Freedom of Belief petition to Chinese President
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Freedom of Belief petition to Chinese President

Freedom of Belief, a Federation of Associations that advocate freedom of thought, religion and belief, asks for your support on their petition for the Attention of the President of the People’s Republic of China. Freedom Of Belief stands against every form of religious discrimination, including any arbitrary distinction between “religions” and “cults”; across the decades…

UZBEKISTAN: Torture and impunity for torturers continues
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UZBEKISTAN: Torture and impunity for torturers continues

Mushfig Bayram reports on the Forum 18 news site that Muslims, Protestants, Jehova’s Witnesses and others are subject to torture. “Torture and impunity for torturers continues in Uzbekistan, directed against Muslims, Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses and people of other faiths. Women are targetted for assault, and in another torture case police told a Jehovah’s Witness that…

‘Exposure of Conflict Areas in the World with Parlicular Referrence to Kashmir’ meeting
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‘Exposure of Conflict Areas in the World with Parlicular Referrence to Kashmir’ meeting

London: All Faiths Network Director Martin Weightman chaired a panel at the International Media Conference on “Exposure of Conflict Areas in the World with Parlicular Referrence to Kashmir. In his opening remarks he highlighted the importance of interfaith dialogue and religious leaders separating themselves out from political motivations whilst holding true to the peaceful and…

Kazakhstan religious freedom discussed by President

Kazakhstan religious freedom discussed by President

Interfax, the Russian News agency, reports that Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev guarantees freedom of religion, but says ‘religious extremism should be sorted out’. Speaking in Astana at a meeting with Minister for Religious Affairs and Civil Society Nurlan Yermekbayev, Nazarbayev drew attention to the state policy regarding religion and religious organizations and to measures to…

A request for support – armed raid at Ahmadiyya centre
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A request for support – armed raid at Ahmadiyya centre

On 5th December 2016, 16 fully armed policemen and 12 plain clothed officers in three police vehicles forcefully entered the Tahrik Jadid (an administrative body of the Ahmadiyya community overseeing overseas missions, building mosques, and publishing literature and the Holy Quran in various languages) compound in Rabwah, Pakistan. Cases have been filed against the 4…

Religious Freedom report adds seven countries to ‘particular concern’ list
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Religious Freedom report adds seven countries to ‘particular concern’ list

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an advisory council to Congress and the US President, has added Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria and Vietnam to its list of countries where religious freedom is of particular concern. The Commissions new Annual Report says that “religious freedom abroad has been under serious and sustained assault” during the past year, and…

Robot Buddhist monk unveiled
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Robot Buddhist monk unveiled

Reuters reports that a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Beijing has decided to ditch traditional ways and use technology to attract followers. Longquan temple says it has developed a robot monk that can chant Buddhist mantras, move via voice command, and hold a simple conversation. Named Xian’er, the 60-cm (2-foot) tall robot resembles a cartoon-like…

Indian cricket captain facing charges under religious hate law
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Indian cricket captain facing charges under religious hate law

Describing it as a colonial-era law, Indian website Lapidomedia reports that a warrant for the arrest of national cricket captain Mahindra Singh Dhoni has been issued in connection with his appearance on the front page of a business magazine in the guise of Vishnu, one of Hinduism’s foremost gods. Dhoni received a non-bailable warrant on 8 January this year,…

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Chechen ruling against the Quran overturned

The Sakhalin Regional Court has granted an appeal  by Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov, revoking a lower court’s ruling that labelled a book containing quotes and commentary on verses from the Quran as extremist. A  judge of the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk declared the book “Plea (Dua) to God: Its Role and Place in Islam” to be…