IRFN: Indonesia Targets Groups Deviating from Mainstream Islam

International Religious Freedom News via glasses off:

1. Russia Continues to Dissolve Religious Organizations (Nov. 15)
2. Indonesia Targets Groups That Deviate from Mainstream Islam (Nov. 15)

The International Herald Tribune reports that Indonesia has recently arrested and sentenced leaders of religious groups that deviated from mainstream Islam. The government has attracted condemnation for banning peaceful minority groups while ignoring radical groups thought to be linked to several of Indonesia’s recent terrorist attacks. Last week, Indonesia’s Supreme Court sentenced one man on blasphemy charges, while the government declared its intentions to prosecute another for similar charges, despite the latter man’s public repudiation of his “misguided” teachings.

3. Persecution Continues for Pakistan’s Ahmadi Muslim Minority (Nov. 15)
4. Mexico: Lawmakers To Introduce Measure Outlawing Private Religious Education (Nov. 16)

The Associated Press reports that members of several parties in Mexico have put together an initiative to reinforce separation of church and state in Mexico, by focusing on education and the actions of politicians. “Mexico’s 1917 constitution guarantees religious freedom of speech and nonreligious public education,” but Rep. Maria Beatriz Pages Llergo, of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, said it needs to be changed to guarantee that private education is also nonreligious.” The measure would also impose punishments for government employees who “fail to respect” the divide between church and state.

5. Azerbaijan: Two More Baptists Threatened (Nov. 16)

Features:

• Becket Fund releases report on religious freedom in India for the Universal Periodic Review at U.N.
• On November 15, the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the lack of religious freedom in China, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Philippines, Turkey, Vietnam and Sudan. The text of the resolution can be read here.
• AsiaNews reports that anti-Christian violence in India is at an all-time high, with about four cases a week reported since summer.

Updates:

• Asma Jahangir, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, was released on November 16 after nearly two weeks of house arrest. Reuters covers the story.
• Karim Amer, the Egyptian blogger sentenced to four years in prison for “vilifying religions” (and defaming the president) has allegedly been tortured and placed in solitary confinement, as reported by the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information.

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