Malaysia releases four Finnish Christians
World Watch Monitor The four Finnish nationals who were arrested in Malaysia last week for distributing Christian literature, were released and returned home on Wednesday, 28th November, The Associated Press reports. The four – two men and two women aged between 27 and 60 – were deported on Tuesday, 27th November, AP said. The group was […]
Malaysia arrests four Finnish nationals for distributing Christian literature
World Watch Monitor Four Finnish nationals were arrested by police in Malaysia on Tuesday for allegedly distributing Christian pamphlets, reports AsiaNews. The four, two men and two women aged between 27 and 60, were arrested in their hotel on Langkawi Island, a well-known tourist destination, on charges of “disturbing religious harmony”. If they are found guilty, they could […]
UN weakness on religious freedom undercuts its authority on human rights, says report
World Watch Monitor The UN cannot strengthen, promote and protect human rights if it does not prioritise religious freedom, a report published by the Washington-based human rights alliance, ADF International has argued. The 73 page report, titled Anti-Conversion Laws and the International Response, claims that “some UN entities, especially special rapporteurs, have highlighted the problems with […]
Christian missionaries a ‘threat’ to India’s unity – MP
World Watch Monitor Christian missionaries are a threat to India’s unity, a Hindu-nationalist parliamentarian told reporters on Saturday. “Christian missionaries control the Congress,” said Bharat Singh, an MP for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Sonia Gandhi, the mother of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, works on the directions of these missionaries. These missionaries are a threat for […]
Malaysian Federal Court refuses four people their right to affirm Christian identity
World Watch Monitor Malaysia’s highest court on Tuesday dismissed an appeal against four appellants who wanted to be formally recognised as Christians. The five judges of the Malaysian Federal Court ruled that in matters of conversion away from Islam, it was necessary for them to consult the Islamic Sharia courts. The president of the court, […]
Freedom of thought ‘regressing on a global scale’, says report
World Watch Monitor The 2017 Freedom of Thought Report, presented on Tuesday, should be alarming “to all who care about freedom of thought and expression”, as it shows “a pattern of regression on a global scale”, says its editor, Bob Churchill. The report, published by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) of which Mr Churchill […]
More than 80 countries ‘favour’ one religion over others, says Pew report
World Watch Monitor More than 80 countries favour a specific religion, either officially as a state religion or tacitly through special treatment, according to a new report by the US-based Pew Research Center. Islam is the most common state religion – 27 countries have it as their official religion, including 16 of the 20 countries in the […]