Tag: Religious freedom

Religious freedom key to ensuring other human rights, say UN rapporteurs

October 24, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Ahmed Shaheed, Human rights, Minorities, Religious freedom, UN

Desecrated church in Qaraqosh, Iraq (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The level of religious freedom in a country is a good indicator of its general human rights situation, UN special rapporteurs said at an event at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, 22 October. “Infringements on freedom of religion or belief serve as the early warning signs of . . . Read More

Sudanese Christians beaten before release

October 23, 2018 Sudan Darfur, Mariam Ibrahim, NISS, Nyala, Religious freedom, Sudan

It is not clear if any of the released Christians will face further prosecution. (Photo: Getty Images)

A group of Darfuri Christians arrested last week have now been released but only after they faced severe pressure for their faith and were beaten while in detention, a local source has told World Watch Monitor. The group of 13 Christians were taken by security officials from a home they . . . Read More

China’s Internet guidelines a ‘serious violation of people’s freedoms’

October 4, 2018 China China, Communism, Fujian, Religious freedom, Sinicisation

China’s new draft guidelines on religious activities on the Internet, published last month, will curtail Christians’ freedom even further, writes Hong Kong-based professor Ying Fuk-tsang for UCAN “This is a serious violation of people’s freedom of speech and freedom of expression. It proves once again that the ‘Orwellian Empire’ is . . . Read More

China: Christian schoolchildren forced to tick ‘no religion’ box

October 2, 2018 China Children, China, Communism, Education, Religious freedom, USA, Zhejiang

More than 300 Christian children in two high schools in Zhejiang province, which has been referred to as the “Jerusalem of the East” for its strong Christian presence, have been asked to fill out a form stating that they did not follow a religion, World Watch Monitor has been told by a trusted local . . . Read More

‘Eliminate’ blasphemy laws, says US commission chief on International Blasphemy Day

October 1, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Ahmed Shaheed, Blasphemy, Minorities, Pakistan, Religious freedom, Southeast Asia, UN, USA

In some countries blasphemy is a very sensitive topic and often leads to riots and violence, like in Islamabad, Pakistan, in November 2017.(Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Blasphemy laws are “dangerous” and should be “eliminated”, the chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) told Newsweek yesterday on International Blasphemy Day. The freedom to criticise or mock religion should not be decided by governments and their interpretation of laws, said Dr. Tenzin Dorjee. And it . . . Read More

Religious freedom a prerequisite for sustainable development, expert says

September 25, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Minorities, Religious freedom, UN, Women

Poverty cannot be eradicated through government intervention alone but it needs the help of "innovative faith-based initiatives", says Brian Grim. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

As half a million people in 900 cities around the world campaign today for “sustainable” development goals, Brian Grim, president of the Religious Freedom and Business Foundation, argues that this cannot be achieved without religious freedom. “There is a strong and positive relationship between religious freedom and sustainable development as . . . Read More

EU told to strengthen mandate of religious freedom envoy

September 21, 2018 Global News -- No Particular Country Denmark, Europe, Jan Figel, Religious freedom, UK

The European Union needs to develop an overarching religious freedom policy strategy, and strengthening the mandate of the Special Envoy is an important step towards this, writes CSW’s Amy Shepherd for Brussels-based news site The European Post. The position of the Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) . . . Read More

Nepal’s criminalisation of conversion a ‘direct infringement’ of religious freedom

September 20, 2018 Nepal Anti-conversion law, Churches, Human rights, Minorities, Nepal, Religious freedom

The clause in Nepal’s constitution that prohibits religious conversions was added to “protect Hinduism at the expense of other religions”, says advocacy group CSW, on the third anniversary of the amended constitution. As World Watch Monitor reported, Nepal’s Christian minority feared that the so-called “anti-conversion” measure, which came into force . . . Read More

China: 279 church leaders sign petition urging government to stop its ‘violent actions’

September 20, 2018 China Beijing, China, Churches, Henan, Religious freedom, Sinicisation

"Christians are an enigma to the Chinese Communist Party," researcher Aaron Ma says. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

A public letter urging the Chinese government to stop its “violent actions” against Christians has been signed by some 279 church leaders in the country, reports the St. Charles Institute. In central Henan province alone, two-thirds of churches have closed and more than 7,000 crosses have been demolished after pressure from . . . Read More

Vietnam uses ‘national security’ to detain rights activists, UN told

September 19, 2018 Vietnam Catholics, Human rights, Nguyen Van Dai, Religious freedom, UN, Vietnam

Vietnam has been accused of “misinforming” the international community about the human rights issues in the country. The president of the Paris-based Vietnam Committee on Human Rights, Vo Van Ai, speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, condemned the alleged “brutal crackdown on freedom of expression, association, peaceful . . . Read More

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