GENEVA — On March 5, 2025, a packed room at the Palais des Nations in Geneva bore witness to a sobering reality: governments around the world are using registration laws to systematically silence religious minorities. Hosted by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), the event brought together advocates, pastors, and human rights experts to expose how … Continue reading Global Crackdown on Religious Freedom through Registration Laws Silencing Minorities
Hungary’s Refusal to End Religious Discrimination and the Politicization of Human Rights Debates
The UN’s latest discussions on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) once again revealed two troubling trends: Hungary’s continued refusal to address serious religious discrimination, and the misuse of the FoRB space by multiple states to wage geopolitical battles, rather than advocate for the protection of religious minorities. While the Special Rapporteur on FoRB, Nazila Ghanea, presented a detailed report outlining systemic religious discrimination … Continue reading Hungary’s Refusal to End Religious Discrimination and the Politicization of Human Rights Debates
Pakistan, Three Ahmadi Mosques Attacked in Punjab Within Ten Days
The authorities seem unable to resist the pressure and threats of the extremist organization Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan. “Bitter Winter” devoted a series of seven articles to Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a violent political-religious Islamic organization that Pakistani authorities try unsuccessfully to contain, more often than not surrendering to its pressure. This is especially true when TLP threatens or demands … Continue reading Pakistan, Three Ahmadi Mosques Attacked in Punjab Within Ten Days
The Finnish Line: The Supreme Case of Päivi Räsänen After 6 Years
A Nation Watches as One of Its Most Respected Leaders Goes to the Supreme Court for Speaking Her Faith The case of Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen is more than a legal battle; it’s a test of Europe’s commitment to democratic values. As one of Finland’s most respected politicians, Päivi now faces the Finnish Supreme Court … Continue reading The Finnish Line: The Supreme Case of Päivi Räsänen After 6 Years
Conference Attendees Urged to Celebrate and Cultivate Virtues of Religious Freedom
Government officials, faith representatives, academics, and other experts in freedom of religion or belief gathered for a conference in Auckland on 21 to 23 February 2025 to explore the theme: “Freedom to do, to be, and to become—Enhancing individuals’ opportunities to believe and live as they choose within the framework of the law.” Read full … Continue reading Conference Attendees Urged to Celebrate and Cultivate Virtues of Religious Freedom
Religious freedom is routinely curbed in Central Asia – but you won’t often see it making international news
Freedom of worship is tenuous around the globe. The Pew Research Center’s latest annual report found “high” or “very high” levels of government constraints on religion in 59 of the 198 countries and territories it analyzed – a new record. When Pew began releasing reports on the issue in 2007, just 40 countries’ restrictions on religion were … Continue reading Religious freedom is routinely curbed in Central Asia – but you won’t often see it making international news
Religious Freedom Priorities: A Summary of the International Religious Freedom Summit 2025
The organizers of the International Religious Freedom Summit (IRF) 2025, Katrina Sweat and Senator Brockbank, introduced the event as the largest religious freedom summit in the world. They emphasized that religious freedom is foundational and essential for authentic human flourishing and individual human dignity. This event’s aims were to promote religious freedom for everyone, everywhere … Continue reading Religious Freedom Priorities: A Summary of the International Religious Freedom Summit 2025
The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion Or Belief Presents Key Links Between Religious Freedom and Torture Prevention
In February of this year, Professor Nazila Ghanea, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, submitted a proper report on the link between torture prevention and religious liberty. Having served for almost three decades in international human rights law, Ghanea provides a quite understandable interpretation of this concept. The main thesis of the … Continue reading The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion Or Belief Presents Key Links Between Religious Freedom and Torture Prevention
Religious freedom is routinely curbed in Central Asia – but you won’t often see it making international news
Freedom of worship is tenuous around the globe. The Pew Research Center’s latest annual report found “high” or “very high” levels of government constraints on religion in 59 of the 198 countries and territories it analyzed – a new record. When Pew began releasing reports on the issue in 2007, just 40 countries’ restrictions on religion were … Continue reading Religious freedom is routinely curbed in Central Asia – but you won’t often see it making international news
The Religious Freedom Institute, Pepperdine University, and the International Religious Freedom Summit Announce ‘IRF Summit Africa’
February 6, 2024, Washington, D.C. – The Religious Freedom Institute (RFI), Pepperdine University, and the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit are pleased to announce the convening of IRF Summit Africa on June 16, 2025. This groundbreaking assembly will galvanize the religious freedom movement throughout Africa to take action in response to an intensifying crisis of religious persecution on … Continue reading The Religious Freedom Institute, Pepperdine University, and the International Religious Freedom Summit Announce ‘IRF Summit Africa’