Religious Right

Religious Right

Germany's Largest Mosque Allowed To Broadcast the Call to Prayer

Germany's largest mosque, the Cologne Central Mosque, has been permitted by Cologne to broadcast the call to prayer every Friday afternoon. The permission to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer, or adhan as it’s called in Arabic, came as part of the agreement to ease restrictions between the Muslim community and the city of Cologne.

Uyghur Muslim Businessman Confirmed Dead in Chinese Prison

Local officials in China’s Xinjiang province announced that a prominent Uyghur real estate businessman and philanthropist, Yaqub Haji, died in prison. Investigating the social media of Haji’s families and friends, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that his body was handed over to his family on September 6, 2021. There is no available information as to when and how Haji died.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Jailed as Extremists for Practicing Their Religion

On July 29, three Jehovah’s Witnesses were sentenced to six years in prison, on top of the two years they served while waiting for their trial. Two of the Jehova’s Witnesses are father and son, Vilen(68) and Arsen(37) Avanesov. Aleksandr Parkov (53), a companion, was also charged. Arsen and Parkov were sentenced to six and a half years, while Vilen was sentenced to six years. By the end of their time, they would have all spent nearly a decade behind bars. 

Secular Offense: Anti-Islamic Separatism Bill Passes French Lower House

Gerald Darmanin, France’s Interior Minister, in an interview with RTL radio in February 2021, commented on the proposed Anti-Separatism Bill. Darmanin describes the bill as tough but necessary, calling it “an extremely strong secular offensive.” The bill passed the lower house of the French parliament on Friday, July 23, 2021. Darmanin sponsored the bill with the support of his party, La République En Marche. 

11 Convicted For Harassing French Atheist Teen Over Anti-Islam Views

On June 7, in a first-of-its-kind ruling, a French court convicted 11 out of 13 accused of cyberbullying a teenager over her views against Islam on social media. The 18-year-old started receiving threatening messages after her video criticizing Islam and the Quran posted last year from her social media accounts went viral.

 

Vatican intervenes to stop proposed anti-homophobia law in Italy

The Vatican had sent a letter to the Italian government to request a change in a new anti-homophobia law to be passed. On June 17th, a "verbal note" by the Vatican's secretary of relation with states, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, was delivered to the Italian embassy, as confirmed by a spokesperson of the Vatican.

 

Funeral of Ahmadi Woman Attacked By Pakistani Mob

On June 5, a funeral procession of an Ahmadi woman in Safdarabad, Punjab, was attacked on its way to the cemetery by a local mob led by right-wing Muslim clerics. The mob opposed the idea of having an Ahmadi person being buried near a Muslim graveyard.

 

Christian Billionaires Fund Push to Kill the Pro-LGBT “Equality Act”

The Equality Act, if passed, would ban discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, credit, and jury service. In February 2021, the bill passed the House of Representatives with a bipartisan majority, and Biden has promised to sign the final bill. More than two-thirds of Americans also support the bill.

Pages