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2010-05-01 |
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| Bruxelles, Belgique |
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| La Belgique interdit le port du voile intégral musulman |
La Belgique est devenue le jeudi 29 avril, le premier pays occidental à interdire le port du voile islamique intégral dans tout l'espace public, avant la France qui prévoit de présenter un texte lors d’un conseil des ministres.
Pour une fois unanimes, quelle que soit leur couleur politique ou |
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2010-05-01 |
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| Paris, France - |
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| L’interdiction du voile intégral en débat à l’Assemblée nationale en juillet |
| La France semble privilégier la recherche d’un consensus le plus large possible plutôt que l’adoption rapide d’une loi sur le niqab. Ainsi le premier ministre François Fillon appelait au cours du mois d’avril à prendre « le temps du débat » afin de rechercher « un consensus républicain » sur |
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2010-04-11 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Recommandation des délégués de la FPF sur la liberté religieuse |
Lors de l’Assemblée générale annuelle de la Fédération protestante de France qui s’est tenue à Paris, le 10 et 11 avril, à l’auditorium de l’hôpital des diaconesses de Reuilly, les délégués présents ont procédé à cinq recommandations destinée au Conseil de la Fédération protestante de France (FPF).
La recommandation |
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2010-04-02 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Dérives communautaires en France |
Le samedi 27 mars, un colloque organisé par l’Observatoire international de la laïcité contre les dérives communautaires, s’est tenu dans l’enceinte de l’Assemblée Nationale.
Selon l’Observatoire, l’hôpital serait confronté à de nombreuses difficultés, en raison d’une montée en puissance des communautarismes. «Le problème le plus fréquent, est celui |
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2010-02-14 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Colloque à Alger sur « l’exercice du culte, un droit garanti par la religion et la loi » |
Un colloque organisé par le ministère des Affaires religieuses s’est tenu à Alger les 10 et 11 février 2010. Son sujet : L’exercice du culte, un droit garanti par la religion et la loi.
Ce colloque a rassemblé environ 200 personnes en présence du ministre, le Dr Ghlamallah, et |
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2010-02-07 |
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| Téhéran, Iran |
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| Sept bahá’ís risquent la peine de mort |
Le service de presse bahá’í communique :
« La deuxième audience du procès des sept prisonniers bahá’ís de Téhéran, détenus depuis plus de vingt mois, débute ce dimanche. Elle est attendue dans la plus vive inquiétude. La première audience, le 12 janvier, ne présentait pas toutes les garanties d'un |
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2010-01-15 |
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| Zürich, Suisse - |
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| Les responsables de l’Alliance évangélique suisse (AES) réagissent à un appel officiel du Parlement de la Ligue arabe |
| Dans le courrier adressé cette semaine à Nabih Berri, président du Parlement de la Ligue des États arabes, les responsables de l’Alliance évangélique suisse (AES) soulignent que pour améliorer les relations entre musulmans et chrétiens, il serait souhaitable qu’une amélioration très concrète des droits humains et de la liberté |
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2009-12-01 |
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| Genève, Suisse |
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| Des responsables religieux suisses déplorent le résultat du référendum sur les minarets |
En Suisse, de nombreux responsables religieux ont exprimé leur déception suite aux résultats d'un référendum portant sur l'ajout à la constitution nationale d'une disposition interdisant la construction de minarets dans le pays. L'ajout de cette interdiction a reçu le soutien de 57,5 % des votants.
Dans un communiqué, le |
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2009-11-30 |
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| Genève, Suisse |
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| Pas de construction de minarets en Suisse |
| Les minarets ne pourront plus être érigés en Suisse. L'initiative populaire « contre la construction » de ces tours ornant les mosquées a été clairement acceptée dimanche 29 novembre par référendum, ce qui constitue une surprise. Près de six votants sur dix se sont prononcés en faveur de cette initiative, |
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2009-11-28 |
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| Genève, Suisse - |
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| L’interdiction des minarets nuit à la cohésion sociale |
L’interdiction des minarets ne résout aucun problème ; elle en crée de nouveaux. Le respect mutuel est indispensable à l’intégration réussie et à la cohésion de la société.
L’acceptation de l’initiative populaire « Contre la construction de minarets » nuit à la cohésion de la société. L’interdiction des |
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2009-11-04 |
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| Nairobi, Kenya |
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| Les responsables d'Église de la côte kenyane rejettent le foulard islamique à l'école |
| Les Églises ont le droit de déterminer quelle tenue vestimentaire est appropriée dans leurs propres écoles, ont affirmé les responsables d'Église de la région côtière du Kenya. Cette réaction est intervenue suite à la contestation, par des fidèles de l'islam dans la région, de plusieurs décisions des Églises sur le |
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2009-10-19 |
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| Genève, Suisse - |
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| Une pétition pour l'abrogation des lois sur le blasphème au Pakistan a été remise à l'ONU |
Une pétition demandant l'abrogation des lois pakistanaises sur le blasphème - qui prévoient la peine de mort pour les personnes reconnues coupables de profanation du livre saint de l'islam, le Coran - a été remise au Haut-Commissariat des Nations Unies aux droits de l'homme.
Les signataires affirment que la |
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2009-09-16 |
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| Bangalore, Inde |
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| Une église attaquée après la dénonciation du prosélytisme par des chrétiens |
| Des responsables chrétiens des quatre coins de l'État du Karnataka, dans le sud de l'Inde, affirment qu'une église située à proximité du lieu où ils étaient réunis a été prise pour cible quelques heures seulement après qu'ils eurent promis de lutter contre le prosélytisme et les outrages de la part |
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2009-09-14 |
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| Washington, États-Unis |
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| Un panel d’experts recommande de rejeter les lois sur la diffamation des religions. |
| Lors de la onzième rencontre annuelle du groupe, les membres du conseil d'experts de l’IRLA (Association internationale de la liberté religieuse) ont abordé le domaine d'une législation proposée contre le discours de haine. A cet effet, ils ont rédigé l'ébauche d'une déclaration considérant que les lois sur la diffamation des |
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2009-08-13 |
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| Paris, France |
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| En Iran, les sept bahá'ís accusés d'espionnage jugés mardi, leur avocat incarcéré |
Sept bahá'ís, détenus depuis plus d'un an à la section 209 de la prison d'Evine de Téhéran, qui encourent la peine de mort, doivent être jugés prochainement à la fin août.
Pourtant, au mépris des règles juridiques, leurs avocats ne pourront pas les défendre : Me Abdolfattah Soltani, du |
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2009-08-03 |
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| New Delhi |
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| Au Pakistan, les écoles d'une Église ferment pour protester contre les violences antichrétiennes |
| Des écoles d'Église et d'autres institutions chrétiennes de Karachi ont fermé en signe de protestation contre le meurtre de chrétiens dans la région du Punjab, dans le centre du Pakistan, lors de violences collectives à l'encontre de chrétiens. Une cinquantaine d'autres personnes ont été blessées et des dizaines de maisons |
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2009-07-19 |
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| Lyon, France |
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| La KEK discute une résolution sur « les droits minimaux des communautés religieuses » |
Dès 1997 à Graz, la question des droits religieux était posée, au cours du 2ème Rassemblement œcuménique européen, question développée ensuite dans la Charta œcumenica signée à Strasbourg en 2001.
La Conférence des Églises européennes (KEK) réunie en Assemblée du 15 au 21 juillet au Centre de congrès de |
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2009-06-24 |
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| Paris, France |
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| La burqa et la République |
En lançant le débat sur le voile intégral, Nicolas Sarkozy risque de stigmatiser une nouvelle fois les musulmans de France, alors que la loi de 2004 sur le port du voile à l’école n’a jamais sérieusement été évaluée.
Les Français sont aussi volontiers donneurs de leçons que peu enclins |
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2009-06-24 |
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| Paris, France |
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| La burqa, un signe sectaire et non religieux ? |
par Dounia Bouzar (anthropologue et chercheur associé à l'Observatoire du fait religieux)
Rappelons que "religion" vient du mot latin relegere (accueillir) et religare (relier). Le croyant se ressource dans sa relation à Dieu pour aller vers les autres et trouver du sens à sa vie.
En revanche, le |
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2009-06-07 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Les réactions en France à la liberté religieuse évoquée par Barack Obama |
| Barack Obama en a-t-il trop fait ? Dans son discours au monde musulman, tenu jeudi 4 juin au Caire, le président des États-Unis s'est volontiers référé aux textes saints, louant sans réserve les vertus inhérentes, selon lui, aux trois grandes religions monothéistes, colorant même son propos de formules mystiques dignes |
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2009-05-06 |
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| Toronto, Canada - |
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| une musulmane autorisée à contester la décision de justice l'interdisant de porter le voile au tribunal |
Une musulmane du Canada vient de se voir offrir une nouvelle chance de défendre sa volonté de porter le voile pendant qu'elle témoigne au tribunal contre deux hommes accusés de l'avoir agressée sexuellement.
Cette affaire, qui suscite une attention particulière, met aux prises la liberté de religion de cette |
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2009-05-06 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Regain d’extrémisme religieux dans le monde qui menace la liberté religieuse et porte préjudice au sérieux et à la notoriété des croyants |
La Commission indépendante des États-Unis sur la liberté religieuse vient de dresser une liste des pays où de graves entorses à la liberté de culte sont commises. Elle se dit préoccupée par le regain d’extrémisme qui menace la liberté religieuse dans divers pays à travers le monde.
13 pays |
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2009-04-15 |
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| Paris, France |
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| La Halde régule l’expression religieuse dans l’entreprise |
Les restrictions apportées à la liberté religieuse par des règlements intérieurs d’entreprises doivent toujours être « justifiées » et « proportionnées au but recherché »
« Au sein de l’entreprise privée, la liberté religieuse est la règle » : saisie de plusieurs demandes d’entreprises « souhaitant encadrer le port de |
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2009-04-05 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Interdiction de critiquer les religions ? |
A un mois de la conférence de Durban II contre le racisme, les pays musulmans viennent de faire voter au Conseil des droits de l'homme des Nations Unies, une résolution condamnant la «diffamation des religions». La critique des religions sera-t-elle bientôt interdite et punie par le droit international ?
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2009-03-31 |
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| Genève, Suisse |
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| l'ONU lutte contre la diffamation des religions et la discrimination religieuse |
Lors de sa rencontre du 2 au 27 mars, à Genève, suisse, le conseil des droits de l’homme dans sa dixième session ordinaire s’est prononcé sur un certain nombre de décisions en rapport avec les droits de l’homme en général et deux résolutions concernent la liberté religieuse.
Par une |
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2009-03-29 |
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| Chine |
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| 3000 chrétiens exécutés depuis l’an 2000 |
Des milliers de chrétiens sont tués en Chine à cause de leur foi en Jésus-Christ. « Au moins 3000 chrétiens ont été tués en Chine depuis l’an 2000 », a déclaré Ulrich Delius, expert pour l’Asie de l’Association internationale pour les droits de l’homme.
Par ailleurs, l’organisation Amnesty International |
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2009-03-18 |
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| Genève, Suisse |
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| Asma Jahangir, la Rapporteuse spéciale de l'ONU sur la liberté de religion, défend son bilan |
| Le 12 mars, Asma Jahangir, la Rapporteuse spéciale sur la liberté de religion ou de conviction, a présenté son rapport dans la Salle du Conseil des droits de l'homme à l'ONU, à Genève. Cette avocate pakistanaise, militante de longue date des droits des femmes, a plaidé pour le développement du |
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2009-03-02 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Le procureur général de l'Iran affirme qu'ils seraient passés aux aveux |
L'inquiétude redouble pour les sept détenus baha'is accusés de «blasphème» et d'«espionnage» en Iran
Le procureur général de l'Iran a annoncé vendredi 27 février que les sept baha'is incarcérés depuis huit mois et plus à la prison d'Evin auraient «reconnu les charges» retenues contre eux. Ces deux femmes |
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2009-02-20 |
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| Paris, France |
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| L’inquiétude des baha’is de France |
| Une fois encore, les baha'is de France sont inquiets : une dépêche de l'agence iranienne ISNA annonce comme imminent le procès des sept administrateurs baha'is arrêtés et incarcérés depuis mai 2008. Il s’agit des deux femmes et des cinq hommes responsables de la gestion des affaires courantes de la communauté |
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2009-02-07 |
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| Cantorbéry, Angleterre - |
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| Une infirmière britannique menacée de renvoi après avoir proposé de prier avec une patiente |
Caroline Petrie, une chrétienne convaincue depuis ses 10 ans, risque de perdre son emploi d'infirmière dans un hôpital proche de Weston-super-Mare, à 225 km de Londres, après avoir été suspendue pour avoir proposé de prier pour une patiente âgée qui souffrait de blessures aux jambes.
« Deux faits nous |
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2008-12-27 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Les persécutions antireligieuses |
L’intolérance religieuse fait chaque année des dizaines de milliers de victimes, toutes confessions confondues, à travers le monde et principalement en Asie. Parmi elles, les chrétiens sont les plus nombreux.
De quand datent les persécutions antireligieuses ?
Dans la Rome antique, les magistrats dits « persécuteurs » étaient |
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2008-11-01 |
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| Amritsar, Inde |
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| Les sikhs d'Inde exhortent un responsable d'Eglise à traiter la question de l'interdiction du turban en France |
Des responsables de la communauté Sikh de l'Inde ont exhorté le pasteur Samuel Kobia, secrétaire général du Conseil oecuménique des Eglises (COE), à appuyer leur demande de lever l'interdiction du port du turban dans les écoles en France.
« Le port du turban fait partie intégrante de notre religion |
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2008-10-09 |
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| Varsovie |
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| La Russie rejette le rapport sur la liberté religieuse qu'elle juge "tendancieux" |
Le ministère russe des Affaires étrangères a rejeté un rapport du gouvernement des Etats-Unis sur la liberté religieuse, publié en septembre, qui affirme que la Russie traite de façon inéquitable les religions minoritaires.
« Le dernier rapport publié sur leur site web montre une approche de la Russie traditionnellement |
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2008-09-27 |
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| Roumanie |
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| Les lois sur la diffamation des religions devraient être rejetées, recommandent des experts |
Des experts de la liberté religieuse ont exprimé leurs inquiétudes au sujet de différents projets de loi qui ont pour but de réguler la liberté de parole et de créer de nouvelles législations sur la diffamation.
Du 8 au 10 septembre, la Xième convention sur la liberté religieuse |
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2008-09-15 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Le pape soutient la "laïcité positive" de Nicolas Sarkozy |
Au cours de sa visite en France, du 12 au 15 septembre, le pape Benoît XVI a appelé à une « nouvelle réflexion sur la laïcité ». Toutefois, cela n’implique pas, selon le chef de l’Eglise catholique, une évolution de la législation en vigueur.
Dès son arrivée, le 12 |
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2008-08-28 |
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| Berne, Suisse |
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| Le Conseil fédéral s'oppose à l'interdiction de construire des minarets |
Adoption du message relatif à l'initiative populaire "contre la construction de minarets"
L'initiative populaire "contre la construction de minarets" a abouti et sa validité a été reconnue. Elle viole cependant les droits de l'homme consacrés par le droit international et va à l'encontre des valeurs essentielles de la Constitution |
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2008-08-12 |
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| Washington, USA |
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| Jeux Olympiques: George W. Bush exhorté à aborder la question de la liberté religieuse en Chine |
| Une commission indépendante des Etats-Unis sur la liberté religieuse internationale, soutenue par le gouvernement, exhorte le président George W. Bush à s'exprimer publiquement sur les questions de la liberté religieuse et des droits de la personne lorsqu'il assistera aux Jeux olympiques, qui se déroulent à Pékin du 8 au 24 |
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2008-08-06 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Les sept détenus bahá’ís en Iran accusés à tort : l'inquiétude redouble |
| Nouvelle source d'inquiétude pour les sept baha'is détenus à la prison d'Evin de Téhéran : les autorités iraniennes les accusent de collusion avec l'Etat d'Israël. Le procureur adjoint en charge de la sécurité à la Cour islamique révolutionnaire de Téhéran, Hassan Haddad, a affirmé à la presse iranienne que les |
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2008-07-16 |
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| Bangalore, Inde |
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| Un tribunal pakistanais déclare légale la conversion de jeunes filles chrétiennes kidnappées |
Au Pakistan, un père chrétien cherche en vain à obtenir auprès des tribunaux la garde de ses deux petites filles, kidnappées et converties de force à l'islam.
Le 12 juillet, un juge de la province de Punjab n'a pas reconnu que Saba Younis, 12 ans, et sa soeur Anila |
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2008-07-15 |
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| Marseille, France |
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| Tribunal administratif de Marseille, n°0502887, 22 avril 2008, ASSOCIATION DIOCESAINE DE L'ARCHIDIOCESE D'AIX-EN-PROVENCE et autre |
| Refus du maire de mettre fin aux visites organisées sur le toit-terrasse de l’église des Saintes-Maries de la Mer. La commune des Saintes-Maries de la Mer a ouvert au public depuis 1963 le toit-terrasse de l’église forteresse, dont la gestion de cette activité à caractère touristique a été |
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2008-07-13 |
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| Asnières, France |
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| Cour de cassation, chambre criminelle, 6 mai 2008, N° de pourvoi: 07-82251 |
| Francis Y..., maire -adjoint chargé de la communication de la ville d’Asnières, a été poursuivi pour diffamation envers des particuliers, à la suite de l’expédition par voie postale, en novembre 2003, aux résidents de la commune d’Asnières, d’un document mettant en cause la fondation Ostad Elahi - éthique |
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2008-07-11 |
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| Melun, France |
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| Tribunal administratif de Melun, n°0700177/5, 26 mars 2008, M. Daljit S. |
| Le sous-turban sikh , bien que d’une dimension plus modeste que le turban traditionnel et de couleur sombre, ne peut être qualifié de signe discret ; que, dans ce contexte, l’interdiction légale pouvait être régulièrement opposée à l’élève dès lors qu’en persistant à porter de façon permanente le sous-turban, |
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2008-07-11 |
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| Lyon, France |
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| Cour administrative d’appel de Lyon, n°05LY01218, 10 juin 2008, Consorts I. |
| Invoquant ses convictions religieux pour s’opposer durant près de 30 minutes à toute présence masculine dans la salle d’accouchement, notamment des médecins obstétriciens et anesthésistes et de l’interne de garde, malgré les demandes instantes de ces derniers, le requérant a ainsi fait obstacle aux examens nécessaires qui auraient permis de |
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2008-07-10 |
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| Melun, France |
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| Tribunal administratif de Melun, n°0504859/5 et n° 0603837/5, 25 janvier 2008, Mme Marie-Henriette E. |
| Le motif de l’exclusion temporaire de fonctions de Mme E. pour une durée de six mois résulte, non pas de son appartenance à l’église adventiste du septième jour, mais de sa volonté persistante de ne pas assurer son service le samedi et, ainsi, de ne pas se conformer à la |
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2008-06-23 |
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| Maldives |
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| Interdiction d’un livre sur la liberté de religion et l’apostasie |
Le Conseil suprême des affaires islamiques du gouvernement a interdit le livre Freedom of Religion, Apostasy and Islam (La liberté de religion, l’apostasie et l’islam) co-écrit par l’ancien procureur général et candidat à la présidence, le Dr Hassan Saeed, au motif qu’il « viole les principes islamiques ».
C’est |
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2008-06-23 |
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| Jakarta, Indonésie |
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| L'Indonésie accusée de sacrifier la liberté religieuse aux exigences des intégristes |
La liberté religieuse dans le pays musulman le plus peuplé du monde est désormais clairement menacée, ont affirmé mardi 10 juin 2008 des intellectuels indonésiens en accusant le gouvernement de se plier aux exigences des intégristes islamiques.
Les défenseurs des droits ont très mal reçu lundi la décision d'imposer |
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2008-05-16 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Six responsables bahá'ís arrêtés sans motif en Iran |
Les autorités iraniennes ont arrêté sans explication, hier matin, six des sept responsables de la communauté bahá’íe d'Iran, dont une femme. Ils ont été incarcérés à la prison d’Evin à Téhéran. La septième responsable, une femme aussi, est détenue depuis le 5 mars dans la prison de Mashad.
Cette |
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2008-05-04 |
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| Paris, France |
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| L’obligation d’assiduité des élèves fait obstacles à une absence systématique le samedi fondée sur des motifs religieux. |
La problématique juridique n’est pas nouvelle. Toutefois, c’est la première fois que la HALDE était invitée à se prononcer sur la question.
En l’espèce, un étudiant de confession juive s’est vu opposer par les responsables de la scolarité de son établissement d’enseignement supérieur privé , une fin de non |
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2008-03-22 |
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| Alger, Algérie |
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| Des intellectuels algériens dénoncent les persécutions anti-chrétiennes |
| Dans un texte rendu public le 21 mars 2008, des intellectuels dénoncent le harcèlement des chrétiens pour « délit de prière » et expriment leur « solidarité avec la communauté chrétienne d’Algérie, cible de mesures aussi brutales qu’injustifiées », en affirmant leur attachement « à la liberté de conscience, du |
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2008-03-22 |
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| Roumanie |
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| Une association laïciste dénonce l’enseignement créationniste |
La toute-puissance de l’Eglise orthodoxe ne fait pas l’unanimité en Roumanie. Depuis des années, l’association laïciste «Solidarité pour la liberté de conscience», présidée par Remus Cernea, dénonce toute emprise religieuse sur la société. Et c’est désormais le créationnisme qui est pointé du doigt.
«Officiellement, il y a la séparation |
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2008-03-14 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Il ne faut pas tuer l'Organisation des Nations unies |
par Hélène Flautre, présidente de la sous-commission des droits de l'homme du Parlement européen
Des intellectuels de renom ont apposé leur signature à une pétition intitulée "L'ONU contre les droits de l'homme" (Le Monde du 28 février). Faisant mine de découvrir que l'Organisation des Nations unies affiche des performances |
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2008-02-25 |
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| Paris, France |
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| La dérive sectaire doit être combattue |
Après la polémique suscitée par les propos d’une conseillère du président de la République française, François Fillon a déclaré que « la dérive sectaire devait être combattue en France ».
Invité au journal télévisé de 20h00 de France 2, le jeudi 21 février, le Premier ministre a souhaité que |
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2008-02-25 |
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| Genève, Suisse |
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| L'Alliance évangélique Suisse demande à l'ambassadeur Kamel Houhou d’intervenir auprès du président Bouteflika |
| L'Alliance évangélique Suisse (AES) dénonce dans un communiqué, la condamnation «sans audition» et «sous un faux chef d'accusation», de trois chrétiens algériens, le 5 février dernier. Mohamed Seghir Rachid Dob, Ramdani Hamid Dob et Ourahmane Youssef Dobhaben ont été accusés de porter atteinte à la foi de plusieurs musulmans en |
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2008-02-22 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Trois discours et les vieilles passions se rallument |
Il a suffi de trois discours (à Rome, en Arabie saoudite et au CRIF) du président de la République française pour rallumer les vieilles passions. En France, dès que l’on évoque la religion par des politiques ou la politique par des religieux, les passions laïques se réveillent.
Pour avoir |
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2008-02-16 |
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| Le Caire, Egypte |
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| Un bahaï égyptien exempté de mention de religion |
Un tribunal égyptien a permis mardi à un membre de la minorité religieuse bahaï de laisser vierge la mention de religion sur sa carte d'identité, considérée comme discriminatoire par des organisations de défense des droits de l'Homme, a-t-on appris de source judiciaire.
La Haute cour administrative d'Egypte a décidé |
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2008-02-11 |
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| La Halde |
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| Fête religieuse : les employeurs doivent être souples |
L'employeur qui refuse une absence pour une fête religieuse doit justifier sa position par des éléments objectifs étrangers à toute discrimination.
Dans l'exercice de son pouvoir de direction, l'employeur doit, bien entendu, penser avant tout à l'intérêt de l'entreprise, mais, ce faisant, il doit chercher, autant que faire se |
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2008-01-28 |
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| Rome, Cité du Vatican |
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| Le pape réclame la liberté religieuse dans les pays arabes |
Le pape Benoît XVI a réclamé le vendredi 25 janvier la liberté religieuse dans les pays arabes en disant que chacun devrait avoir le droit de pratiquer sa foi au grand jour et de se convertir à une autre religion s'il le souhaite.
Le souverain pontife, qui s'exprimait |
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2008-01-18 |
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| Paris, France |
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| La laïcité dans tous ses états |
Le président de la République française, Nicolas Sarkozy s'est efforcé le jeudi 17 janvier de calmer la polémique suscitée en France par ses récents discours de Rome et de Ryad sur la religion et a réaffirmé son attachement à la laïcité.
Il a reçu en début de soirée |
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2007-12-27 |
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| Inde, Bhubanes |
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| Des Hindous attaquent des églises à Noël faisant 1 mort et 30 blessés |
Des Hindous ont attaqué au moins 10 églises pendant la nuit de Noël dans l'est de l'Inde, faisant un mort et trente blessés, a annoncé la police mercredi.
Les assaillants, soutenus par le Vishwa Hindu Parishad (Conseil mondial Hindou), ont mis le feu à six églises et en ont |
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2007-12-27 |
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| Rome, Italie |
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| Nicolas Sarkozy veut remettre la religion au coeur de la vie de la cité |
| Le "discours du Latran" laissera plus de traces que la visite officielle de Nicolas Sarkozy, jeudi matin 20 décembre au Vatican, au pape Benoît XVI. Les deux hommes ont constaté leur proximité de vues sur la place de la religion dans la vie publique et, à l'étranger, sur le Liban, |
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2007-12-26 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Ces chrétiens qu'on persécute |
Dans un nombre croissant de pays, le simple fait d’être chrétien peut valoir l’exil forcé ou la mort. Les défenseurs patentés des droits de l’homme ont souvent tendance à l’oublier.
Une série d’événements importants prouvent cette année que le Vatican n’est plus seul à aborder la question de la |
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2007-12-25 |
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| Arabie Saoudite |
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| Haïr les juifs, les chrétiens et les mauvais musulmans, tout le programme scolaire des petits Saoudiens |
En Arabie Saoudite, 5 millions d’enfants apprennent jour après jour à l’école, comment ils doivent haïr les juifs, les chrétiens, les musulmans chiites et soufis, tous ceux qu’ils nomment les « incroyants». Le wahhabisme, islam radical, est la religion officielle et elle est au cœur de l’enseignement.
En dehors |
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2007-12-11 |
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| Binfield, Bracknell, Berkshire, Angleterre |
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| Des experts analysent les lois antiterroristes qui pourraient entraver la liberté religieuse |
| Le 25 novembre dernier, une table ronde a eu lieu à Binfield (Angleterre) pour analyser les lois antiterroristes, y compris les propositions de lois concernant la vie privée et les discours de haine qui pourraient entraver la liberté religieuse sur les lieux de travail et dans la société en général. |
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2007-11-23 |
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| Lugano, Suisse |
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| Hommage rendu à un défenseur infatigable de la liberté religieuse. |
| Au cours d´une cérémonie organisée le samedi 3 novembre 2007 dans le cadre du service religieux par le pasteur adventiste de Lugano, Giampiero Vassallo, le secrétaire général de l´Association internationale de la liberté religieuse (IRLA), John Graz, a remis une plaquette à Gianfranco Rossi comme marque de reconnaissance de |
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2007-11-01 |
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| Québec, Canada |
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| Les Québécois sont devenus frileux face à la diversité, croit Louis O'Neill |
La diversité, notamment la diversité religieuse, est une source de progrès, mais les Québécois sont devenus frileux face à cette diversité, estime l'ancien ministre des Communications du Québec, Louis O'Neill.
Témoignant devant la commission Bouchard-Taylor sur les accommodements raisonnables, M. O'Neill a attribué cette frilosité à « la rupture avec |
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2007-10-30 |
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| Rome, Italie |
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| Benoît XVI souhaite que la liberté religieuse soit reconnue comme un droit inaliénable |
« La liberté d'action de l'Église représente un droit inaliénable, et c'est la condition primordiale pour mener à bien votre mission parmi le peuple, même dans des circonstances difficiles ». C'est ce qu'a rappelé le pape Benoît XVI au nouvel ambassadeur de l'Équateur auprès du Saint Siège, Fausto Cordovez Chiriboga.
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2007-10-23 |
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| Tadjikistan |
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| Les Témoins de Jehovah chassés du Tadjikistan pour prosélytisme |
Le ministère de la Culture du Tadjikistan a annoncé lundi l'interdiction du mouvement religieux des Témoins de Jéhovah pour son prosélytisme et ses appels contre le service militaire.
« Une enquête conduite par le ministère a montré que ce groupement religieux avait violé la constitution qui rend obligatoire le |
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2007-10-22 |
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| Bangalore, Inde |
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| La liberté religieuse perd du terrain |
La liberté religieuse est en déclin constant, s'alarme John Dayal, journaliste, chrétien militant, aujourd'hui secrétaire général du Conseil chrétien de l'Inde. Il publie un livre sur la liberté religieuse en Inde.
« En Inde, beaucoup de droits ont été systématiquement démantelés au cours des années par les gouvernements, les |
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2007-09-21 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Complexe éducatif pour accueillir des élèves sikhs à Bobigny |
| Sur les 12 millions d'élèves scolarisés en France, un peu plus de 2 millions le sont dans le privé, soit une part de 17 % environ, sensiblement équivalente à la moyenne européenne. Les élèves inscrits dans le privé représentent 13 % de l'ensemble des effectifs du primaire, 21% du secondaire |
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2007-09-20 |
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| Moscou |
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| Moscou critique le rapport du département d'Etat américain sur la liberté religieuse |
Le ministère russe des Affaires étrangères conteste l'objectivité du neuvième Rapport annuel sur la liberté religieuse dans le monde, publié le 14 septembre dernier par le département d'Etat américain.
Ce rapport est conçu dans l'esprit tendancieux et politiquement engagé qui distingue traditionnellement Washington, affirme le MID russe dans |
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2007-09-20 |
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| Bruxelles, Belgique |
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| Les députés PS veulent mieux lutter contre les sectes |
| Des députés PS en Belgique dont André Frédéric ont annoncé qu'ils redéposaient leur proposition de loi visant à mieux lutter contre les sectes en érigeant en infraction pénale la déstabilisation mentale des personnes. L'exposition sur « les abus de la psychiatrie » qui se tient actuellement dans une salle des Galeries Louise |
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2007-09-19 |
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| Paris, France |
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| L'Islam « a toute sa place dans la République » affirme le premier ministre François Fillon. |
L'Islam « a toute sa place dans la République », a déclaré mardi 18 septembre François Fillon lors d'un déplacement à la Grande mosquée de Paris pour l'iftar, le dîner de rupture du jeûne du Ramadan.
Le Premier ministre, qui rencontrait Dalil Boubakeur et les dirigeants du Conseil français du culte |
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2007-09-19 |
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| Richmond, Virginia, Etats-Unis |
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| La nécessité de renforcer l’entente entre les confessions religieuses |
Lors de la rencontre du 9 au 13 septembre 2007 des juristes experts de la liberté religieuse et rassemblés par l’association américaine IRLA (Association de la liberté religieuse), il a été convenu que la religion doit être reconsidérée comme un moyen de réconciliation.
Le président du Comité, l’Ambassadeur |
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2007-09-15 |
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| Washington, Etats-Unis |
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| Washington salue la liberté prévalant au Maroc |
Washington a salué la liberté religieuse qui prévaut au Maroc et les rapports entretenus entre les diverses confessions au sein de la société marocaine, mettant en relief les efforts du Royaume pour encourager la tolérance, le respect et le dialogue interreligieux.
La liberté de culte est garantie par |
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2007-09-15 |
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| Washington, Etats-Unis |
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| Liberté de culte: Washington réduit ses exigences envers l'Arabie Saoudite |
| Mais les Etats-Unis, qui définissent la liberté de culte comme celle de pratiquer librement et publiquement toute religion, sont prêts à faire une exception pour l'Arabie Saoudite, un des pays musulmans les plus fondamentalistes, a laissé entendre le responsable des libertés religieuses au département d'Etat, John Hanford, lors d'une conférence |
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2007-09-14 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Le Premier ministre, François Fillon, a reçu le pasteur Claude Baty, président de la Fédération protestante de France. |
M. François Fillon a assuré, au cours de cette première prise de contact du mercredi 12 septembre, que les travaux concernant les suites du rapport de la commission Machelon sur les relations entre les pouvoirs publics et les religions aboutiraient prochainement à des propositions concrètes.
Claude Baty a rappelé |
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2007-09-13 |
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| Québec , Canada |
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| Liberté de pratiques religieuses dans les écoles du Québec |
La nouvelle Coalition pour la Liberté en Éducation (CLE), formée d’une centaine de parents inquiets, demande au gouvernement de respecter le droit des parents de choisir l’éducation de leurs enfants en matière d’enseignement de religion et d’éthique à l’école.
Dès septembre 2008, le cours Éthique et Culture des religions, |
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2007-09-12 |
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| Guyane française |
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| La Guyane sous la menace des sectes ? |
| Après l’intervention des gendarmes le 7 septembre dernier pour soustraire 9 enfants privés d’école du giron d’une “association de prières“, la preuve est faite que la Guyane connaît une montée du phénomène sectaire. Plus de 10% de la population seraient en contact avec une secte. Parmi les moyens de lutte |
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2007-09-11 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Droits de l'homme, les cinq nominés du prix Sakharov 2007 dévoilés |
Les cinq nominés pour le Prix Sakharov 2007 pour la « liberté de pensée » ont été dévoilés ce mardi 11 septembre lors d'une réunion conjointe de la commission des affaires étrangères, de la commission du développement et de la sous-commission des droits de l'homme.
De cinq noms, cette liste passera à |
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2007-09-04 |
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| Laos, Cambodge |
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| Situation des catholiques |
| Selon l’agence des Missions étrangères de Paris la liberté religieuse reste limitée au Laos, un pays majoritairement bouddhiste et animiste, enclavé au cœur des montagnes. Près de 40.000 catholiques connaissent toujours un grand isolement dans ce pays peu connue du Sud-Est asiatique, même si l'Eglise catholique y est légale. Les |
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2007-08-27 |
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| Montréal, Canada |
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| Les accommodements religieux, versions américaine et européenne |
Quelle place «raisonnable» la religion doit-elle occuper dans une société qui se veut libre et démocratique ?
C’était la question centrale du colloque de la Faculté de droit de l'Université de Montréal, au Canada, tenu le 18 juin dernier au cours duquel près d’une vingtaine de conférenciers ont pris |
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2007-08-27 |
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| Malaisie |
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| Jésus fait suspendre un journal |
Le gouvernement malaisien a imposé un mois de suspension à un journal pour avoir publié une caricature du Christ tenant une cigarette et une boîte de bière.
Sur décision du ministère de la Sécurité intérieure, le quotidien de langue tamoule Makkal Osai Tamil n'est plus autorisé à paraître à |
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2007-08-26 |
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| Montpezat de Quercy, France |
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| La France serait-elle refermée sur des certitudes arrogantes au nom de la laïcité ? |
S'adressant aux parlementaires le 10 mars 2006, M. Philippe Douste-Blazy, alors ministre des Affaires Etrangères, commentait ainsi le rapport du Département d'Etat américain sur les Droits de l'Homme, concernant notamment l'exercice de la foi et de la religion en France (extraits) :
« Le Département d'Etat est obligé, tous les |
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2007-08-20 |
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| Hong Kong, Chine |
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| Les chrétiens de Hong Kong demandent une vraie liberté religieuse en Chine |
A un an de l'ouverture des jeux olympiques de 2008 à Pékin, des responsables chrétiens de Hong Kong ont demandé à la Chine d'accorder une vraie liberté religieuse dans le pays.
« Bien que le gouvernement ait tenté de donner l'impression qu'il améliorerait son bilan en matière de droits |
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2007-08-16 |
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| Dusseldorf, Allemagne |
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| Foulard interdit à l’école même noué à la façon de Grace Kelly |
Le tribunal de Dusseldorf (à l’Ouest de l'Allemagne) a rejeté le mardi 14 août 2007 la plainte d'une enseignante musulmane du secteur public qui réclamait, au nom de la liberté de culte, l'autorisation de conserver son foulard en cours à la façon de l'actrice Grace Kelly.
La Rhénanie-du-Nord/Westphalie, dont |
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2007-08-16 |
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| Colombo, Pakistan |
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| Revendications pour les droits des minorités le jour du 60e anniversaire de l'indépendance du Pakistan |
Près de 100 000 membres de minorités religieuses du Pakistan ont marqué le 60e anniversaire de l'indépendance de leur pays en organisant une manifestation de solidarité nationale à Lahore, capitale de la province du Penjab, affirme un responsable chrétien.
« Ce rassemblement visait à réitérer nos demandes d'égalité des |
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2007-08-15 |
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| Washington, USA |
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| Les lois américaines protègent le port d'un symbole religieux sur le lieu de travail |
Bilan Nur, une réfugiée de la Somalie, pays ravagé par la guerre, arriva aux États-Unis il y a quelques années et réussit à trouver un emploi en tant qu'agent commercial pour une agence de location de voitures, Alamo, à Phoenix.
Musulmane, elle portait le hijab, ou voile, pendant |
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2007-08-14 |
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| Téhéran, Iran |
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| Les baha’is exclus de l’enseignement professionnel |
| Après les universités, les établissements d’enseignement technique et professionnel en Iran ferment leurs portes aux élèves de confession baha’ie. Depuis plus de 25 ans, les autorités interdisent les baha'is d'études supérieures et exercent des pressions, par l'humiliation et le dénigrement, sur les enfants baha’is dans le primaire. Aujourd’hui, en les |
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2007-08-02 |
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| Corfou, Grèce |
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| Un archevêque dénonce la "discrimination" des catholiques romains en Grèce |
Un responsable de la minorité catholique romaine de Grèce a déclaré que son Eglise était confrontée à une « situation assez désespérée », après s'être vu refuser la reconnaissance juridique et l'égalité des droits dans ce pays majoritairement orthodoxe.
« Nous ne sommes pas persécutés - nous n'avons |
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2007-08-01 |
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| Le Caire, Egypte |
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| Un musulman peut choisir sa religion, selon le Grand Mufti d'Égypte |
La plus haute autorité religieuse d'Égypte a décrété que les musulmans étaient libres de changer de religion, une décision à contre-courant de la pratique dans le monde musulman où l'apostasie est même parfois passible de la peine de mort.
« La question essentielle qui nous est posée est: est-ce qu'un |
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2007-07-29 |
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| Paris, France |
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| L'Islam persécute les chrétiens |
L’Œuvre internationale catholique de droit pontifical Aide à l’Eglise en Détresse publie chaque année un « Rapport sur la liberté religieuse dans le monde », qui passe en revue les violations de la liberté religieuse et les persécutions à travers le monde.
Pour des raisons économiques, l’édition 2007 |
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2007-07-24 |
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| Singapour, Malaisie |
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| Les chrétiens de Malaisie de nouveau préoccupés par les problèmes de liberté religieuse |
Les chrétiens de Malaisie se sont une fois de plus dits préoccupés par le fait que le gouvernement puisse enfreindre leur liberté religieuse, le vice-Premier ministre du pays ayant qualifié la Malaisie d'"Etat islamique".
La Fédération chrétienne de Malaisie a publié un communiqué le 19 juillet exhortant Datuk Seri |
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2007-07-24 |
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| Vilnius, Lituanie |
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| La moitié des Lituaniens ne toléreraient pas l'islam et les nouveaux groupes chrétiens |
Près de la moitié des 3,5 millions d'habitants de la Lituanie se déclarent fermement opposés à l'islam et aux nouveaux groupes chrétiens, comme les évangéliques et les pentecôtistes, selon un sondage récent réalisé dans ce pays qui faisait autrefois partie de l'Union soviétique.
Dans ce sondage, moins de la |
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2007-07-19 |
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| Vilnius, Lituanie |
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| Un témoignage des persécutions de la période soviétique retourne dans son pays d'origine |
Un document témoignant de la terrible répression subie par les chrétiens dans l'ex-Union soviétique est retourné dans son pays d'origine après avoir été sorti clandestinement de Lituanie il y a 36 ans.
Au cours d'une cérémonie solennelle célébrée le 9 juillet en Lituanie, Michael Bourdeaux, prêtre anglican fondateur et |
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2007-07-19 |
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| Rome, Italie |
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| Mille personnes en soutien à la liberté religieuse |
| L'année 2007 marque le centième anniversaire de la naissance de Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807), le fameux général qui a contribué à l'union du pays avec ses 1000 hommes engagés. Certains observateurs ont tenté la comparaison avec les mille personnes qui se sont réunies à Rome à l'occasion du Rallye pour la |
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2007-07-18 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Les établissements scolaires musulmans s'ouvrent au compte-gouttes |
Malgré la loi interdisant le voile à l'école publique, le boom du privé musulman n'a pas eu lieu.
Le visage ceint d'un foulard clair, Najaoua, professeur des sciences de la vie et de la terre, corrige un élève. « Fais une phrase complète, s'il te plaît. » Sans |
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2007-07-08 |
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| Varsovie, Pologne |
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| L'Eglise catholique de Pologne soutient les syndicats dans leur opposition au travail dominical |
Les syndicalistes polonais ont obtenu le soutien de responsables catholiques romains après avoir entamé une série de grèves perlées pour exiger le droit de ne pas travailler le dimanche dans les supermarchés appartenant à la chaîne de distribution britannique Tesco.
Le syndicat Solidarnosc a annoncé son action le 7 |
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2007-07-07 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Michèle Alliot-Marie veut donner une suite à la commission Machelon |
| À l’occasion de l’inauguration de la Maison de la Conférence des évêques de France, à Paris, mercredi 4 juillet, Mme Alliot-Marie, ministre de l’Intérieur, de l’Outre-Mer et des Collectivités locales, a évoqué dans son allocution le travail de la commission Machelon, consacrée au cadre juridique des rapports de l’Etat avec |
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2007-07-06 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Eglise évangélique de Puteaux : la justice refuse l'expulsion des fidèles |
Le tribunal de grande instance de Nanterre a condamné hier la ville de Puteaux à payer à l'association évangélique de Puteaux-La Défense la somme de 1 000 euros et a jugé ses demandes irrecevables devant le juge des référés.
La mairie demandait notamment au tribunal l'expulsion de l'association, « et ce |
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2007-07-06 |
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| Alsace et Moselle, France |
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| En Alsace et en Moselle, les avantages du Concordat |
| Le régime concordataire toujours en vigueur en Alsace et en Moselle autorise des dérogations aux principes de laïcité, notamment en ce qui concerne le financement des lieux de culte. Cette survivance du début du XIXe siècle s'explique par le fait que, lors du vote de la loi de séparation de |
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2007-06-28 |
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| Varsovie, Roumanie |
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| L'Eglise de Roumanie déplore la décision de retirer les symboles religieux des écoles |
L'Eglise orthodoxe roumaine a condamné une décision judiciaire donnant raison aux appels visant à bannir, comme en France, les symboles religieux des écoles.
« Ce n'est pas l'Eglise qui a placé des crucifix et des icônes dans les salles de classe, ce sont les enfants, les parents et les |
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2007-06-26 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Paris, France – Michèle Alliot-Marie a reçu ensemble les représentants des principaux cultes |
| Pour la première fois, la ministre de l'intérieur, chargée des cultes, Michèle Alliot-Marie, a reçu, ensemble, mercredi 20 juin, les représentants des confessions catholique, protestante, musulmane et juive. Avant d'engager des discussions bilatérales permettant d'aborder les problèmes spécifiques à chaque religion, elle entendait leur dire son "attachement au principe de |
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2007-06-25 |
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| Singapour, Malaisie |
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| Les minorités religieuses de Malaisie fustigent "l'usage abusif" de la religion |
Les membres de cinq religions minoritaires de Malaisie, dont des chrétiens et des hindous, ont exhorté leur gouvernement à prendre des mesures pour empêcher les "tragédies personnelles" découlant des politiques nationales favorisant l'islam, religion officielle de ce pays d'Asie du Sud-Est.
Dans un document décrivant les conséquences de la |
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2007-06-25 |
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| Harare, Afrique |
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| Les Eglises du Zimbabwe subissent la répression, selon des organisations de droits de la personne |
| De moins en moins de personnes fréquentent les Eglises au Zimbabwe en raison de la crainte d'être arrêté et des intimidations exercées par les agents de la sécurité d'Etat et la milice du parti au pouvoir. Celui-ci considère que le culte et la prière sont assimilables à des rassemblements politiques, |
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2007-06-21 |
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| Paris, France |
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| La FCPE s'inquiète d'une éclosion d'écoles religieuses |
| Faride Hamana, président de la FCPE, première fédération de parents d’élèves, s’est inquiété dimanche d’une « éclosion d’écoles religieuses » et a appelé à reconstruire un camp laïc « plus fort. On observe une forte tendance à la +reconfessionnalisation+ des écoles privées catholiques sous contrat mais il y a aussi |
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2007-06-20 |
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| Proche-Orient, bande de Gaza |
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| Les chrétiens doivent accepter la loi islamique |
La petite communauté chrétienne de Gaza a des raisons de s'inquiéter. En effet, dans un entretien publié par le quotidien israélien Yediot Ahoronot, un chef islamiste fait savoir que les missionnaires seront "traités sans pitié".
La petite communauté chrétienne de Gaza a des raisons de s'inquiéter. En effet, dans |
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2007-06-16 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Les mères d’élèves voilées ne sont pas privées de sorties |
Empêcher les mères d’élèves voilées d’accompagner des sorties scolaires est discriminatoire.
Voilà ce qu’affirme le ministère de l’Education national, à la suite du cas de femmes qui avaient été interdites de voyages scolaire pour cause de port du voile.
Soutenues par des associations de lutte contre l’islamophobie, ces mères |
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2007-06-15 |
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| Strasbourg, France |
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| Les remarques critiques à l’encontre des religions ne doivent pas tomber sous le coup de la loi pénale |
| Selon des comptes rendus de presse, la célèbre petite sirène du port de Copenhague a été retrouvée dernièrement coiffée d’un foulard. Personne n’a revendiqué ce geste provocateur ; peut-être s’agissait-il d’une simple plaisanterie, peut-être était-ce un message s’inscrivant dans le débat sur le manque de respect vis-à-vis des musulmans. Quoi |
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2007-06-15 |
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| Cologne, Allemagne |
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| Le pasteur Kobia exhorte à se repentir de la violence perpétrée par le christianisme |
Les chrétiens doivent reconnaître que, par le passé, ils ont fait usage de la violence pour opprimer d'autres religions, a déclaré le principal responsable du Conseil oecuménique des Eglises (COE) lors d'un grand rassemblement protestant en Allemagne.
« Si nous n'avouons pas cette histoire, si nous ne nous retournons |
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2007-06-15 |
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| Texas, Etats-Unis |
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| La loi autorisera désormais les élèves chrétiens à prier publiquement et à distribuer de la littérature dans leur école |
Un nouveau projet de loi au Texas tente de déterminer les droits des élèves fréquentant les écoles d'Etat.
Le Sénat a approuvé le projet de loi visant à déterminer les droits des élèves et étudiants des écoles d'Etat. Cette liberté religieuse a passé, 28 voix contre 2, accordant le droit |
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2007-05-31 |
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| Sartrouville, France |
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| L'église des cités n'aura pas de cloche |
C'est pour ne pas « provoquer » la population des alentours, à majorité ici et là, qui appellent à verser son obole que cette église n'aura pas de cloche.
Car ce chantier est particulier. Situé sur le plateau de la deuxième plus grosse ville du département, en plein |
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2007-05-30 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Rejet en appel d’une demande de dissolution de l’Unadfi |
La cour d'appel de Paris a rejeté mardi une demande de dissolution de l'Unadfi, association de lutte contre les sectes, et de son antenne du Nord/Pas-de-Calais, dont plusieurs particuliers et une association s'estimaient victimes.
L'association « Cap pour la liberté de conscience » et plusieurs particuliers estimaient avoir été victimes de |
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2007-05-29 |
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| Inde |
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| Un huitième Etat indien est sur le point de promulguer une loi anti-conversion |
Comme il l’avait promis avant son élection en mars 2007, le parti ultranationaliste hindou Bharatiya Janata Party compte bientôt promulguer une loi anti-conversion dans l’Etat d'Uttarakhand (anciennement connu sous le nom de Uttaranchal) situé au nord de l’Inde et qui compte 8,4 millions d’habitants.
Lors d’un meeting, le Ministre |
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2007-05-28 |
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| Berne, Suisse |
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| La « Déclaration de Fribourg » sur les droits culturels bénéficie de parrains compétents |
Initiative contre les minarets, caricatures de Mahomet mettant les pays à feu et à sang : la diversité culturelle est une chance, mais aussi un risque de conflits lorsque certaines identités se sentent humiliées.
Le lundi 5 mai est adoptée la Déclaration de Fribourg sur les droits culturels, |
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2007-05-28 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Coup de frein pour les mosquées |
C’est l’une des astuces juridiques que les collectivités locales avaient trouvée pour faciliter la construction d’édifices religieux : accorder aux associations cultuelles un bail emphytéotique, c'est-à-dire la jouissance, pendant quatre-vingt-dix-neuf ans et pour un loyer infime, du terrain où s’élèverait le lieu de culte.
Un procédé imaginé dans |
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2007-05-17 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Le président de la Fédération protestante de France consterné par l'enquête des RG pour un recensement des milieux évangéliques |
| Informé le 4 avril du lancement d'une enquête nationale diligentée par les renseignements généraux pour un « recensement des milieux évangéliques » avec une attention particulière portée aux « incidents » liés à l'exercice du culte, le président en exercice de la Fédération protestante de France, le pasteur Jean-Arnold de |
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2007-05-13 |
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| Vitry-sur-Seine, France |
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| Projet de création d'un collège musulman à Vitry-sur-Seine |
Un collège musulman "ouvert à tous" et visant "l'excellence", dont le dossier devrait être déposé "dans les semaines à venir" auprès des autorités compétentes, pourrait ouvrir à la rentrée prochaine à Vitry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne), a-t-on appris vendredi auprès des initiateurs de ce projet.
Ce projet de collège privé "ouvert |
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2007-05-13 |
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| Europe |
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| La lente organisation de l’Islam |
La création en Allemagne d'un conseil plus ou moins représentatif des musulmans du pays est le nouvel exemple, plutôt tardif, des efforts déployés pour organiser l'islam en Europe et trouver des interlocuteurs auprès des autorités.
La France, qui compte de loin la plus grosse communauté musulmane avec près |
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2007-05-12 |
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| Pendjab - Pakistan |
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| Attaques contre un quartier chrétien |
| Le 1er avril, des musulmans célébraient l'anniversaire de Mahomet dans une ville du Pendjab : Toba Tek Singh. Un défilé avait été organisé pour l'occasion. Abdul Ghafar, un habitant, a raconté que son neveu avait été attaqué par des chrétiens et que ces derniers avaient aussi écrasé un autocollant sur |
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2007-05-12 |
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| Andijian, Ouzbekistan |
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| Condamnation d’un responsable |
A Andijian, le pasteur David Shestakov a été jugé coupable d’« incitation à la haine religieuse », l’un des trois chefs d’accusation lancés à son encontre par les autorités de l’Etat. David a vraisemblablement été accusé parce qu’il est très actif dans son ministère et spécialement dans l’évangélisation.
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2007-05-12 |
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| Asie Centrale |
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| Les églises harcelées |
| Les chrétiens d’Asie Centrale ont constaté une augmentation de la persécution depuis le début 2007, surtout dans la région du sud-est de l’Ouzbékistan, la vallée de Fergana. Par exemple : irruption de la police pendant les cultes et interrogatoires des chrétiens présents ; refus de déclaration d’ouverture de l’église ; |
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2007-05-12 |
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| Pakistan |
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| Livres scolaires révisés |
| Le Ministère de l’Education pakistanais a annoncé qu’il a l’intention d’entreprendre la révision des livres de classe pour y éliminer tout préjugé à l’encontre des non musulmans. Les nouveaux livres vont comporter de nouveaux chapitres au sujet de l’égalité entre les sexes, la paix, l’éthique et les valeurs morales. Il |
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2007-05-12 |
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| Inde |
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| Attaque contre une école biblique |
Le 28 février, 500 membres de Bajrang Dal se sont attaqués à une école biblique dans l’état d’Orissa. La foule d’extrémistes hindouistes s’est attaquée systématiquement aux enseignants et aux étudiants du campus.
Cinq étudiants et une responsable du dortoir féminin ont dû partir à l’hôpital, suite à leurs |
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2007-05-12 |
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| Birmanie |
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| Document divulgué |
Un document gouvernemental de Birmanie a été divulgué. Il décrit les intentions du régime militaire de supprimer le christianisme dans le pays. Le document est intitulé « Programme pour la destruction de la religion chrétienne en Birmanie ».
Il donne des instructions détaillées pour faire fuir les chrétiens. Le |
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2007-05-12 |
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| Pakistan |
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| Reconstruction d’une église |
Les chrétiens pakistanais se réjouissent parce qu’ils ont l’autorisation de reconstruire une église sur le campus de l’Université de Peshawar. L’église avait été attaquée et saccagée au milieu des années 1980 par des extrémistes islamiques.
Après le début des travaux de reconstruction en décembre 2006, deux étudiants musulmans ont |
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2007-05-11 |
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| Epinal, France |
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| Dissolution d'une association anti-sectes: les témoins de Jéhovah déboutés |
Le tribunal correctionnel d'Epinal a déclaré jeudi 10 mai irrecevable une demande de dissolution d'une association militant contre la construction d'un lieu de culte pour les témoins de Jéhovah à Deyvillers (Vosges).
Le plaignant, l'Association régionale des témoins de Jéhovah de l'Est de la France, avait déposé une |
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2007-05-09 |
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| New York, USA |
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| Une commission américaine s'inquiète de la situation de la liberté religieuse en Irak. |
L'Irak a été ajouté à une liste de pays nécessitant une surveillance étroite des violations des libertés religieuses par un groupe de surveillance indépendant mis en place par le gouvernement des Etats-Unis.
La décision prise par la Commission des Etats-Unis sur la liberté religieuse internationale |
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2007-05-06 |
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| Paris, France |
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| L’inquiétude des baha’is de France. |
| Les Baha’is de France sont inquiets. En un mois, dans dix villes iraniennes, quelque 150 cas de harcèlement envers leurs coreligionnaires ont été rapportés. Des écoliers et des lycéens baha’is sont la cible d’insultes voire de pressions pour se convertir à l’islam, à d’autres on impose des cours où leur |
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2007-05-05 |
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| Paris, France |
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| 250 millions de chrétiens persécutés dans le monde |
| Dans de nombreux pays, les chrétiens ne peuvent pas vivre librement leur foi et se retrouvent en cachette pour étudier la Bible ou célébrer leur culte. Dans d’autres pays, ils sont considérés comme des citoyens de seconde zone et se retrouvent discriminés à cause de leur foi en Jésus-Christ. Selon |
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2007-05-04 |
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| Le Cap, Afrique du Sud |
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| Combattre la haine religieuse |
| Lors du 6e congrès international sur la liberté religieuse, qui s’est tenu au Cap, en Afrique du Sud, du 27 février au 1er mars 2007, l'ancien ambassadeur des États-Unis, Robert Seiple, a invité les participants de l'Association internationale de la défense de la liberté religieuse (IRLA), à promouvoir « la |
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2007-05-04 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Rapport 2006 de la Miviludes |
| Dans son 4e rapport annuel de plus de 300 pages, publié en janvier 2007, la Miviludes (Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires) signale que les sectes recrutent désormais dans le secteur professionnel. Elle constate que les mouvements sectaires s'adaptent, délaissant désormais les gourous mystiques au |
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2007-05-04 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Caricatures : entre liberté d’expression et liberté religieuse |
| Le 8 février 2006, le journal Charlie Hebdo publiait des caricatures de Mahomet. Si certaines prêtaient à sourire, d’autres, plus insolentes, laissaient un goût amer dans les cœurs. L’islam n’est pas synonyme de terreur et de terrorisme, seul son fondamentalisme, avec ses intégristes, reste condamnable dans ses actions. Pourtant, fallait-il |
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2007-04-11 |
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| Genève, Suisse |
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| Le parti radical renonce à interdire le crucifix dans les écoles |
L'assemblée des délégués du parti radical a modifié son document de principe portant sur la politique d'intégration.La controverse a surtout porté sur les rapports entre l'Église et l'État.
Les délégués de Suisse centrale, appuyés par ceux d'autres cantons, ont conduit l'assemblée à refuser, par 131 voix contre 44, d'interdire |
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2007-04-09 |
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| Paris, France |
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| Pour une laïcité vivante |
| Nicolas Sarkozy, ministre de l’Intérieur, a reçu, le 20 septembre dernier, deux rapports sur la laïcité. Le premier concerne la laïcité dans les services publics, un rapport présenté par André Rossinot, maire de Nancy, et le second présenté par une commission d’experts, sous la présidence Jean-Pierre Machelon.
Ces deux rapports |
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2007-01-10 |
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| Varsovie, Pologne |
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| Violation des symboles religieux artistiques liés à la foi |
En Pologne, des membres du parti au pouvoir « Droit et Justice » ont intenté un procès à un groupe anarchiste, après que celui-ci ait collé des affiches géantes parodiant l'icône de la Vierge noire, considérée en Pologne comme un symbole sacré.
« La liberté artistique doit être |
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2010-07-24 |
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| Dallas, Texas, USA |
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| Religious liberty in China improving, still room for progress, leaders say |
by John Hall
Religious liberty in China is expanding and the Chinese Christian community is growing, according to a leader of China's state-sanctioned church -- but American observers continue to hope for more progress.
Bao Jiayuan, associate general secretary of the China Christian Council, the |
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2010-07-22 |
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| Kyiv, Ukraine |
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| Religious Freedom in Ukraine in 2010 |
Ukraine is one of the world leaders to respect religious freedom, said Yurii Reshetnikov, the Chairman (now former Chairman) of the State Committee on Nationalities and Religions at the beginning of this year. He proved his words with statistics.
In January 2010 in Ukraine there were 35,184 religious organizations, |
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2010-06-20 |
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| India |
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| Persecution of christians in India |
The Christians in many states of India are under severe persecution. The Pastors are being beaten, sent out of the villages and the Christian literature was burnt. It became a continuous program for the anti Christian elements.
The present scenario is the valid evidence:
The brand new Bibles |
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2010-06-19 |
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| Nairobi, Kenya |
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| Grenade Attacks Were Govt. Plot, Say Kenyan Churches Six dead, 80 injured at prayer rally protesting revised constitution |
By Tom Osanjo in Nairobi
Major Kenyan churches starkly accused their government June 14 of responsibility for grenade attacks that killed six people and injured almost 80 at a religious cum political rally on June 13.
Three successive grenades shocked the thousands of Kenyans who had |
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2010-06-19 |
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| Washington DC, USA |
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| Faith-Based Fracas From the White House to the courthouse, the battle escalates over whether Christian groups have the right to employ only Christians. |
By Bobby Ross Jr.
When Sylvia Spencer applied at World Vision http://www.worldvision.org/ 's U.S. headquarters near Seattle in 1995, she described herself as a committed Christian.
Asked on an employment form why she wanted to work for the international humanitarian aid organization, Spencer wrote, "Because I |
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2010-06-17 |
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| Kyiv, Ukraine |
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| Church Leaders Against Liquidation of National Expert Committee on the Protection of Public Morality |
In an Open Address the heads of the Christian Churches of Ukraine expressed to the Ukrainian public the need to protect high moral principles and family values.
In the document, which was unanimously passed on June 10 by all the participants of the Conference of Churches, the |
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2010-06-17 |
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| Kyiv, Ukraine |
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| Prohibition of Totalitarian Sects Recalled from Parliament of Ukraine |
Ukrainian deputy Lev Biruk (Yulia Tymoshenko’s Motherland faction) recalled his Bill 6493 on making alterations and addenda to the Law of Ukraine On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations regarding religious sects.
According to the Institute of Religious Freedom (IRF), information this will soon appear on the |
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2010-06-02 |
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| Uzbekistan |
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| Crisis in Uzbekistan |
The Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) express serious concern over the recent developments in Uzbekistan where a church was raided by police without a warrant, seizing property and detaining eight church members and subsequently imposing jail terms and heavy fines on them.
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2010-05-01 |
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| Moscow/Russia - |
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| Personnel changes suggest adjustments in church-state relations |
RPTs Also Engaged In Modernization
Kremlin seeks new models of relations with religious organizations
by Elina Bilevskaia
Within one month, old-time bureaucrats who were in charge of religious matters were dismissed from the government and presidential administration. According to information gathered by Nezavisimaia gazeta (NG), an administrative |
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2010-05-01 |
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| Moscow/Russia |
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| New bureaucratic appintment may signal increase in church influence |
Decision Of Strasbourg Court Eliminating Necessity Of 15 Year Existence For Registration Of Religious Associations in Russia Takes Effect
A personnel question in the presidential administration has been resolved with a candidate for the post of deputy head of the Administration for Domestic Policy who will supervise public and |
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2009-11-12 |
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| BELARUS |
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| "WE HAVE ORTHODOX, CATHOLICS AND MUSLIMS - ALL THE OTHERS ARE SECTS" |
| The Deputy Chief of Minsk's Frunze District Police, Dinas Linkus, said he sent the local police officer to question the Kagramanyan family, who are Pentecostals, about their religious faith. "We had a request from the Culture Department of Minsk City Executive Committee several weeks ago to find out whether any |
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2009-10-27 |
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| Mumbai/India |
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| Massive ‘Reconversion’ Event in India Aimed at Christians |
Hard-line cleric leads campaign in Maharashtra, ideological capital of Hindu nationalism
By Vishal Arora
Hundreds of tribal Christians and adherents of aboriginal religion from villages in Maharashtra state were reportedly “reconverted” to Hinduism October 26 in the Mumbai suburb of Thane at a ceremony led by a |
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2009-10-21 |
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| Belarus |
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| Prosecutions of Conscientious Objectors Resume |
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service
After a gap of some nine years, the criminal prosecution of those in Belarus who cannot perform compulsory military service on grounds of religious conscience has resumed, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. The trial of Jehovah's Witness Dmitry Smyk began |
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2009-09-16 |
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| London |
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| EU to appoint human rights commissioner |
A powerful new European commissioner for human rights who is expected to push for new protection for asylum seekers and workers is set to be appointed later this year.
By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor
The new commissioner for fundamental rights and social rights is expected to |
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| Find out more |
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2009-09-15 |
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| Addis Ababa/Ethiopia |
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| Convert Languishing in Jail in Ethiopia for Handing Out Bibles |
by Simba Tian
A convert from Islam who has led a push for Muslim-Christian understanding in Ethiopia has been in jail for nearly four months since his arrest for “malicious” distribution of Bibles.
Christian sources in Ethiopia said that, contrary to Ethiopian law, 39-year-old Bashir Musa Ahmed |
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2009-08-22 |
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| Mexico City/Mexico |
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| "Traditionalist Catholics" Attack, Expel Christians in Mexico |
by Elisabeth Isais
“Traditionalist Catholic” leaders last month expelled 57 evangelical Christians from towns in two states for refusing to participate in their religious festivals.
Leaders of traditionalist Catholicism, a mixture of Roman Catholicism and native rituals, expelled 32 Christians from their homes in a village in Hidalgo |
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2009-08-22 |
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| Religion in Russian schools |
"SPIRITUAL-MORAL TRAINING" TO BE REQUIRED IN SCHOOLS IN THREE YEARS
A new academic discipline, "Spiritual-moral Training" will be included in the required school curriculum in three years. Prior to that it will be taught in a number of regions on an experimental basis, Minister of Education and Science Andrei |
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| Find out more |
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2009-08-03 |
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| Kathmandu, Nepal |
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| Christians Increasingly Vulnerable in ‘Secular’ Nepal |
by Sudeshna Sarkar
Three years after a pro-democracy movement led to the proclamation of Nepal as a secular state, some Christians say they are in greater peril than ever.
They are now being targeted by militant Hindu organizations that blame the church for the abolition of Hinduism as |
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| Find out more |
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2009-07-14 |
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| Washington D.C./USA |
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| USCIRF Condemns Iraq Church Bombings, Calls for Iraqi Government to Take Swift Action |
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) expressed July 13 its alarm at the recent spate of bombings of churches in Baghdad and Mosul and called on the Iraqi government to provide protection to all of the country’s citizens, especially its vulnerable Christian minority.
The |
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2009-07-12 |
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| London, UK |
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| Seven religious minority members face execution in Iran |
Seven members of Iran's Baha’i religious minority could face the death penalty if convicted on July 11.
The seven are to appear before Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran where they are likely to be charged with mofsed fil arz (being corrupt on earth), "espionage for Israel”, |
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2009-07-06 |
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| A Catholic Perspective on Religious Freedom |
Pope John Paul II has said religious freedom is a "cornerstone" of the structure of human rights," an "irreplaceable factor" in both the individual good and the common good, which consists of a just and peaceful social order.(1)
Religious freedom has both a personal dimension -- the freedom of |
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2009-06-29 |
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| New Delhi/India |
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| India’s Refusal of Visas to U.S. Panel Stuns Christians |
US Commission on religious freedom would have found violence-torn Orissa far from normal.
By Vishal Arora
The Indian government is silent on why it refused visas to allow members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) to visit troubled Orissa state, but there are indications that |
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2009-06-23 |
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| Maldives |
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| Almost No Religious Freedom For Migrant Workers |
By Odd Larsen
Although the Maldives fails to respect the freedom of religion or belief of anyone, a particularly vulnerable group is migrant workers. According to the Government, there are about 80,000 in the country, about half from Bangladesh with most others from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Indonesia.
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2009-06-21 |
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| Washington D.C./USA |
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| USCIRF Condemns Arrest of Human Rights and Religious Freedom Lawyer Le Cong Dinh |
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemned the June 13 arrest of Le Cong Dinh, a prominent lawyer who defended clients in high profile human rights cases, including prominent religious freedom defenders Nguyen Van Dai and Le Thi Cong Nhan.
“The arrest of Le Cong Dinh |
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2009-06-18 |
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| Great Britain |
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| Sunday's Last Stand on Lewis and Harris |
As a ferry service exploits law intended to enforce equality, many feel their way of life is in danger
The long Hebridean island that comprises Lewis and Harris – the third largest island in Great Britain and Ireland, after Great Britain and Ireland – may be the last place |
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2009-06-11 |
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| Beijing |
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| Chinese Bookstore Owner Sentenced to Three Years in Prison |
By Edward Ross
A Beijing court on June 10 found Christian bookstore owner Shi Weihan guilty of “illegal business operation” and sentenced him to three years in prison and a 150,000 yuan (US$21,975) fine.
Sources said Shi’s store operated legally and sold only books for which he had |
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2009-06-11 |
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| Kathmandu, Nepal |
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| Christians in Nepal defy extremists’ demand to leave country |
Hindu extremists in Nepal have demanded that the country’s one million Christians leave the country, prompting churches to reject threats of violence. They emphasized that their mission in the country will not change.
Last week militants bombed the Catholic cathedral in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, killing several people.
The |
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2009-06-06 |
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| Caen, France |
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| Obama: US would never limit Muslim scarves |
U.S. President Barack Obama says he's not responsible for how other countries defend religious freedoms but added the United States of America would never tell people what they can wear to express their faith.
Obama met on June 6 with French President Nicholas Sarkozy and said there should not |
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2009-06-01 |
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| New Delhi |
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| Four Christians in Manmohan Singh’s governing team |
by Nirmala Carvalho
Agatha Sangma is Catholic and the youngest of the 78 ministers. She is only 28 and is the Minister for Rural Development. Msgr. Fernandes, secretary of the Indian Bishops Conference, asks the new executive to work “to bring about an end to the culture that tolerates |
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2009-05-31 |
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| Brussels, Belgioum |
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| Stopping Discrimination Proposed EU law may force out faith-based social services |
By Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra
Under an anti-discrimination directive passed by the European Parliament in April, Christian churches, schools, and social services in Europe cannot limit their membership to those who share their beliefs. The directive, which the parliament passed by a 360-277 vote, must be passed unanimously by member |
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2009-05-30 |
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| Washington D.C. - USA |
|
| Jugglers have long fought for job flexibility to handle family needs. |
Now, time off for religious observances is becoming a hot issue too.
In the past few months alone, such disputes have surfaced from New York to Tennessee. In one case, a Nashville hospital settled federal discrimination charges over its refusal to let a Muslim medical technician take 20 |
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2009-05-30 |
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| Harare/Zimbabwe |
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| Churches in Zimbabwe call for ‘Guarantee freedom of worship |
Sunday News Reporter
Churches in Zimbabwe have called upon the Government to make sure that freedom of worship is clearly spelled out and enshrined in the new constitution, Sunday News can reveal.
In separate interviews, pastors from different church denominations in Bulawayo said the constitution-making process should |
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2009-05-29 |
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| Russia |
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| A New inquisition |
by Geraldine Fagan, Forum 18 News Service
The appointment of renowned "anti-cultists" and controversial scholars of Islam to a Russian government body allocated sweeping powers to investigate religious organisations may prove the heaviest blow to religious freedom in a decade, Forum 18 News Service notes. The newly-reconstituted Expert Council |
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2009-05-08 |
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| News York City, USA |
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| Receiving Canterbury Medal, Denver Archbishop Chaput warns of religious freedom loss |
| Upon receiving a medal from a group dedicated to religious freedom, Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said that God the Creator is the foundation to beliefs about the sanctity and “infinite value” of human life. He also warned that American religious liberty will be lost if it is not defended |
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2009-05-04 |
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| Organisation of Islamic Conference Consider Independent Human Rights Commission |
| The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), which is made up of 57 Muslim nations, met in April to discuss establishing an independent human rights commission. The OIC Secretary-General stated, "Human rights and man's dignity are an integral part of Islam and core components of Islamic culture and heritage." The OIC |
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2009-04-01 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Five Foreign Christians Deported from Morocco |
Female visitors said to be merely attending Bible study with fellow believers.
Special to Compass Direct News
The Moroccan government announced on Sunday (March 29) it had expelled five foreign female Christians for trying to “proselytize” in the Islamic country, although sources said they were foreign visitors merely |
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2009-03-31 |
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| Geneva, Switzerland |
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| IRLA Concerned over UN Defamation of Religions Resolution |
| The International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) is disappointed that the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has yet again passed a resolution against the “Defamation of Religions” at its meeting in Geneva today. Member countries on the UNHRC did so despite the growing chorus of opposition against the measure |
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2009-03-29 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Turkish Christians plan appeal of fine |
by Damaris Kremida/Compass Direct News
The lawyer representing two Turkish Christians fined for "illegal collection of funds" plans to take the case to a European court because he fears the court-ordered fine sets a crippling precedent for churches.
Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal each paid the fine of |
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2009-03-29 |
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| Rome, Italy |
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| Vatican : Religious freedom and reciprocity: follow lesson from pope in Regensburg |
by Bernardo Cervellera, director of AsiaNews
Speech presented at the conference on the theme "Religious freedom and reciprocity" held in Rome on March 26 and 27 at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.
On March 26 and 27, at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross |
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2009-03-24 |
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| Oslo, Norway |
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| A "serious setback to the development of a modern, progressive and liberal Armenia" |
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service
Armenia's controversial proposed new Religion Law and the proposed new Article 162 in the Criminal Code to punish the sharing of beliefs were approved by Parliament in their first readings on 19 March, the parliamentary website reported. A wide range of |
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2009-03-20 |
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| "Debaptism" and the BBC’s anti-Anglicanism |
| Maybe the Anabaptists had a point after all, and perhaps the Baptists are more in tune with the UN and EU notions of ‘freedom of religion’. The BBC is reporting of the growing demand for ‘debaptism’ – the ‘cancellation’ of one’s baptism on the grounds that it is imposed upon |
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2009-02-28 |
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| Astana, Kazakhstan |
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| New Religious Law Aborted for the Present |
Constitutional Court says ‘no’ to the restriction of missionary activities
The Constitutional Court of Kazakhstan has overturned the new religion law passed by parliament in November. President Nursultan Nazarbayev now has one month to respond to the ruling. According to media reports, the law supported the restriction of activities |
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2009-02-28 |
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| Madhya Pradesh |
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| India Briefs: Recent Incidents of Persecution |
By Mahruaii Sailo and Nirmala Carvalho
Police on Feb. 25 arrested the Rev. Venkata Rao Paulose in connection with the sale of a book said to hurt the religious feelings of Hindus; the book was sold near a Christian conference Rev. Paulose organized in January in Sanjay Nagar Colony, |
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2009-02-28 |
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| Belgrade, Serbia |
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| Religious freedom survey, February 2009 |
By Drasko Djenovic, Forum 18 News Service
According to the latest 2002 census, 96 per cent of the Serbian population of almost 7.5 million people claims a religious affiliation. Roughly 84 per cent belong to the Serbian Orthodox Church, 5.5 per cent to the Catholic Church, 3.6 per |
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2009-02-14 |
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| Kazakhstan, Central Asia, |
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| Kazakhstan backs off on religion limits |
By Julia Duin
Kazakhstan, a key U.S. economic partner in Central Asia, has dramatically reversed legislation curtailing religious freedoms after the measure and the jailings and expulsions of two religious activists caused an international outcry.
With little explanation, the country's constitutional council announced February 11 that amendments |
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2009-02-14 |
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| Yerevan, Armenia |
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| Armenian Religious Minorities Complain of Discrimination |
By Gita Elibekian and Seda Muradian in Yerevan*
Armenian Jehovah’s Witness Margarita Hovhannisian said she has not seen her son since he was taken away from her by her husband a year ago.
Two legal appeals have failed, and she is beginning to suspect the legal system |
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2009-02-07 |
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| Midland, Texas - USA, |
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| ChinaAid Announces the Release of 2008 Persecution Report and Urges International Community to Speak Out |
对华援助协会发布中国家庭教会遭受迫害的08年度报告
ChinaAid announces the release of the 2008 Persecution Report, documenting significant increase of persecution of house church Christians in China, during the past year. In a few days, China’s human rights record will be reviewed by the UN. On February 9 the UN Office of the High Commissioner |
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2009-02-01 |
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| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
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| Pastor in Saudi Arabia Flees Death Threats |
Religious police, others warn key figure in expatriate church to leave
by Jeff M. Sellers
A prominent foreign pastor in Saudi Arabia has fled Riyadh after a member of the mutawwa’in, or religious police, and others threatened him three times in one week.
Two of the incidents included |
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2009-02-01 |
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| Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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| Sri Lanka: loss of religious freedom feared |
A draft law would restrict people in changing their religion. Christians are mobilizing against it
By Melani Manel Perera
A draft anti-conversion bill has been before Sri Lanka’s parliament since 6 January and could become law before the end of next month. National media have tended to |
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2009-01-15 |
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| Yangon, Myanmar |
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| Yangon, dictatorship closes Christian and Muslim houses of prayer |
The military regime orders a halt to services and prayers in private buildings and homes. Those who do not follow the new dispositions will have the building confiscated, and will face "serious action." For some time, the junta has not been granting permits for the construction of places of worship.
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2009-01-15 |
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| Yangon, Myanmar |
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| Myanmar military cracking down on religious groups in Yangon |
| The Myanmar military has prohibited Christian and Muslim groups in the city of Yangon from holding prayer meetings in private homes, according to a January 13 report from AsiaNews. The property owners of buildings rented by believers for their worship services were recently handed an order by officials of the |
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2009-01-02 |
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| Washington D.C., USA |
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| US Baptist Leader: Religious Liberty can aid Foreign Policy |
by Baptist Press Staff
A commitment to religious liberty can pave the way for an American foreign policy with widespread backing, Southern Baptist leader Richard Land said at a Washington panel discussion.
Speaking at a forum on the influence of religious leaders on foreign policy, Land said a |
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2009-01-02 |
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| Geneva, Switzerland |
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| Kazakhstan: LWF General Secretary Concerned about Proposed Religious Law |
Lutheran World President Noko Urges President Nazarbayev to Ensure Review of Draft Legislation
The General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko has called on Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev to ensure the review of a draft legislation which, if signed into law, would place |
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2008-12-15 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Regulations Hobble Turkey’s Protestant Churches |
By Roger Elliott
In the city of Samsun on the north coast of Turkey, the beleaguered congregation of the Agape Church Association struggles against local Islamic hostility toward its presence.
In the last three years Agape church members have endured false allegations and verbal abuse from Muslim and |
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2008-12-14 |
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| Madrid, Spain |
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| Spanish government criticised in report on religious liberty |
Attacks by politicians, the waning of religious influence, and the probable amendment of the agreement with the Catholic Church are some of the situations over which the annual Catholic report on Religious Liberty is critical of the Spanish government.
The report, presented in several European capitals, including Madrid, |
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2008-12-11 |
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| Yerevan, Armenia |
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| Imprisonment of some 80 Conscientious Objectors "not a Human Rights Issue" |
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service
Despite the call back in April by the Council of Europe's Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg for Armenia to free all its imprisoned conscientious objectors, those who cannot serve in the army or perform the alternative service under military control currently |
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2008-11-30 |
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| Central Asia |
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| Kyrgyz Draft Law, Like Others in Region, Will Restrict Freedom of Religion |
| Kyrgyzstan has joined the roster of former Soviet republics that are intent on asserting state control over faith communities. In the process, these states are depriving many citizens of the freedom of religion guaranteed by their constitution and protected by international conventions. A new draft law that has |
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2008-11-30 |
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| Kazakhstan |
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| USCIRF Concerned Over Draft Religion Law and Kazakh Government’s Refusal to Make Public Drafts and Critiques |
| The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply concerned over a draft law that gravely threatens freedom of religion in Kazakhstan in the latest, disturbing signal of tightening restrictions on human rights in the Central Asian country. The current, unpublished version of the law does not |
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2008-11-26 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Murder Case in Turkey Aids Probe of ‘Deep State’ Criminals |
By Damaris Kremida
Last week’s court hearing on the bloody murder of three Christians in Turkey’s southeastern city of Malatya paved the way for further investigations into the connection between the five defendants and shadowy elements of the Turkish state linked to criminal activities.
The 13th hearing |
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2008-11-23 |
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| Cairo, Egypt |
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| Coptic Christians Arrested, Shops Looted in Egyptian Village |
By Michael Larson
Authorities in an Egyptian village arrested 50 Coptic Christians, whose shops were then looted, to pacify Muslims following violence that erupted on Nov. 4 over a Christian boy’s unwitting break with custom.
Muslim villagers attacked the homes and shops of Coptic Christians in violence-prone |
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2008-11-15 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Christians Fleeing Iraq Face New Hardships in Turkey |
As renewed violence in Mosul halts return, refugees wait in Turkish legal limbo.
by Michael Larson
In this Turkish city’s working-class neighborhood of Kurtulus, Arabic can be heard on the streets, signs are printed in the Arabic alphabet and Iraqis congregate in tea shops.
In 99-percent |
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2008-11-06 |
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| Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
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| Restrictive Religion Law Passes Parliament Unanimously |
By Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18 News Service
Kyrgyzstan's restrictive Religion Law has been adopted unanimously by 79 deputies in the country's single-chamber parliament, the Zhogorku Kenesh, today (6 November) Forum 18 News Service has found. Now that the Law's second and final reading is complete, it will go |
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2008-10-30 |
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| Istanbul and Algiers, |
|
| Algerian Christians Acquitted in Blasphemy Case |
by Damaris Kremida and Michael Larson
A court in northwestern Algeria today acquitted three Christians charged with blaspheming Islam and threatening a member of their congregation who re-converted to Islam.
The acquittal was announced in a court at Ain El-Turck, 15 kilometers (nine miles) west of the coastal |
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2008-10-30 |
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| Tehran |
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| Iranian Court Finds Way to Acquit Christians of ‘Apostasy’ |
Tribunal tries to save face by claiming pastors never converted from Islam.
An Iranian judge has ordered the release of two pastors charged with “apostasy,” or leaving Islam, but the defendants said the ruling was based on the court’s false claim that they confessed to having never converted to |
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2008-10-29 |
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| World Evangelical Alliance commissions new leaders in poverty and religious liberty |
The World Evangelical Alliance has commissioned two new leaders to take forward its work in the areas of poverty and religious liberty.
The Rev Dr Joel Edwards, former head of the Evangelical Alliance in the UK, was the first to be commissioned at the WEA’s General Assembly on Sunday |
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2008-10-24 |
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| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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| Methodists express concern over erosion of religious freedom |
The Methodist Church in Malaysia (MCM) has reaffirmed its commitment to reach out to the needy and the oppressed through social, medical and educational services in the country.
The Methodist church, which is the largest protestant denomination in the country, also committed itself to uphold truth and justice |
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2008-10-02 |
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| Hanoi/Vietnam |
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| Vietnam: Archbishop of Hanoi: freedom of religion is a right, not a concession from the authorities |
by J.B. An Dang
Freedom of religion is a human right, and not a favor granted by the government. This principle has been reiterated by various sources, in reply to the authorities of Hanoi which, as they continue their campaign of intimidation and abuse against the Catholics over the |
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| Find out more |
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2008-10-01 |
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| Oslo/Norway |
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| Russia: Religious Freedom Survey, October 2008 |
by Geraldine Fagan, (Forum 18 News Service)
Ahead of the Universal Periodic Review of Russia by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in February 2009, Oslo-based Forum 18 News Service has found a new and escalating threat to religious freedom from indiscriminate prosecutions for religious extremism. This |
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| Find out more |
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2008-09-29 |
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| Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia |
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| Methodists express concern over erosion of religious freedom in Malaysia |
The Methodist Church in Malaysia (MCM) has reaffirmed its commitment to reach out to the needy and the oppressed through social, medical and educational services in the country.
The Methodist Church, which is the largest protestant denomination in the country, also committed itself to uphold truth and |
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| Find out more |
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2008-09-21 |
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| Washington D.C./USA |
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| U.S. State Department Annual Report Turns Spotlight on Abuses of Religious Freedom |
Religious freedom worsens in Jordan, Algeria
Religious freedom took a turn for the worse in the last year in China, Egypt and Iran, but also in normally more tolerant countries like Jordan and Algeria, the State Department said Friday.
The State Department's annual report on religious freedoms around |
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2008-09-21 |
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| Washington D.C./USA |
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| US slams Gujarat, Rajasthan anti-conversion laws |
The US has criticised the Gujarat and Rajasthan state governments for enacting or amending "anti-conversion" laws while acknowledging that the central government generally respected freedom of religion.
"The (Indian) constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the national government generally respected this right in practice," noted the US |
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2008-09-21 |
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| Ankara/Turkey |
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| US report: Headscarf ban still in force in Turkey |
An annual report released September 19 by the The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State said that the Turkish government generally respected religious freedom in practice.
According to the report's "Turkey" chapter, "the Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and other |
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| Find out more |
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2008-09-21 |
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| Washington D.C./USA |
|
| U.S. Congress Commission on Religious Freedom: |
| The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom applauds the September 19 release of the International Religious Freedom Report 2008, a survey by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of the U.S. Department of State of conditions around the world that have an impact on this vital human |
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| Find out more |
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2008-09-20 |
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| Washington D.C./USA |
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| US says proselytizing laws crimp religious rights |
Laws that infringe on people's rights to change their religious beliefs are being enforced more often around the world by governments trying to protect numerous religions, the U.S. State Department said Friday.
The department's annual International Religious Freedom report cited countries with majority Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu |
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2008-09-18 |
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| Australia |
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| Australian Human Rights Commission to review religious freedom |
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission has announced a national review of what Australians think about freedom of religion and belief.
ABC News quotes the Commission's race discrimination commissioner Tom Calma as saying that Australia needs to understand what religious freedom means in the 21st century.
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2008-09-17 |
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| Hong Kong |
|
| East Timor: The Church freaks out over the arrival of other Christian sects |
by Jesse Wright
A few years ago, in an obscure East Timorese border town called Tunubibi, Domingos Pereira and his wife did something they later discovered was dangerous. They quit the Roman Catholic Church.
It started in 2004 when a handful of Jehovah’s Witness missionaries showed |
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2008-08-28 |
|
| New Delhi, India |
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| Deaths Mount as Violence Spreads in Orissa |
Rampaging Hindu extremists kill four more Christians today
By Shireen Bhatia
At least 18 people are confirmed dead in 92 incidents of violence against Christians since suspected Maoists murdered Hindu leader Swamiji Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others on Saturday (Aug. 23) in Orissa state.
With Hindu extremists |
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2008-08-22 |
|
| Bucharest, Romania |
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| Religion Debated in Romania Schools |
IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
Planned government education reforms to modernize curricula and overhaul religious instruction are sparking a hot debate in Romania on the role of religion in schools.
"Religious education here indoctrinates, fuelling prejudice against other faiths and against sexual minorities," Smaranda Enache, co-president of |
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2008-08-15 |
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| Beijing, China |
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| China Cracks Down on Religious Dissidents During Olympics |
By Maureen Fan
China describes itself as a religiously tolerant society, one that allows its citizens to worship freely. This week, per Olympic tradition, it is extending that same freedom to athletes in the form of worship rooms in the Olympic Village, each dedicated for the world's major religions.
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2008-07-17 |
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| Warsaw, Poland |
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| Kazakhstan churches say draft law is reminder of Soviet era |
By Jonathan Luxmoore
Christian churches in Kazakhstan have condemned a new draft law on religions, which they say will re-impose Soviet-style restrictions in the Central Asian republic in which Islam has the largest number of followers.
"All churches will be affected by this law, which will deny |
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| Find out more |
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2008-07-11 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
|
| Iran Detains Ex-Muslims for ‘Apostasy’ |
Police interrogate converts to Christianity about faith, political activity
by Peter Lamprecht
Iranian authorities have detained two converts to Christianity in the southern city of Shiraz for eight weeks on suspicion of “apostasy,” or leaving Islam. In Iran, apostasy is a crime that can be punishable by death.
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| Find out more |
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2008-07-03 |
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| Sanaa, Yemen |
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| American And Other Christians Facing "Torture" In Sanaa Prison |
by BosNewsLife News Center
Seven arrested Christian missionaries, including an unknown number of Americans, apparently remained detained in Yemen June 29, and there was international concern they may face torture for spreading Christianity, several sources said.
Yemeni news website Sahwa Net reported that Hadni Dohni, a |
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| Find out more |
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2008-07-01 |
|
| Valencia, Spain |
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| Religious freedom cornerstone of human rights, says Spanish Roman Catholic Cardinal |
In his most recent pastoral letter, the Archbishop of Valencia, Cardinal Agustin Garcia-Gasco of Valencia said religious freedom is “the cornerstone of the building of human rights, which simultaneously entails the individual and the communitarian dimension.”
In his letter entitled, “The Religious Dimension and Healthy Secularism,” the cardinal underscored |
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| Find out more |
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2008-07-01 |
|
| Baku, Azerbaijan |
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| "No New Religion Law," Official States |
by Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service
Despite intermittent discussion in recent years, Azerbaijan will not be amending its Religion Law, a senior official of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organisations told Oslo—based Forum 18 News Service. "There will be no new Religion Law," Jeyhun Mamedov |
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| Find out more |
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2008-06-26 |
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| Dushanbe, Tajikistan |
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| Dushanbe’s old synagogue demolished to make way for a presidential palace |
A new complex complete with parks and fountain will be built, replacing an entire neighbourhood. About a thousand Jews are left in the country and they do not have the money to build a new synagogue.
Dushanbe’s only synagogue and all the buildings in the downtown neighbourhood where it |
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2008-06-26 |
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| Amman, Jordan |
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| Christians in the Middle East "as in a cage", amid slight signs of openness |
At the meeting of the Oasis Centre, the sorrowful testimony of Bishop Warduni of Iraq, and of Bishop Hinder of the Arabian peninsula. The intention is to drive Christians out of the Middle East. But here and there (Kuwait and Jordan) there are small signs of tolerance.
by Bernardo |
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2008-06-23 |
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| Amman, Jordan |
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| The international Oasis Centre in Jordan on religious freedom among Christians and Muslims |
| More than 40 experts from the European and Asian world, most of them Islamic, are studying religious freedom and the conversion to other religions in the Muslim world. A meeting is scheduled with members of the Royal Institute for Inter-faith Studies of Amman, which is behind the Letter of the |
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2008-06-21 |
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| Dhaka, Bangladesh |
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| Religious minorities in Bangladesh complain about their “second-class” status |
An inter-faith forum in Bangladesh criticises the country’s growing Islamisation, demanding a return to the original separation of state and religious established in the 1972 constitution. Violence is up against non-Muslims; the latter want a return to “Peace and harmony.”
(AsiaNews/Agencies) Bangladesh’s religious minorities want a return |
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2008-06-21 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
|
| Algerian Evangelist says Police, Others Targeting Him |
Journalist denies making death threats; court postpones trial
by Peter Lamprecht
A court postponed on June 18 until next Wednesday (June 25) a hearing in west Algeria for a church leader on trial for evangelism.
Already convicted of evangelism and blasphemy in two separate cases this year, Rachid |
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2008-06-21 |
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| Geneva, Switzerland |
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| Win for Muslim countries on religious debates by UN body |
Muslim countries have won a battle to prevent Islam from being criticized during debates by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Religions deserve special protection because any debate about faith is bound to be ''very complex, very sensitive and very intense,'' council President Doru-Romulus Costea said.
Only religious |
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2008-06-18 |
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| Colombo, Dublin |
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| Large Anti-Christian Rally Planned in Sri Lanka |
Banners, posters claim Buddhists are in danger; Christian student beaten
by Sarah Page
Buddhist extremists have invited residents of Middeniya, a town in Hambanthota district, southern Sri Lanka, to attend a huge anti-Christian rally coming Sunday (June 22), where they have promised to “expose the great [Christian] conspiracy.”
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2008-05-16 |
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| Madrid, Spain |
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| Reform of religious freedom law could be anti-Christian, Spanish bishop warns |
| Roman Catholic Bishop Demetrio Fernandez of Tarazona (Spain) has written a pastoral letter in which he points out that the Spanish bishops agree on the need to update the country’s law on religious freedom, but they fear a reform would be an excuse to impose fanatical secularism that would expel |
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2008-04-29 |
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| New Delhi, India, |
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| ‘Anti-Conversion’ Law Takes Effect in Fifth State in India |
Gujarat implements legislation passed in 2003
By Vishal Arora
The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat state has implemented an “anti-conversion” law passed in 2003, increasing Christians’ fears that it will open the door to false accusations by Hindu extremists.
India’s Freedom of Religion Acts, referred |
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2008-04-29 |
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| Bangkok, Thailand |
|
| Former North Korean Agents Tell of Infiltrating Christians |
Hunting for believers includes fabricating ‘mock’ prayer meetings.
By Sarah Page
Former police and security officers in North Korea told a U.S. government body that their superiors had instructed them to play the role of Christians and infiltrate “underground” prayer meetings in order to incriminate, arrest, imprison and sometimes |
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| Find out more |
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2008-04-28 |
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| Moscow, Russia |
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| Visa Changes Leave Religious Communities in Limbo |
by Geraldine Fagan, Forum 18 News Service
Recent changes to the visa regime governing foreign religious workers are hampering the operations of some religious communities, Forum 18 News Service has found. Under a 4 October 2007 government decree, a foreign citizen holding either a business or humanitarian visa |
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2008-04-22 |
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| Ukraine |
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| Prime Minister Tymoshenko denies systemic ethnic, religious discrimination in the country |
| Individual instances of xenophobia and anti-Semitism do not mean these problems are systemic in Ukraine, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said at a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg (France). "Individual cases are individual cases," she said responding to questions. She added that |
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2008-04-22 |
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| Tashkent, Uzbekistan |
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| Evangelist church closed in Uzbekistan |
An Evangelist church managed by South Korean missionaries has been closed due to an order from the Samarkand regional justice department, a department source told Interfax.
The church's registration certificate was repealed and the building was handed over to a Korean cultural center.
"The church failed to comply |
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2008-04-15 |
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| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, |
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| New Malaysia Rule on Islamic Conversion |
By Julia Zappei
Malaysia will soon require non-Muslims to inform their family before converting to Islam, a move welcomed April 11 by minority religious groups who said it will help ease ethnic and interfaith tensions.
The planned rule is aimed at preventing the kind of religious disputes |
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| Find out more |
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2008-03-27 |
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| Lhasa, China |
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| Tibet monks complain about lack of religious freedom |
A government-managed visit by foreign reporters to Tibet's capital backfired Thursday when Buddhist monks disrupted the tour, screaming there was no religious freedom and that the Dalai Lama was not to blame for Lhasa's recent violence.
The government had arranged the trip for the reporters to show how calm |
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2008-03-14 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Ethiopian Muslims Kill Worshiper in Church Attacks |
Assaults with machetes nearly behead Christian, leave 23 injured.
by Barbara G. Baker
Eight Muslims wielding razor-sharp machetes and knives broke into two village churches in southern Ethiopia earlier this month and began wounding worshipers, instantly killing one Christian.
Tulu Mosisa of Kale Hiwot church died after |
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2008-03-12 |
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| Nashville, Tenn./USA |
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| China harasses Christians ahead of Beijing Olympics |
by Erin Roach (staff writer for Baptist Press)
With increased frequency, the Chinese government is persecuting house churches and banishing foreign Christians from the country, presumably to squelch voices who might draw attention to the plight of religious minorities in the nation surrounding the Beijing Olympics.
"We seem |
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2008-03-05 |
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| London, United Kingdom |
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| UN Warning to Britain on Religious Rights |
A UN report on religious freedom in Britain has urged the government to protect the rights of Asian women and Muslim converts to Christianity, and not privilege ethnic and religious communities over individual rights.
Britain has a high degree or religious freedom and tolerance, the UN’s Special Rapporteur on |
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| Find out more |
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2008-03-05 |
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| Ankara, Turkey |
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| Turkish vote on property laws is a test of freedom |
Last week’s vote by the Turkish parliament to permit Christian and Jewish foundations to reclaim property seized by the state will not impact the Anglican Churches in Turkey, the vicar of Istanbul tells The Church of England Newspaper.
Turkey’s Anglican churches “remain on land understood to be given to |
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2008-02-13 |
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| Beijing, China |
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| Report shows religious persecution on rise |
By Robert Duncan, Canadian Free Press
Concern is that in 2009, after the Beijing Olympics, the persecution against churches and Christians will escalate and the human rights condition will seriously worsen.
Persecution rose overall in China last year. Those are the findings, which some won’t find that surprising, |
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| Find out more |
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2008-02-13 |
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| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
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| Saudis clamp down on valentines |
Religious police in Saudi Arabia are banning the sale of Valentine's Day gifts including red roses, a local newspaper has reported.
The Saudi Gazette quoted shop workers as saying that officials had warned them to remove all red items including flowers and wrapping paper.
Black market |
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| Find out more |
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2008-02-11 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
|
| Iran proposes Death Penalty for ‘Apostates’ |
But women who leave Islam would be subjected only to ‘hardship’ until they recant.
by Peter Lamprecht
The Iranian parliament may mandate the death penalty for citizens who leave Islam, a human rights group announced this week.
For the first time in Iranian history, a proposed penal code |
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2008-02-07 |
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| Azerbaijan |
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| Raid and beatings for "illegal" Religious Meeting – but Police deny it |
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service
Despite a massive raid on a Jehovah's Witness meeting in a private house in the central town of Barda on 30 January involving some 30 police officers, two local police officers have independently denied to Forum 18 News Service that any |
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2008-01-29 |
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| Uttar Pradesh, India |
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| Recent Incidents of Persecution |
by Nirmala Carvalho, Vishal Arora and Mahruaii Sailo
The Rev. Yashwant Paul was arrested on January 21 in the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh on charges of fraud in a case originally registered against him in 2004, reported the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI). Ramesh Chand accused Rev. Paul |
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2008-01-26 |
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| Riyadh, Saudi-Arabia |
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| The Saudi-Arabian Religious Police get sensitivity training toward Non-Muslims |
The government's decision is seen as an expression of the desire to moderate the activities of the muttawa, and seems to be part of a policy of limiting their powers, the object of criticism from human rights groups.
The agents of the "commission for the promotion of virtue and |
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2008-01-25 |
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| Papua, Indonesia |
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| Genocide by Demographics |
by Elizabeth Kendal, WEA RLC Principal Researcher and Writer
If present demographic trends continue, West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) will be majority Indonesian (mostly Javanese) Muslim by 2011, and the indigenous Melanesian predominantly Protestant Christian Papuans will be a dwindling 15 percent minority by 2030. This was recently forecast |
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2008-01-24 |
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| Washington D.C./USA |
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| U.S. Surveys Find Americans Tolerant Of Religious Beliefs |
When it comes to religion, modern Americans think religious beliefs are good, but they tend to worry about beliefs that affect other people.
As a rule, religious words are safer than religious actions.
Consider these numbers from a new Ellison Research study that shows surprising support |
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-24 |
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| Malatya, Turkey |
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| Turkish Murder Suspects Blame Alleged Ringleader |
Young Muslim says intent was not to kill but to seize evidence against three Christians. (by Barbara G. Baker)
The first of five young Turkish Muslims on trial for torturing and killing three Christians in eastern Turkey took the witness stand last week, vigorously denying that the |
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-21 |
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| Europe |
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| “Christianophobia” documented online by Europe for Christ |
The non-governmental organization (NGO) Europe for Christ wants to combat and document what it sees as a growing phenonmenon in Europe—Christianophobia—or an irrational fear of Christians or Christianity.
Europe for Christ explains that it created the website to provide governments and institutions with objective and reliable |
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-19 |
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| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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| Malaysia Confiscates Christian Children’s Books |
Illustrations of prophets deemed offensive to Muslims.
Adding to the furor over whether non-Muslims have the right to use the word “Allah” in their publications and religious practice, on January 11 online news agency Malaysiakini reported that officials confiscated English-language Christian children’s books because they contained images of prophets.
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-18 |
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| Hanoi, Vietnam |
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| Vietnam warms up to religious liberties |
Remember the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" where downed U.S. pilots were kept during the Vietnam War? It's now a museum.
For older Americans, the building –- or at least the name -– recalls sober memories of a war that ended in 1975. The Vietnamese people call it "The American War."
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-17 |
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| Ankara, Turkey |
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| Court Hears Confessions In Trial Of Murdered Christians As Turkish Church Reports More Attacks |
One of the men standing trial in Turkey for the murders of two Turkish and one German Christian told the court on 14 January how the victims were tortured and killed. The wives of the victims were present in the court.
According to the Turkish news network NTV, |
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2008-01-17 |
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| Carson City, Nevada, USA |
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| Religious groups angry as US election campaign hits Nevada |
The US election campaign is stirring discontent in Nevada, with religious groups saying they will be excluded from voting because Saturday's presidential caucuses take place on a day of worship.
Jewish groups and some Seventh-Day Adventists have both complained that followers will be frozen out of the Democratic and |
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-17 |
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| Gaza, Gaza Strip |
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| Christians leaving Gaza for West Bank |
Christians appear to be leaving Gaza, mostly for the West Bank, fearful of attacks by radical Muslims following the Hamas takeover.
At the Baptist Church in Gaza, only eight people attended service on a recent Sunday morning, The Washington Times reports. Six months ago, attendance was around 100.
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2008-01-17 |
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| Gaza, Gaza Strip |
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| Christians leaving Gaza for West Bank |
Christians appear to be leaving Gaza, mostly for the West Bank, fearful of attacks by radical Muslims following the Hamas takeover.
At the Baptist Church in Gaza, only eight people attended service on a recent Sunday morning, The Washington Times reports. Six months ago, attendance was around 100.
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-17 |
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| Belleflower, California, USA |
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| Americans on Religious Freedom Resolution Tour in Morocco |
While religious freedom is almost taken for granted in the U.S., two American visitors to Morocco discovered that religious liberty is a topic that still sparks lively interest, curiosity, and animated dialog with adherents of Islam.
“Theirs is a Muslim state and they think we come from a |
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2008-01-11 |
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| Baghdad, Iraq |
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| Christian Churches in Iraq fears new campaign of “religious cleansing” |
New fears of an organized campaign to flush Christianity out of Iraq have been sparked by the recent attacks on churches in leading Iraqi cities.
Concerns about a new "religious-cleansing" drive were raised by sources close to the Church reeling from January 6 coordinated bomb-blasts on at least |
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-09 |
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| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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| Malaysia Maintains Only Muslims Can Use ‘Allah’ Term |
The government has told the Herald, a Catholic newspaper threatened with closure for using the word “Allah” in its Malay segment, that it must abide by a ruling not to use the word even though the weekly secured renewal of its printing permit for 2008.
In a statement released |
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| Find out more |
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2008-01-09 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Turkish Judge Releases Minor Who Threatened Pastor |
A Turkish judge in the Black Sea coastal city of Samsun on January 6 set free a minor who confessed to making telephone death threats against a pastor and his church, a day after authorities arrested the youth.
Judge Sinan Sonmez of Samsun’s First Minor Petty Offenses Court |
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| Find out more |
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2007-12-26 |
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| Beijing, China |
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| China to implement fully religious freedom: President |
Chinese President Hu Jintao said December 19 the ruling Communist party would fully implement its policy of free religious belief and affairs in line with the law of the land, adding that the party recognizes religion as a constant factor in Chinese society.
'We shall fully carry out |
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2007-12-26 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Turkey and its Christians |
| This has been a bad year for Orhan Ant. As a Protestant missionary in Samsun, on the Black Sea, he has had death threats and his church has been repeatedly stoned. Local newspapers called him a foreign agent. A group of youths tried to kidnap him as he was driving |
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| Find out more |
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2007-12-11 |
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| Baku, Azerbaijan |
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| "If You Meet Again You'll Be Imprisoned," Adventists Told |
| Police who raided a worship service of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the capital Baku on Saturday 8 December told the congregation's leaders that they will be imprisoned if they meet again, Pastor Rasim Bakhshiyev told Forum 18 News Service from the city on 10 December. "They told us verbally |
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| Find out more |
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2007-12-02 |
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| Angola |
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| Un independent expert voices concerns over religious freedom |
Although the freedom of religion is enshrined in the Angolan constitution, an independent United Nations human rights expert November 28 voiced concern that the right to practise religion or belief is infringed in the Southern African nation.
Asma Jahangir, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, wrapped |
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| Find out more |
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2007-12-01 |
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| Malatya, Turkey |
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| Lawyers Slam Investigation of Malatya Murders in Turkey |
At the opening day trial of three Christians tortured and killed here in April, attorneys for the bereft families accused prosecutors of “sloppy” investigations that focused on the religious activities of the victims rather than on the crime itself.
The 20 lawyers, most of them working pro bono on |
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| Find out more |
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2007-11-13 |
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| Cairo, Egypt |
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| Human Rights Report Says Egypt Violating Religious Freedoms |
Human rights groups are urging the Egyptian government to lift restrictions on religious freedom that discriminate against those who do not belong to one of three recognized religions. VOA Correspondent Challiss McDonough has more from Cairo.
Basma Moussa has not had a national ID card since 2004, when Egypt's |
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2007-11-13 |
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| Baghdad, Iraq |
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| Christians would be main victims of attack by Turkey in northern Iraq |
Chaldean Catholic Bishop Mer Patros recently said a possible incursion into the northern Iraq by Turkish forces in to order to combat Kurdish militias would affect Iraqi Christians the most.
Turkey has amassed troops on its border with Iraq in the region of Kurdistan and has launched sporadic attacks |
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| Find out more |
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2007-11-13 |
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| Cologne, Germany |
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| Evangelical Bishop Wolfgang Huber’s Keynote address "How do you feel about religious freedom?” |
Panel Series at the "Encounter Centre for Christians and Muslims"
"How do you feel about religion?” Gretchen asks Heinrich in Goethe’s Faust and immediately follows with the assumption, "I think religion doesn’t matter much to you.” Faust tries to talk his way out of the question by claiming it |
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| Find out more |
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2007-11-09 |
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| Midland, Texas, USA |
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| China Security Issued Blacklist of 43 Types of People in 11 Categories to Be Barred from Attending Olympic Games |
Religious People Under Strict Scrutiny
CAA learned from reliable internal Chinese government sources that in April of 2007, the Ministry of Public Security of the Chinese government issued a general nation-wide order, requiring strict examinations on all people both in China and overseas who will participate in the Olympic |
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| Find out more |
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2007-11-08 |
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| Tula, Russia |
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| Evangelicals In Central Russia Under Attack |
Pastors of the Association of Protestant Churches of Tula Province say that certain Christian congregations and their houses of worship are suffering from antisectarian articles by associates of the Evangelism Department of Tula diocese.
The Association of Protestant Churches of Tula Province has sent an appeal to the governor |
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| Find out more |
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2007-11-08 |
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| Rome, Italy |
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| Vatican official urges Saudis on Religious Freedom |
Muslim Saudi Arabia should guarantee more freedom and security for minority Christians and allow more priests in to administer to the faithful, the bishop in charge of Roman Catholics in the country said on November 5.
Bishop Paul Hinder, speaking in an interview with Reuters on the eve |
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| Find out more |
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2007-10-22 |
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| Bangalore, India |
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| Religious freedom in India 'shrinking' says Christian author |
Despite India remaining the world's most populous and vibrant democracy, freedom of religion is steadily on the decline, says John Dayal, a journalist-turned-Christian activist, who is now secretary general of the All India Christian Council (AICC)
"Many of the rights have been systematically diluted over the years by |
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2007-10-22 |
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| Stockholm, Sweden |
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| Swedish Government wants to curb Religious elements in private school education |
Sweden wants to curb the influence of religion in private confessional schools in a move to prevent the spread of fundamentalism, government officials said October 15
The new rules being drafted by the center-right government would ban religious elements in subjects other than religion, such as biology, Education Minister |
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| Find out more |
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2007-09-22 |
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| Algiers, Algeria |
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| Five Believers Sentenced for Christian Doctrine Preaching and Public Order Offences |
| Five people were sentenced earlier in June for charges related preaching Christian doctrine and public order offences by virtue of the law on the religious practice in Algeria approved by the government in 2006. The sentences vary between one year sentence with no remission and one year suspended sentence with |
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| Find out more |
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2007-09-17 |
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| Washington D.C., USA |
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| Vatican Investigates American Theologian |
The Vatican and U.S. Roman Catholic bishops are investigating the writings of a well-known American theologian who has analyzed how the Catholic faith relates to other religions.
The inquiry's focus is the Rev. Peter Phan, of Georgetown University, a Vietnamese-American priest from the Dallas diocese and former president |
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| Find out more |
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2007-09-17 |
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| Geneva, Switzerland, |
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| U.N. Expert on Racism: Defaming religions a threat |
A U.N. expert on racism on September 14 branded the defamation of religions — in particular critical portrayals of Islam in the West — a threat to world peace.
"Islamophobia today is the most serious form of religious defamation," Doudou Diene told the U.N. Human Rights Council, which |
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| Find out more |
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2007-09-17 |
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| Washington D.C., USA |
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| U.S. State Department Report: Iraqis Losing Religious Freedom |
Religious freedom has sharply deteriorated in Iraq over the past year because of both the insurgency and violence targeting specific faiths, despite the U.S. military buildup intended to improve security, says a State Department report to be released September 14.
The Annual Report on International Religious Freedom finds |
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| Find out more |
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2007-09-17 |
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| The Hague, The Netherlands |
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| Netherlands Places Apostasy on International Agenda |
The Netherlands is to make a case for the freedom of religion and ideology during the sixth session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this month. Partly initiated by the Netherlands, the EU will hand in a resolution that emphasises the right to apostasy.
As Foreign Minister |
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| Find out more |
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2007-09-02 |
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| Brussels, Belgium |
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| The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe confirmed the separation of church and state as one of Europe’s shared values |
| On 29 June the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a recommendation entitled “State, religion, secularity and human rights”. The recommendation can be summarized as follows: While noting that religion is an important feature in European society, the Assembly reaffirms the principle of separation of church and |
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| Find out more |
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2007-09-02 |
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| Baku, Azerbaijan |
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| Muslim Top Cleric Declared Christianity Cannot Be Official Religion In Azerbaijan |
Christianity can never be an official religion in Azerbaijan, as over 98 per cent of this country's population is Muslim, a top cleric has said, according to Trend News agency (TNA).
"The leadership of the country has so far protected Islam as the main faith in Azerbaijan, and the |
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| Find out more |
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2007-08-21 |
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| Karnataka, India |
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| Recent Incidents of Persecution |
| Hindu extremists allegedly belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) on India’s Independence Day (August 15) barged into a church in Karnataka, disrupting worship and forcibly taking believers to police. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) said |
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| Find out more |
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2007-08-20 |
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| Calcutta, India, |
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| Fearful Muslims adopt Hindu IDs |
On a busy street in Calcutta's business district, he runs a food stall called "Rajib's Paratha" and is known as Rajib Mallick.
Using the popular Hindu name, no one suspects he is Rajab Ali Mollah, a Muslim who has adopted a fictitious identity to blend in with the |
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| Find out more |
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2007-08-16 |
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| Jerusalem, Israel |
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| Saudis might take Bibles from tourists |
Despite a series of initiatives aimed at generating foreign tourism, the Saudi Arabian government continues to bar Jews and Christians from bringing items such as Bibles, crucifixes and Stars of David into the country and is threatening to confiscate them on sight, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
"A |
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2007-08-14 |
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| Serbia |
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| Arbitrary Legal Status Denials Continue |
Under the controversial 2006 Religion Law, any "non-traditional" community that previously had legal status lost this unless they submitted a new registration application by 7 May 2007 lost their legal status.
Without legal status, it is legally impossible for religious communities to carry out activities such as running |
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| Find out more |
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2007-08-14 |
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| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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| Uproar over Claim of Malaysia as ‘Islamic State’ Is Silenced - Government gags media discussion of minister’s claim |
A government halt to media discussion of whether Malaysia is an “Islamic state” last month was one indicator of how close to the surface strong religious feelings are raging.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak drew such protest and counter-protest from religious groups for claiming that Malaysia is |
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| Find out more |
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2007-08-07 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
|
| Muslim Sues Egypt for the Right to Convert to Christianity. Christian’s attorney facing death threats from Egyptian security police |
A Muslim convert to Christianity filed suit against Egypt last week for refusing to legally recognize his change of religion, sparking a reactionary lawsuit by Muslim clerics and death threats against his lawyer.
Mohammed Ahmed Hegazy, 24, brought a case against Egypt’s interior ministry on August 2 for rejecting |
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| Find out more |
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2007-08-02 |
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| Moscow, Russia |
|
| European Court Victory For Evangelical Pastor |
| The latest Russian citizen to win a religious freedom case at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, Petr Barankevich has told Forum 18 News Service he believes financial compensation now due from the state is "not as important" as the 26 July ruling upholding his rights. Ever |
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| Find out more |
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2007-07-25 |
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| Kampala, Uganda |
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| Ugandan Government to Eliminate Fake Churches, says Ethics Minister Buturo |
The Ugandan Government would soon weed out the ‘mushrooming’ fake Pentecostal churches, the ethics minister, Dr. Nsaba Buturo, has announced. "We are trying to put in place regulations that would control these new churches," he said.
Officiating at the fundraising of Bumbeire Church of Uganda in Bushenyi district |
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| Find out more |
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2007-07-25 |
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| New Delhi, India |
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| State Government of Gujarat again tries secret survey of Christians |
The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat state has resumed the secret survey of Christian institutions it began eight years ago. Extremists have used such surveys to target religious minorities for violence.
In response to a petition filed by the All India Christian Council (AICC), |
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2007-07-25 |
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| Moscow, Russia |
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| Growing Influence of Russian Orthodox Church Troubles Leading Academics |
The Russian Orthodox Church's growing influence threatens to erode the separation of church and state and upset other officially-recognized religions, leading academics warned President Vladimir Putin on July 23.
"We are becoming increasingly concerned by the growing role of clerics in Russian society, by the church's penetration into |
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2007-07-25 |
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| Ankara, Turkey |
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| Pious Turks hopeful but patient on Religion reform |
Many Turks who put the AK Party back in power hope a second term will improve religious freedom, but they also say that opposition could mean another generation of women will have to choose between university and the veil.
The party with roots in political Islam won 47 |
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2007-07-21 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Turkish Prosecutor Demands Christians’ Acquittal. Accusers, he says, have provided no evidence that converts ‘insulted’ Turkey or Islam. |
A Turkish state prosecutor demanded acquittal yesterday for two Turkish Christians on trial for “insulting Turkishness” under the nation’s controversial Article 301.
State Prosecutor Ahmet Demirhuyuk told the Silivri Criminal Court on Wednesday (July 18) that there was “not a single concrete, credible piece of evidence” to support the |
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2007-07-19 |
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| Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
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| Cambodia bans Christian proselytising |
Cambodia has banned Christian groups from door-to-door proselytising and is seeking to limit other religious activities by non-Buddhist organisations, which it says disrupt society.
A directive from the Ministry of Cults and Religions obtained by AFP on July 17 said: "Christians are prohibited from visiting people's houses by |
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2007-07-19 |
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| Istanbul, Turkey |
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| Pakistani Mob Confesses to Church Attack, Christians forgive attackers, receive no compensation for damage and injuries. |
| Muslims have apologized for attacking a church last month in Pakistan’s Punjab region, but they offered no compensation for injuring Christians and damaging the building. In addition to wounding seven Christians and destroying books at the Salvation Army church in Chak 248, a village 20 miles north of Faisalabad, the |
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2007-07-15 |
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| Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan |
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| Kyrgyzstan to tighten laws on religious groups |
Kyrgyzstan will tighten regulation and surveillance of religious groups in largely Muslim Central Asian nation, a government official said July 12, citing concerns about extremist groups.
More than 2100 religious organizations are currently registered with authorities, said Toigonbek Kalmatov, director of the State Agency for Religious Matters.
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2007-07-15 |
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| Vienna, Austria |
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| Top OSCE official calls crackdown on human rights defenders “dangerous development” |
States participating Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) should work to ensure that crack-downs legitimate human rights concerns come to an end, participants agreed at an OSCE conference concluded July 13.
"Governments must open their eyes to human rights violations, deal with them and learn from past |
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2007-07-09 |
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| Cairo, Egypt |
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| Christian Copts in Egypt: Between integration and dissent |
| In their struggle against what has been termed prejudice or even outright persecution, many in Egypt's Christian Copt community seem to have found a sanctuary in the church, where as well as praying they can also vent their rage. In a typical Wednesday sermon at St Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, |
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2007-07-09 |
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| Shanghai, China |
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| China jails 2 Protestant church leaders |
Two ministers in China's unrecognized Protestant church have been sentenced to one year each in a labor camp on charges of using an "evil cult" to obstruct the law, a U.S. monitoring group said July 9.
The two men were detained on June 15 along with four other church |
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2007-07-08 |
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| Cairo, Egypt |
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| Egyptian court accepts appeal of Christians to reclaim religious identities |
An Egyptian court accepted an appeal July 1 from 45 Copts who were denied the right to reclaim their religious identities after they decided to convert back to Christianity from Islam, a lawyer and court officials said.
A lower administrative court ruled against the plaintiffs on April 29, |
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2007-07-08 |
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| Kishinow, Moldova |
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| Moldovan parliament to revise religion law |
Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin refused to sign the "Law on religious cults and their constituent structures" and returned it to parliament for improvement, Interfax was told on June 28 in the legislature of the republic.
"The basic statement of the head of state comes down to this, that nothing |
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2007-07-08 |
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| Oslo, Norway |
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| Tajikistan: "Antidemocratic" Draft Religion Law |
| If Tajikistan's parliament, the Majlisi Oli, adopts the current version of the proposed new Religion Law, no non-Islamic religious communities will be likely to be able to gain legal status, while the number of mosques allowed to operate will be severely limited, Forum 18 News Service notes. The Majlisi Oli |
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2007-07-08 |
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| Collegedale, Tennessee, USA |
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| Southern Adventist University Professor Deploys to Iraq as Non-Combatant Soldier |
| Chris Atkins will help bring peace-of-mind to the soldiers fighting on the front lines in Iraq. As a non-combat army social worker, Atkins will be helping soldiers in Iraq cope with combat stress such as anger, marital problems, nervousness, family separation, and redeployment. The assistant Social Work and Family Studies |
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2007-07-08 |
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| Washington D.C., USA |
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| U.S. Baptists Highlight Tradition of Religious Liberty |
A hallmark of the Baptist tradition has been freedom of religious belief and practice from interference by government.
But there is wide disagreement on how that plays out in the public arena on issues like school prayer, religious displays in public places and federal funding of faith-based social |
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2007-07-08 |
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| Geneva, Switzerland |
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| Holy See Urges Globalized Rights Urges U.N. Council to Remedy Deficiencies |
The globalization of the economy and communication should be matched by the globalization of human rights, says the Holy See.
Archbishop Silvano Tomasi made this comment in a recent address to the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.
"Like a young tree planted on the ground, the |
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2007-07-08 |
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| London, UK |
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| Britain Under Pressure to Legalize Catholic Monarchy |
Roman Catholic leaders are demanding that the new UK prime minister repeal the Act of Settlement.
British Roman Catholics are calling for Prime Minister Gordon Brown to include repealing the Act of Settlement on his list of sweeping government reforms. The act bars anyone who is a Roman Catholic |
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2007-07-08 |
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| Oslo, Norway |
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| Norwegian Parents win fight against mandatory religious class |
Parents who sued the Norwegian state 10 years ago over mandatory religious classes in public schools could finally claim victory on June 29. The European Court of Human Rights narrowly ruled in their favour.
The court in Strasbourg ruled that Norway's so-called KRL classes in elementary schools (an |
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2007-06-28 |
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| Ankara, Turkey |
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| Court Rejects Orthodox Patriarch Status |
A court June 26 backed Turkey's long-held position that the Istanbul-based Orthodox Patriarch is only the head of the city's tiny Greek Orthodox community and not the spiritual leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians.
The decision has no influence on the status of Ecumenical Patriarch BartholomewI |
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2007-06-28 |
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| Sydney, Australia |
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| Australia still mainly Christian |
Christianity remains the main religion in Australia, but Hinduism and Buddhism are growing at a greater rate.
Almost 12.7 million Australians declared they were Christian in the 2006 census, up from 12.6 million in 1996. But as a proportion of the population, Christianity fell from 71 per |
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2007-06-26 |
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| London, United Kingdom |
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| Report: Church of England is racist |
Black and Asian clergy members are unlikely to reach high office in the Church of England and minorities are sometimes marginalized in parish churches, an internal review will show, a newspaper reported June 17.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, the report says little has been doneto confront |
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2007-06-25 |
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| Beijing, China |
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| Will Fashion for Confucius Retard Religious Freedom? |
| In recent years, Confucianism has been making a steady comeback in China. After decades of effort to destroy the ideology and its institutions, even the Communist party-state has "endorsed" Confucian ideas and drawn on them in its political slogans. Chinese people also seem to have a growing interest in applying |
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2007-06-25 |
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| Bucharest, Romania, |
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| Bucharest court rules against religious symbols in Romanian schools |
| A Bucharest court decided on June 18 that a decision made by the main anti-discrimination body in Romania on removing religious symbols from schools was well grounded, thus giving green light to moves that would see such symbols gone from Romanian schools. The Education ministry announced it would challenge the |
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2007-06-25 |
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| London, United Kingdom |
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| British laws spark U.N. religious concern |
A U.N. special rapporteur on religious freedom says British anti-terrorist laws target Muslims, undermining human rights.
The independent rapporteur, Asma Jahangir, voiced her concern June 15 as she wrapped up an 11-day visit to Britain.
Although the nation possesses deep knowledge and a "great wealth of |
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2007-06-03 |
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| New Delhi, India |
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| 4,000 Indian Christians Court Arrest to Protest Violence |
At least 4,000 Christians from across India courted arrest in New Delhi May 29 in protest against the “silence” of the federal government on increasing anti-Christian attacks.
At a rally, “Stop Violence on Christians”, held at Jantar Mantar near Parliament, Christian leaders, including All India Christian Council (AICC) president |
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2007-05-31 |
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| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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| Court to rule in test case for religious freedom in Muslim Malaysia |
Malaysia's highest court is to rule on May 30 whether a Muslim woman has the right to convert to another religion in a high-profile case seen as a test of religious freedom in the Muslim-majority country.
The Federal Court is to decide whether Azlina Jailani, who converted to Christianity |
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2007-05-31 |
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| Ankara, Turkey |
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| Parties eye religious sects to increase votes |
As the campaigns for general elections on July 22 begin in earnest, strategies in Turkey are following both the classic ad-and-promises pattern of European or American politics as well as the homegrown technique of appeals to spiritual values.
In Turkey, that means special appeals to so-called "tarikat", sometimes |
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2007-05-28 |
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| Cairo, Egypt |
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| Another Black Friday for the Coptic Christians of Egypt |
| For the past three and half decades, the Copts (Christians of Egypt) have been targeted by a wave of brutal attacks on their persons, churches, homes and businesses. Ibn Khaldoun Research Center (headed by Human Rights advocate Saad Eddin Ibrahim documented over one hundred and twenty major attacks on the |
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2007-05-28 |
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| Europe |
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| Followers of the Sikh religion complain of rising discrimination |
| Around 200 Sikhs from across Europe have met a British member of the European Parliament to discuss problems faced by their community in Europe. The group met Neena Gill here last week and aired their grievances about growing racial discrimination and harassment linked with their appearance and identity in different |
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2007-05-28 |
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| Bangkok, Thailand, |
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| Buddhism may become Thai state religion |
Thailand, for all purposes already a Buddhist country, appears closer to formally making Buddhism its state religion.
Such a step would be a victory for the Buddhist monks who have been holding public rallies to press their demands. But it could also lead to further divisions in the already |
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2007-05-20 |
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| Konya, Turkish |
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| Turkish City Counters Fear of Islam’s Reach |
In the not too distant past here in Turkey’s religious heartland, women would not appear in public unless they were modestly dressed, a single woman was not able to rent an apartment on her own, and the mayor proposed segregating city buses by sex.
Fears of such restrictions, |
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2007-05-20 |
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| Cairo, Egypt |
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| Egyptian Christians decry controversial law |
A decision by an Egyptian administrative court earlier last month has sent the Christian community into an uproar over what they have termed the continuation of religious intolerance by the government.
The controversial new law states that Christians who convert to Islam for whatever reason and wish to |
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2007-05-09 |
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| Hanoi, Vietnam |
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| Vietnam respects people's religious beliefs, president says |
Vietnam, which faces frequent criticism from abroad for violating religious freedoms, respects the religious beliefs of its citizens, President Nguyen Minh Triet was quoted May 7 as saying.
"Religion and belief are spiritual needs and are part of our people. They will be with us for the entirety |
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2007-05-06 |
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| Uzbekistan |
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| Was imprisoned pastor forced to renounce appeal ? |
Protestant pastor Dmitry Shestakov is claimed by officials in Uzbekistan to have "voluntarily" renounced his right to an appeal and, because of poor health, begged to be transferred immediately to his place of punishment.
Friends of the pastor, who has been sentenced to four years in a work |
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2007-05-06 |
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| Armenia |
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| 72 religious prisoners of conscience is new record |
| Armenia has a record number of religious conscientious objectors to military service in jail, despite a 2004 promise to free these prisoners of conscience, Forum 18 News Service has found. 72 Jehovah's Witnesses are now in jail. Four of these prisoners have been jailed within the past month, with an |
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2007-05-06 |
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| Serbia |
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| Government still arbitrarily denying communities legal status |
| Religious communities in Serbia are still having legal status applications arbitrarily denied, one year after a controversial Religion Law was passed, Forum 18 News Service has found. Many communities are waiting with concern for 7 May 2007. On that day any communities registered before the Law came into force, who |
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