More than two dozen countries launch new religious freedom alliance
Washington DC, USRNS The US State Department announced Wednesday that 27 countries have joined the new International Religious Freedom Alliance that seeks to reduce religious persecution across the globe. “Together, we say that freedom of religion or belief is not a Western ideal, but truly the bedrock of societies,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo […]
US senators oppose Trump refugee cuts on religious freedom grounds
RNS A bipartisan group of lawmakers has sent a letter to Trump administration officials calling on them not to reduce the refugee cap to zero, as they have reportedly discussed, arguing that doing so could threaten the country’s “legacy as a protector of human rights” and call into question a promise to assist persecuted religious […]
ESSAY: IN CAMEROON, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CAN’T BE SEPARATED FROM POLITICS
US political scientist and Baptist minister R DREW SMITH, in an article first published on Religion News Service, calls for a re-evaluation of the criteria used within international religious freedom circles for assessing and advancing freedom around the world…
PERSECUTION: TRUMP AIMS TO PROTECT CHRISTIANS BUT SOME AREN’T SURE HE’S HELPING
With the plight of religious minorities around the world in the spotlight following last week’s US State Department summit on the issue, JACK JENKINS, of Religion News Service, reports on claims by some advocates and experts that the Trump administration’s policies have, for some, made their situation worse…
As religious freedom summit ends, US State Department announces new alliance, sanctions
Washington, DCRNS Trump administration officials announced a new alliance with US partners focused on religious freedom and new sanctions against foreign military officials supporting countries the US considers to be instigators of religious persecution. The developments on Thursday were among the highlights of the last day of the State Department’s Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. […]
Religious freedom summit opens with stories of religious violence and resilience
Washington, DCRNS The rabbi of Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue, site of an October mass shooting, tries to avoid using the word “hate” and wishes others would do the same. A Muslim man who lost his wife in the March attack on his New Zealand mosque urges love for every human being. A Christian woman […]
US religious freedom ambassador wants “like-mindeds” at religious freedom summit; violators need not RSVP
Washingtonm, DCRNS China, Iran and other countries that the US considers the most egregious religious liberty violators aren’t invited to the State Department’s second summit on religious freedom this week, said Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback. Instead, the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom will focus on countries that have at least begun to […]
“Push it hard” – US ambassador for religious freedom addresses religious freedom on law’s 20th anniversary
Washington DC, USRNS The US ambassador for religious freedom called for renewed activism on protecting faiths around the globe on Friday as religious liberty advocates gathered in the nation’s capital to mark the 20th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act. “We should push and we should push it hard,” said Sam Brownback at the […]
Uzbekistan says religious freedom ‘progressing’, despite new restrictions
World Watch Monitor Legislators in Uzbekistan’s Lower House are set to sign off a series of reform bills that will improve the human rights situation in the country. Uzbekistan is progressing towards rapid transformation, including political, economic, and importantly, religious freedom,” said the deputy chairman of the Uzbek Senate on 25th July at a side event […]
US State Department religious freedom summit ends with commitments, critiques
RNS The US State Department concluded its first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom on Thursday, with declarations promising further efforts to reduce religious persecution, even as critics said they are waiting to see its statements turned into actions. Closing the meeting of some 350 government officials, religious freedom advocates and others from more than 80 […]