2000 – 2020 two decades dedicated to freedom of conscience

HRWF (10.12.2020) – Thirteen human rights NGOs call upon the authorities of China, Iran and Russia to release religious prisoners under threat of being infected by COVID-19. These are the three countries that have the highest number of believers of all faiths behind bars, according to Human Rights Without Frontiers’ (HRWF) database of FoRB prisoners which documents thousands of individual cases.

Mr. Nguyễn Bắc Truyển and other prisoners on hunger strike over prison
conditions in An Điềm Prison, Quảng Nam Province

We write as an informal group of organizations and individuals who are scholars, religious leaders and human rights advocates. We are from many faiths or acting in a secular capacity, representing a high degree of diversity. While there is very little we agree on theologically, or politically, we all agree on the importance of religious freedom for all faiths and none.

In effect, millions of Chinese children have had their inherent right to freedom of religion wrestled from their grips in contravention of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. China has shut out children from attending any church services or activities in Zhejiang, in Xinjiang the Chinese Communist Party separates Uighur children from their parents and stops Tibetan buddhist children from receiving religious education. The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief stressed that, “Every individual child is a rights holder in his or her own capacity as recognized in Article 14 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. »

Re: Request to Impose Sanctions to Stop Turkey’s War Crimes in Northeast Syria and Beyond Under EO 13894

the case of Huma Younus : Christian Pakistani girl who was kidnapped

Urgent Call for the Dropping of All Charges Against Christian Pastor Keshav Raj Acharya

Letter to the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the Implementation of the Resolution on Police Violence and Structural Racism

Uyghur Forced Labour/ Civil society organisations call on apparel brands and retailers to cut ties with suppliers using forced labour of ethnic minorities in China

Letter to Ambassador Yasseen on recognition of Iraqi evangelical churches

On December 9, the French Council of Ministers passed an amended text of the anti-extremism law, which accepts the objections and comments of the State Council. The latter reflected the prevailing opinion about both French and international scholars of religion, as presented inter alia in a White Paper of which I was a co-author and in articles published by Bitter Winter.

The US envoy on international religious freedom on Tuesday voiced concern about ally France, warning against « heavy-handed » measures as President Emmanuel Macron targets radical Islam.

HRWF (10.12.2020) – Thirteen human rights NGOs call upon the authorities of China, Iran and Russia to release religious prisoners under threat of being infected by COVID-19. These are the three countries that have the highest number of believers of all faiths behind bars, according to Human Rights Without Frontiers’ (HRWF) database of FoRB prisoners which documents thousands of individual cases.

France : International Religion Freedom Ministerial side event Separatism and Human Rights

The resurgence in attacks by radical Islamists in France, home to Europe’s largest Muslim population, has rekindled fierce debates about Islam, secularism, and discrimination. The deplorable assassinations in October 2020 of Samuel Paty, a teacher, and three Catholics in the Basilica of Nice have accelerated the political will of the authorities to adopt a law meant to tackle some of the root causes of Islamist terrorism.

Anti-cult organisations UNADFI and CCMM, the controversial state anti-cult institution MIVILUDES and George Fenech (a magistrate, former president of MIVILUDES and MP of the LR opposition party) misled the Minister in charge of citizenship, Marlène Schiappa, about the alleged danger posed by a prayer group.

Today, another heartbreaking murder of a 31 year old Ahmadi doctor Tahir Ahmad.Dr Tahir along with his family was attending the Friday service in the private residence of a member of the community in ‘ Murch Balochan’,District Nankana,Punjab,Pakistan.As he was coming out of the house after the service with his father and two uncles,a teenager shot at them.Dr Tahir died on the spot while three others accompanying him were seriously injured. Dr Tahir’s father Tariq Ahmad is in a critical condition in hospital.The other two badly injured are receiving treatment in hospital.

Turkey took offense at a U.S. statement that said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would promote religious freedom during an upcoming visit to Istanbul and called Wednesday on Washington to focus on racism and hate crimes in the United States instead.

We appeal to the UN, the USA and the European Union to take immediate action against air strikes by the Turkish state in Sinjar.

Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Algeria, have been persecuted and harassed particularly in the past few years. Recently, the Government has embarked on raiding the residences and meeting places of the Community and picking up the members accusing them of blasphemy, contempt of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him. The Government has also accused Ahmadis of organising terrorist activities particularly in stadiums and sports grounds.

Promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief within the UN Human Rights System Factsheet – This factsheet provides an overview of the UN human rights mechanisms, with a particular focus on those most relevant to freedom of religion or belief. The factsheet describes the mandate and composition of the Human Rights Council and its subsidiaries, which include the Universal Periodic Review Working Group, the Special Procedures mandate holders, and factfinding missions. The UN treaty-based mechanisms, such as the Human Rights Committee established by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, are also explained. The factsheet includes examples of engagement with these mechanisms that has advanced religious freedom. Although these bodies have limitations, they nevertheless provide opportunities for advocacy by and collaboration among states and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to promote freedom of religion or belief internationally.

France has a serious problem with radical Islam, but the draft law against “separatism” announced by President Macron may create more problems than it claims to solve. This is the conclusion of a “White Paper” co-authored or endorsed by well-know scholars of new religious movements Massimo Introvigne, Italian sociologist and managing director of CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions) and Bernadette Rigal-Cellard, from the University of Bordeaux, French lecturer in law Frédéric-Jérôme Pansier, and human rights activists Willy Fautré, of Brussels-based Human Rights Without Frontiers, and Alessandro Amicarelli, human rights attorney in London and chairperson of the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB).