“It is time to pursue with equal enthusiasm the idea of the free market of religion and belief – the recognition that religion and belief is an important part of being human, and that we have a responsibility to promote the equality of opportunity for all humans to make belief choices and pursue them. This…
At 5pm on Monday 9 February, APPG for International Religious Freedom or Belief vice chair Lord Alton of Liverpool is chairing a meeting on Iraq and the plight of Christians. There will be a talk by Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil, northern Iraq and brief updates on the work of Aid to the Church in Need…
The Archbishop of Canterbury has called on politicians, the church and the media to speak out against the ‘quiet creeping removals of freedom that create a climate of fear and animosity.’ He was speaking at the Parliamentary launch of the Religious Liberty Commission, a new partnership within the Evangelical Alliance that aims to strengthen its advocacy on…
The National Peace Symposium, held at the largest mosque in Western Europe, is a key event of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and Saturday 14 March marks the 12th Symposium to date. The theme for this year is ”Religion, Freedom and Peace”. Prof Heiner Bielefeldt, UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion, will also be a guest…
In Egypt, there is seemingly no place where atheists or those thought to be non-believers are safe, reports USA Today. They’ve been targeted at cafes, harassed on the streets and fired as part of a broader backlash by society and the state against atheism and blasphemy. “I have to keep my mouth shut when it…
A new international campaign was launched on Friday 30 January, aimed at abolishing “blasphemy laws” worldwide. The End Blasphemy Laws campaign is thought to be the first campaign focusing solely on the issue of laws against “blasphemy” including “ridicule” and “insult” to religion or “hurting religious sentiments”. The coalition behind the campaign, led by the…
Human Rights Watch has released its 644-page World Report 2015, reviewing human rights practices in more than 90 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director Kenneth Roth says, “Human rights violations played a major role in spawning or aggravating many of today’s crises. Protecting human rights and ensuring democratic accountability are key to resolving them.” The rise of the…
The BBC reports that, as tensions rise ahead of the elections in Nigeria, due on 14 February, some fear the country’s unity will face a new test and religious divisions will be exacerbated. The election sees a Christian presidential candidate from the south, incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, pitted against Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim candidate from the…
Under the headline India will succeed as long as it is not ‘splintered’ on religious lines The Times of India reports that “Making a strong pitch for religious tolerance, US President Barack Obama said every person has the right to practice his faith without any persecution and that India will succeed so long it is not…
Two Sunni prisoners of conscience from Iran’s Baloch minority were executed last November in Zahedan Central prison, Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran. According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 22-year old Vahid Shah Bakhsh and 23-year old Mahmoud Shah Bakhsh were hanged on charges of ‘Moharabeh [enmity against God] and acting against national security’….