International Religious Freedom News

glassesoff.org:

1. Christian Child Denied Birth Certificate in Azerbaijan (May 22)

Aliabad, Azerbaijan
Forum 18 reports that officials in Aliabad, in the Zaqatala region of Azerbaijan, refuse to issue a birth certificate to 11-month-old Ilya Eyvazov, the son of two Protestants, because, according to officials at the Zaqatala registry office, “the village population is against the Christians”. Without a birth certificate, Ilya is ineligible to receive health care, attend school, or travel abroad. Other Protestant families have reported similar problems in registering the births of their children in the past, saying they have been encouraged or pressured to choose an Azeri name for their child.

2. Belarusian Pastor Fined for Religious Activity (May 28)

3. Pakistan Responds to Criticism of Blasphemy Laws (May 28)

4. Chinese Government Claims All Tibetan Religious Artifacts (May 29)

Tibet
Reuters reports that China has declared that all Tibetan religious artifacts belong to the Chinese state, as part of what Chinese officials paint as an effort to “protect” Tibet’s cultural heritage. Tibet lost a large portion of its cultural heritage during the Cultural Revolution (1966-79) when Chinese Red Guards destroyed Tibetan monasteries and religious symbols. China claims that Tibet’s “special situation” with regards to religious relics necessitates the intervention of the government to insure their protection; however, Chinese authorities have often imposed limits on Tibetan religious participation and expression.

Feature: What a state religion would mean for Thailand, from the International Herald Tribune

Update: A total of 14,635 arrests since the start of Iran’s moralization campaign, from AKI

International Religious Freedom Archive

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