News

Free To Believe

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Showing 1 to 25 of 95 posts.

11 October

Belarus - Seven fined for talking about Easter in street

Belarus is following the Russian government as it moves to further restrict religious freedom within the country. Here’s a good article discussing the new initiative and some backstory.

30 August

RUSSIA: Freedom of religion and belief monitoring group to be liquidated

It becomes very difficult to hold governments to account when they have removed those who monitor their behavior. Vladimir Putin continues to pressure religious groups by now shutting down the leading religious freedom monitor in Russia.

19 July

T shirts and Thought Police

In this day and age in Canada, the default is not always tolerance of others. For some, the only thing that matters is forcing everyone into their image. How does it come to be that someone's T shirt could ruin your day?

14 April

China forcing Catholic leaders to be re-educated or lose their jobs

China’s Communist Party continues its campaign to control the Chinese Catholic church, forcing leaders to undergo extensive re-education or lose their opportunity to serve the faithful. The process has split the Church

03 April

Justin Welby rejected as leader by conservative Anglicans over same-sex blessings

A group of Anglican leaders from around the world have rejected the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, as their leader after the Church of England backed prayers of blessing for same-sex couples.

31 March

FBI Admits to Targeting Devout Catholics

Law enforcement agencies seem to have become tools of various social justice agencies, more concerned about the average citizens than about those who are actually breaking the law.

Group photo including some of the participants at the public hearing held at the National Congress in Brasília, Brazil.
30 March

Brazil: Transcending divisions through a shared identity

Brazil’s Bahá’í Office of External Affairs and government officials examining the role of religion in promoting a shared identity among the Brazilian population.

29 March

Despite freedoms Christians in Indonesia have an uphill battle

The Indonesian government’s policy of encouraging unity and social justice for all of it's peoples, allows for a large degree of religious freedom. However, that is not always realize on the ground.

12 November

Pakistan Report

U.S. report looking at Pakistan's failure to improve conditions for its minorities, growing intolerance within the country’s leadership for religious diversity.

12 November

Uzbekistan Report

Over the last several years Uzbekistan has made progress with ending police raids on religious minority communities; granting official registration to a small number of religious groups; releasing some prisoners for their religious activities.

12 November

Violence and Religious Freedom in Nigeria

Nigeria in the past, has experienced religious tolerance and harmony. But in the last decade non-state actors have stirred up violence and the failure of political leadership has resulted in ongoing and increasing violence for religious communities.

12 November

Religious Freedom in Egyptian Schools Reforms

An interesting USCIRF Conversation: Assessing Religious Freedom in Egyptian Curriculum Reform. Egypt has been encouraged to examine its school curriculum and improve the educations system approach to issues of freedom of religion.

03 October

Group rejects idea of new cultural identiies for Christians in Lebanon

President of the Universal Syriac Union Party strongly rejects notion that there should be imposition of new cultural identities on Christians in Lebanon

30 September

Afghanistan Freedoms Report

On August 15, 2021 the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Since then, freedoms have been drastically curtailed and the Taliban is ruling Afghanistan in a similar manner to the way it ruled the country from 1996 to 2001.

01 September

China: House Churches Attacked and Banned in Several Provinces

In Beijing, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Jilin, and Sichuan ongoing police raids target churches that refuse to join the CCP-controlled Three-Self Church.

27 June

Asia, Muslims take to the streets against a BJP minister: she offended Muhammad

Global demonstrations erupt as the Muslim community reacts to Indian Cabinet Minster’s comments on Muhammad’s marriages.

13 June

India activist Afreen Fatima says her house bulldozed ‘illegally’

Muslim activist in India – loses her home while she is gone. House is bulldozed and personal items thrown on the ground in a lost nearby.

12 April

Iraqi Christian Murdered after Sharing Her Faith on TikTok

An Iraqi woman who recently converted from Islam to Christianity was found murdered on March 7 after she posted a TikTok video about her new faith, according to a religious liberty watchdog.

10 April

Religious Liberty Tested in Finland

A very comprehensive and compelling analysis of freedom of speech issues in Finland and the EU sphere as former Minister of the government of Finland has been tried on freedom of speech issues, even after the police recommended charges be dismissed.

07 April

Evangelicalism & Brazil: The religious movement that spread through a national team

It was derby day in Belo Horizonte, but that wouldn't change anything. Joao Leite believed he had a mission assigned to him by Jesus Christ: to spread God's word among other football players.

04 April

Provinces across China work to implement internet restrictions

Governments have so much capacity to regulate that what is way over the top today is more easily applied tomorrow. And the Chinese Communist government has been aggressively marketing its repressive measures around the world.

02 April

Family Sprayed with Acid for Leaving Islam

Every person should have the right to believe, to change their belief and to live out their beliefs but it’s not that simple when some believe that they have the right to kill those of other faiths

31 March

UZBEKISTAN: Raids, searches, detentions, fines, criminal investigations

Muslims targeted with raids, house searches, detentions, arrests, administrative punishments and criminal investigations by Uzbekistan government in ongoing campaign

31 March

As civil war rages, ruling junta destroys about a hundred religious buildings

Myanmar military government continues its assault on various provinces, focusing on destroying houses of worship.

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