Feb 13, 2008
International Religious Freedom Archive
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1. Egypt: Convert Denied Legal Recognition of Religious Beliefs
2. Serbia: Religious Minorities Concerned over Dangers, Lack of Protection
3. Turkey: Parliament Votes to Remove Headscarf Ban in Universities
4. India: Kerala State Hopes to Ban Worship in Schools
5. Moldova: Religious Communities Lack Registration, Foreign Workers
6. Vietnam: Mass in Central Highlands Forbidden, Attendees Risk Arrest
Features: The Times of London carried the full text of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams' speech on civil and religious law in the United Kingdom.
In light of this week's ruling on headscarves in Turkey, Today's Zaman has summed up the headscarf policies of some EU member states with large Muslim populations.
Updates: Egypt's highest civil court has ruled that the twelve Copts who re-converted to Christianity from Islam may have their religion officially recognized. From AsiaNews.
The Indian state of Orissa is still facing hostilities between Christians and Hindus. The BBC gives a good overview of the situation.
1. Egypt: Convert Denied Legal Recognition of Religious Beliefs
CAIRO - An Egyptian court ruled that Mohammed Hegazy, who has sought to have his conversion to Christianity legally recognized, cannot change his religion on paper, though he may "believe whatever he wants in his heart,” The Christian Post reported Feb. 3. The presiding judge, Mohammed Husseini, based his decision on an article of the Egyptian constitution which interprets Shari'a law as the source of Egyptian law.
2. Serbia: Religious Minorities Concerned over Dangers, Lack of Protection
JAGODINA - A perceived lack of protection for Serbia's religious minorities has prompted Zivota Milanovic, a Hare Krishna from Jagodina, to file a case with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, according to a Feb. 7 Forum 18 report. Milanovic has been the victim of repeated knife attacks from 2001 to 2007, and though attacks with more than three stabbings are usually treated as attempted murder, local police and prosecutors have not shown any interest in the case, nor have they taken any steps to protect him. Milanovic is the sole Hare Krishna devotee in the area.
3. Turkey: Parliament Votes to Remove Headscarf Ban in Universities
ANKARA - On February 7, the Turkish Parliament voted in favor of a constitutional amendment which would allow women to wear the Islamic headscarf in Turkish universities, Turkish Daily News reported Feb. 8. The final vote, of 404 in favor to 92 opposed, came after thirteen hours of debate. However, according to the BBC, Turkey's main opposition party planned to challenge the vote in the constitutional court, and universities seemed initially unwilling to comply with the new direction, with some rectors threatening to bar covered female students from campus.
4. India: Kerala State Hopes to Ban Worship in Schools
KERALA – The Education Rules Reforms Committee in the southwestern state of Kerala has recently recommended that religious worship be banned from schools that receive state assistance, including private schools run by missionaries, according to a Feb. 11 AsiaNews report. Such schools would also be required to appoint teachers from a pre-approved list compiled by a group with no connection to the school. The latter point has raised concerns that such a procedure would result in discrimination against teachers from minority religions.
5. Moldova: Religious Communities Lack Registration, Foreign Workers
MOLDOVA - It is becoming increasingly difficult for religious institutions in Moldova to accept foreign workers, as officials in the country have begun to deny visa renewals to religious volunteers in the country, claiming they will not issue visas to those who work without a salary, reports Forum 18 on Feb. 12. While this has posed particular problems for the country's Jehovah's Witnesses, some Muslim and Protestant communities still lack legal status, thus preventing them from even inviting foreigners to work with them.
6. Vietnam: Mass in Central Highlands Forbidden, Attendees Risk Arrest
IA GRAI - Catholic Montagnards living in Vietnam's central highlands were told by officials from the local People's Committee that they would not be permitted to celebrate mass in honor of the new year, as celebrating mass on a day that was "not a Catholic holiday" was expressly forbidden, AsiaNews reports Feb. 13. When the Catholic community of Ia Grai filed a petition to explain their reasons for the celebration, they were told that such a mass would be in violation of state law and that anyone found attending New Year services would be arrested.