New ruling in Russia could reduce prosecutions under “anti-missionary” law
World Watch Monitor Lawyers working for Christian and other minority religious organisations in Russia have welcomed a Constitutional Court ruling over the country’s so-called “anti-missionary law”, reports regional news agency Forum 18. The March ruling helps to partially clarify what is missionary activity. It stated that “giving information about religious events would constitute an ‘offence’ only if it […]
Uttarakhand becomes 7th state in India to pass ‘anti-conversion law’
World Watch Monitor The northern state of Uttarakhand has become the seventh state in India to adopt a so-called “anti-conversion law”. State Governor Krishna Kant Paul signed the ‘Freedom of Religion Bill’ into law on 18th April, just over a month after the bill was approved by the state assembly and allowed to progress to the governor’s […]
Nepal to further tighten laws on religious conversion
World Watch Monitor Nepal is set to draft new laws and amend existing legal provisions to prevent religious conversions, reports local news site myrepublica.com. Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said that, “through Christianity”, attempts were being made to “push the country into conflict”. “A new strategy should be devised to consolidate national unity,” he said […]
Indian carol singers arrested for “trying to convert people to Christianity”
World Watch Monitor Six carol singers have been arrested in India after they were accused of trying to convert people to Christianity. The carol singers, one of whom is a professor at a Catholic theological college, insisted they were only singing songs, but a Hindu man alleged he had been told to “worship Jesus Christ” […]
Nepal PM ‘commits to address’ Christian concerns ahead of elections
Nepal’s Prime Minister has committed to addressing the Christian community’s concerns over religious freedoms, reports Asia News. Some estimates put its number at four per cent of the population. Dinesh Bhattarai, advisor to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, said the commitment “will be immediately put into practice and everything will be settled before elections”. Prime Minister […]
INDIA: CAUTIOUS RESPONSE TO APPOINTMENT OF FIRST CHRISTIAN TO MODI’S CABINET
ANTO AKKARA reports for World Watch Monitor from India…
Jharkhand the latest Indian state to pass ‘anti-conversion bill’
World Watch Monitor The Indian state of Jharkhand passed an “anti-conversion bill” at its Assembly meeting on 12th August, despite demands that the bill should be sent to a select committee for further scrutiny. “This is not normal,” Indian journalist Anto Akkara told World Watch Monitor. “It shows the growing arrogance of the Hindu nationalists.” […]