16
July
Draft Report of the Commission on Unalienable Rights
Human rights are now misunderstood by many, manipulated by some, rejected by the world’s worst violators, and subject to ominous new threats.
15
July
SUDAN - Death Penalty Abolished for Apostasy
The Sovereignty Council of Sudan officially abolished the death penalty for apostasy in July after the Chairman of the Council, Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan, signed several new laws and amendments.
15
July
Can Human Rights Advocacy Resolve the North Korea Nuclear Impasse?
North Korea’s weapons programs and human rights violations derive from the same root causes: the government’s perception of its insecurity and lack of transparency.
Pastor Munshi Devu Tado with wife Jaini, and one of their children in Gadchiroli District, Maharashtra, India. (Image credit: Morning Star News)
14
July
Pastor in India Murdered by Maoists
Maoists in the Maharashtra state of India killed a Christian church pastor, becoming the fourth Christian to die for their faith in the South Asian country in the last two months.
President Erdogan declared the building a mosque and said the first prayers would be held there within two weeks [Murad Sezer/Reuters]
14
July
Turkey to cover Hagia Sophia's Christian icons during prayers
Governing party's statement comes days after Ankara turned the iconic monument from a museum into a mosque.
14
July
Where Is the Outrage Over Anti-Semitism in Sports and Hollywood?
The Hollywood Reporter columnist calls out the hateful outbursts against Jews by Ice Cube, DeSean Jackson and others and explains how the muted response "perpetuates racism" and contributes to an overall "Apatholypse."
13
July
The relationship between blasphemy laws and religious extremism in the Middle East and North Africa
While an estimated 69 countries across the globe possess blasphemy laws of some kind, no geographical region has as many countries with such laws as the Middle East and North Africa. In many of these countries the penalties are among the most severe.
13
July
Bangladesh restricts public Eid prayers amid pandemic
Bangladesh has barred congregational prayers on the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha on traditionally-designated open grounds to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to senior officials.
A Hindu temple in Mithi, Pakistan.Credit...Rizwan Tabassum/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
08
July
Islamists Block Construction of First Hindu Temple in Islamabad
A Hindu temple planned for Islamabad, the city’s first, was supposed to be a symbol of tolerance. Instead, violence and controversy have turned it into an emblem of Pakistan’s troubled relationship with its religious minorities.
08
July
City to pay $50,000 to evangelist banned from park
The Portland, Oregon city government has paid a street evangelist $50,000 after acknowledging last fall it was wrong to ban the man from a downtown park for preaching.
08
July
The Truro Review
United Kingdom Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (FCO) Support for Persecuted Christians
Darbar Sahib By Marsmux Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
03
July
Sikhs Blocked on Instagram and Facebook
Sikh users of Facebook and Instagram discovered they could not post messages if they used the #sikh hashtag.
02
July
President Ji needs to go
The most populous nation in the world is a critical international player and needs to take a credible role in the world. And the present leadership is making a mockery of his own people.
30
June
New Law in Iran Threatens More Arrests of Christians, Rights Advocates Say
Legislation passed by parliament in Iran could make it easier to arrest and imprison Christians and other religious minorities, rights advocates said.
Cancelling the Hajj would be unprecedented in modern times, but curbing attendance from high-risk areas has happened before [Saudi Press Agency via Reuters]
20
June
Indonesia to skip Hajj pilgrimage over coronavirus fears
Largest contingent of worshippers will not be doing the annual trip to Saudi Arabia.
The Cox's Bazar camps are home to nearly a million refugees(Photo: Tearfund)
20
June
Fears for Rohingya refugees as Covid-19 reaches camps
There are fears for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh after the first confirmed cases of Covid-19 were reported in the camps this week. The Cox's Bazar camps are home to over 850,000 Rohingya refugees.
19
June
Hopes Wilt for Teaching Christianity in Schools in Sudan
Hopes that the transitional government in Sudan would bring back Christianity as a school subject alongside Islam wilted when officials omitted it from an academic schedule released last week.
Rahim Akhundov, 2016 c. Rahim Akhundov [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0]
18
June
AZERBAIJAN: Will fired parliamentary staffer be reinstated?
Former parliamentary staff member Rahim Akhundov, who says he was dismissed from his jobin December 2018 on the orders of the secret police because of his Christian faith, will take his suit for reinstatement to Azerbaijan's Supreme Court.
17
June
YouTube censors John Piper's audiobook, 'Coronavirus and Christ'
YouTube has censored the audiobook version of Reformed theologian John Piper's new book, Coronavirus and Christ, claiming it violated "community standards."
17
June
Blasphemy a Capital Offense in Some Countries, Expunged in Others
More than seventy of the world’s countries have some kind of anti-blasphemy laws, the worst of which are Iran Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Qatar, Egypt and Italy. Western nations have no blasphemy laws so detractors may say what they want.
15
June
Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide?
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief has launched a new report into Nigeria. Members have been alarmed by the dramatic and escalating violence in Nigeria characterised as the farmer-herder conflict.
12
June
1,202 Defenseless Christians Hacked To Death By Jihadists In Six Months (Jan-June 2020)
A special report from Intersociety, Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria.
Iranian authorities target at least 77 Baha’is across the country in recent weeks despite the present health crisis.
11
June
Escalation in persecution of Baha’is in Iran
Iranian authorities have escalated their persecution of the Baha’is, targeting at least 77 individuals across the country in recent weeks despite the present health crisis afflicting the country.
10
June
Freedom of Religion or Belief in China Today
Repressed, Removed, Re-Educated: The stranglehold on religious life in China
Pastor Acharya and his family (c) Morningstarnews.org
09
June
Nepalese police arrest pastor for preaching about COVID-19
In Nepal, praying in public could mean prison time. Recently, the police arrested a pastor for allegedly spreading misinformation about Corona virus and praying for his congregation in fear of the pandemic.
