Tag: Religious freedom

Iran: appeal due for Christians given 10 years for ‘missionary activities’

November 9, 2017 Iran Bahram Nasibov, Converts, Eldar Gurbanov, House churches, Iran, Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Religious freedom, Tehran, Yusif Farhadov

The appeal hearings will take place on Sunday (12 November) for an Iranian and three Azerbaijani Christians sentenced in May to 10 years in prison for “missionary activities” and “actions against national security” in Iran. The three Azerbaijanis – Eldar Gurbanov, Yusif Farhadov and Bahram Nasibov – were allowed to . . . Read More

Indonesia High Court in ‘milestone’ ruling for religious freedom

November 9, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Religious freedom

Young men joining the protest march against Jakarta's former Governor Ahok in December 2016. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

In a “milestone” ruling, Indonesia’s High Court on Tuesday (7 November) said all religious groups should be treated equally before the law in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, and that failing to do so would be “unconstitutional”. A law adopted in 2013 requires Indonesian citizens to declare their religious . . . Read More

Kazakhstan Baptist convicted for refusing to pay state ‘expert’ to analyse his Christian books

November 6, 2017 Kazakhstan Akmola, Astana, Baptists, Censorship, Jehovah's Witnesses, Kazakhstan, Religious freedom, UN

Handing out Christian literature in Kazakhstan comes at a price. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

A court in northern Kazakhstan has given a Baptist man a one-year suspended prison sentence for refusing to pay fines for the state to give its “expert analysis” of Christian books he had with him at the time of his arrest. Yuri Bekker had also failed to pay outstanding fines . . . Read More

Eritrean Christians told to remove crosses as schools forced to go public

November 3, 2017 Eritrea Abune Antonios, Asmara, Catholics, Education, Eritrea, Pentecostals, Religious freedom

People running in the streets of Asmara while gun shots can be heard.

Eritrea’s security forces shot at protesters, using live ammunition, in the capital Asmara on Tuesday (31 October) during a protest against the government’s plans to turn all schools public. This would mean forbidding students from wearing religious items such as Christian crosses or Muslim headscarves. A local source told World . . . Read More

Indonesia: ‘zero flexibility’ for adoptions by religious minorities

October 27, 2017 Indonesia Bekasi, Blasphemy, Children, Indonesia, Religious freedom, Santa Clara, Sumatra

Religious minorities in Indonesia are discriminated against when they want to adopt, according to Human Rights Watch’s report, which highlights the case of a Christian policewoman from North Sumatra. Ida Maharani Hutagaol, took a month-old boy, found abandoned in a ditch in Binjal, to hospital and ensured he was well cared for. In . . . Read More

Indonesia: Jakarta’s new governor urged to protect rights of religious minorities

October 27, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Indonesia, Islamic Defenders Front, Jakarta, Nahdlatul Ulama, Religious freedom, UN

New Governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan and his running mate, the new Vice Governor of Jakarta, Sandiaga Salahudin Uno arrived at Jakarta City Hal for the inauguration ceremony on 16 October 2017. (Photo: Getty Images)

As Jakarta’s new governor, Anies Baswedan, starts his new job, he should use his role “to protect and promote human rights in the Indonesian capital”, writes Human Rights Watch in a letter addressed to him. The rights group urges him to ”use the powers at your disposal to defend the . . . Read More

UN Special Rapporteur: ‘repeal blasphemy laws that invite hatred’

October 27, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country ASEAN, Blasphemy, New York, Pakistan, Religious freedom, UN, Uzbekistan

Banner protesting against changes to the blasphemy laws, Peshawar 2017 (World Watch Monitor)

The UN’s Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), Ahmed Shaheed, has said that states that have blasphemy laws “should repeal them because of their stifling impact on the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion or belief, and on the ability to engage in a healthy . . . Read More

UK calls for action to secure freedom of religion for 80% of world’s population

October 25, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Ahmed Shaheed, Human rights, Islamic State, Nepal, Religious freedom, Rohingya, UK, UN

A new report urges the UK and other governments to take practical measures to turn the rhetoric of ‘freedom of religion or belief’ into reality, to protect the millions who are vulnerable to violence, discrimination and disadvantage as a result of its abuse. The report, presented in the UK Parliament today . . . Read More

Religious freedom in Nepal ‘teetering on the edge’

October 23, 2017 Nepal Anti-conversion law, Blasphemy, Charikot, Constitution, Nepal, Religious freedom

Within less then 24 hours after the provisions on religion were approved by the Constituent Assembly in September 2015, 3 churches in the eastern Jhapa district were bombed. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

Nepali president Bidhya Devi Bhandari last week signed into law a bill criminalising religious conversion and the “hurting of religious sentiment”, as two parliamentarians warn religious freedom in the country is “teetering on the edge”. Nepali MP Lokmani Dhakal and Canadian MP David Anderson expressed their concerns after an international . . . Read More

New UNHRC members criticised for ‘dismal rights record’

October 23, 2017 Afghanistan, Human rights, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Religious freedom, UN

Afghanistan and Pakistan were among the 15 States elected last week (16 October) to serve on the UN Human Rights Council, with human rights groups calling it a “crisis in the UN and its intergovernmental system”. Maliha Lodhi, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, called it an “endorsement of Pakistan’s strong . . . Read More

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