Islamabad, May 5 (IANS) Even though the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently urged the US government to redesignate Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), the persecution of Christians continues to rise in Pakistan, demonstrating the urgent need for an international response, a report has highlighted. Extremist groups in Pakistan have been attacking not only places of worship but entire communities, Mission Network News stated.”They [extremists] will att…
Latest religious freedom News & Updates
Washington, April 30 (IANS) A Trump administration task force has released a report alleging widespread anti-Christian bias across the federal government during the presidency of Joe Biden, citing law enforcement actions, regulatory policies, and workplace practices. The report, coordinated by the Justice Department and based on findings from 17 agencies, says the Biden administration’s policies and actions “demonstrated anti-Christian bias” and burdened religious freedom.“No American sh…
Beijing, April 26 (IANS) The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), an international NGO, has welcomed the eight United Nations special mandate holders’ statement, challenging China’s implementation of its “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law” as the latest tool for the Chinese Community Party to enhance its “Sinicization” goal of forced cultural and linguistic assimilation of Tibetans and members of other communities, a report has stated. The Special Rapporteurs said, “We would like to dra…
Geneva, April 23 (IANS) The United Nations experts expressed serious concern over the continued and widespread abduction and forced religious conversion and marriages targeting women and girls from minority communities in Pakistan, warning that the climate of impunity fuels the relentless practice across the country. “Any change of religion or belief must be genuinely free from coercion, and marriage must be based on full and free consent, which is not legally possible when the victim is a child…
New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) Urging the Supreme Court to reconsider the 2018 Sabarimala judgment permitting entry of women of all age groups into the temple, the Union government on Tuesday told a nine-judge Constitution Bench that notions of “patriarchy” and “gender stereotypes” are alien to Indian Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted before the Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant that Indian society has historically accorded w…
New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) A nine-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant is slated to hear on Tuesday the long-pending Sabarimala review matter, involving a batch of petitions raising significant constitutional questions on religious freedom and gender equality. As per the cause list published on the official website of the Supreme Court, the Constitution Bench, also comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna, M.M. Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, A.G. M…
Washington, April 5 (IANS) A senior US lawmaker has criticised China’s record on religious freedom ahead of Easter, accusing the Chinese Communist Party of persecuting Christians and calling for greater freedoms in the country.Chairman John Moolenaar of the Select Committee on China said the faith of imprisoned Christians in China would continue to inspire others despite state repression.“When he was imprisoned for his faith in Jesus, Paul wrote to the Philippians, ‘It has become clear thr…
Islamabad, March 30 (IANS) A leading minority rights group on Monday highlighted that members of the Ahmadi community were once again prevented from offering Eid prayers in several districts of Pakistan’s Punjab province — turning what should have been a “moment of unity” into yet another instance of exclusion.According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), police deployments, administrative barriers, and the looming threat of legal consequences ensured that gatherings were either disrupted…
Washington, March 27 (IANS) A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged President Donald Trump to press China for the release of a detained Christian pastor when he meets President Xi Jinping next month, citing what they called “ongoing unjust imprisonment and persecution” of religious minorities.In a letter, Senators James Lankford, Ted Budd, and Tim Kaine, along with lawmakers from both parties, urged Trump to raise the case of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, who they said was “arbitrarily deta…
New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Ahead of the commencement of hearings before a nine-judge Constitution Bench in the Sabarimala review matter, written submissions filed on behalf of the Travancore Devaswom Board have urged the Supreme Court to adopt a “community-centric and subjective” understanding of religion under Article 25 of the Constitution, cautioning against judicial reinterpretation of religious beliefs and practices.The submissions, settled by senior advocate Dr Abhishek Singhvi, conten…