

What is happening? The UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights is scheduled to hold a 3 1/2-hour hearing in Geneva on Wednesday, 4 May, at which UN member nations will examine the state of human rights in Sudan. It promises to be an interesting meeting. Sudan’s president, . . . Read More

Malaysian Muslim’s right to convert appealed

May 3, 2016 Malaysia Borneo, Constitution, Converts, Malaysia, Religious freedom, Sarawak, Sharia

An appeal has been lodged against a landmark ruling by the Malaysian High Court that a Sarawak Muslim can officially convert to Christianity. just ahead of the 24 April deadline. The reasons for the appeal need to be revealed within eight weeks. Rebit was born into a Christian family that . . . Read More

Hate speech fuels violence vs. Turkish non-Muslims

April 22, 2016 Turkey Armenians, Churches, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Kurds, Minorities, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Religious freedom, Sunni, Turkey

A new report analysing freedom of religion or belief in Turkey faults both strong nationalism and the Erdogan government’s public endorsement of a Sunni Muslim identity for rising levels of hate speech against the nation’s religious minorities. According to studies cited in the April report by Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “religious . . . Read More

Faith-based persecution on the rise in Asia-Pacific

March 31, 2016 Asia-Pacific, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Religious freedom, Taiwan

The first Asia-Pacific Religious Freedom Forum was held in Taiwan from 18-21 Feb, and hosted by former Vice-President of Taiwan, Annette Lu.World Watch Monitor Persecution due to people’s faith has increased over recent years in the Asia-Pacific region, said speakers addressing the first Asia-Pacific Religious Freedom Forum, held from . . . Read More

India denies access to USCIRF – again

March 8, 2016 India India, Religious freedom

For the seventh straight year, India has refused to let US observers into its country to report on religious freedom. India denied visas to the delegation of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom on 3 March, . USCIRF is an advisory body to the US president and the Congress. . . . Read More

Canada’s religious freedom conundrum

February 24, 2016 Andrew Bennett, Canada, Human rights, Religious freedom, USA

Should Western democracies make the defence of religious freedom around the world a separate, fenced-off part of their foreign policy? Or is it better simply to include that concern under the general heading of human rights? These are the questions asked by , as it watches with interest the developments . . . Read More

Catching Our Eye