Stories in this newsletter:

• The Becket Fund meets with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
• Crusade against New York Amish continue
•  Washington Post’s “On Faith” panel of experts to include Becket Fund attorney
• Highlights from 2009

Kevin “Seamus” Hasson, founder and president, and Angela C. Wu, International Law Director, of The Becket Fund met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to discuss the concerns of the Orthodox community in Turkey and the status of religious liberty affairs there. The Turkish government has restricted the most fundamental religious freedom rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, including the closure of its only seminary, the Halki seminary, in 1971, depriving it of legal personality, and restricting property rights. These practices and others inhibit Orthodox believers’ ability to practice and worship freely, and its ability to educate and choose religious leaders.

Eleven Amish families are being prosecuted by Morristown, New York, officials for following their religious beliefs. The town continues to enforce strict building codes for new Amish homes even though it conflicts with their religion. Since the Town refused to settle the case, The Becket Fund will help the Amish prepare for court. For more see: http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/article/1178.html

Asma Uddin, Becket Fund attorney, has been named an “On Faith” permanent expert panelist for the Washington Post and Newsweek. Asma’s extensive work on faith and religion has been featured in books, magazines, scholarly journals, and blogs.

To view Asma’s biography, visit http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/person/54.html

 

To view Asma’s “On Faith” page, visit http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/asma_uddin/

Highlights from 2009