Monday, July 30, 2007

International Religious Freedom News

glasses off:

1. Police Continue to Raid House Churches in China (July 19)

2. Church of England Sued for Discrimination (July 19)

3. Turkmenistan: Conscientious Objector Sentenced (July 20)

4. Kazakh Police Threaten to Seize Baptist Home (July 23)

5. Egypt’s Grand Mufti Retracts Support for Religious Freedom (July 24)

When AFP reported that Egypt’s Grand Mufti, Ali Gomaa, had opined that conversion is a matter between the individual and God, and that there should be no worldly punishment for rejecting ones faith, many viewed it as a landmark statement a in country where citizens have previously experienced legal hurdles in obtaining recognition for their conversions away from Islam. However, in a piece published by Gulf News, Gomaa retracted his statement, saying that “Islam prohibits a Muslim from changing his religion and that apostasy is a crime, which must be punished.”

6. India: New Law Restricts non-Hindu Religious Activity (July 25)

Features:

Malaysia threatens to impose serious restrictions on free speech, warning bloggers that they could face jail without trial for writing “recklessly” about religion, from the International Herald Tribune.

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