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THE INSTITUTE News Update

May 10-14, 2010

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Africa

US Delegation of Evangelicals in Morocco React to Deportations

MOROCCO-- A delegation of evangelical church leaders visiting Morocco at the urging of various Christian ministry organizations working inside and outside this North African country, today commented from the capital of Rabat about recent deportations of Christians and the announcement by US Representative Frank Wolf that he will hold hearings on the matter next month.

Americas

Religious Advocacy Groups Issue Statements On Kagan Nomination

A number of religious advocacy groups have issued statements commenting on President Obama's nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Baptist Joint Committee said it hopes Kagan, if confirmed, "will protect our most fundamental freedom - religious freedom - with a commitment to principles of both no establishment and free exercise embodied in our 'first freedom'." Catholic Families for America opposed the nomination, saying it had "'grave concerns' about her promotion of same-sex 'marriage' and abortion, as well as a 'dangerous internationalism' that has become fashionable among leftist jurists." The American Jewish Committee welcomed the nomination, saying: "We commend President Obama on nominating Elena Kagan, whose strong legal credentials make her a worthy candidate for the U.S. Supreme Court."

East Asia and Oceania

China Appeals to Religious Groups for Post-Quake Help

The officially atheist Chinese government on Monday requested religious groups and people of faith to help with the rebuilding efforts in a northwest province devastated by a massive earthquake.

In an open letter posted on its official website, China's State Administration for Religious Affairs asked the religious community to donate towards reconstruction in the Tibetan area of Yushu in Qinghai Province, which was ravaged by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake on April 14.

Taiwan employer indicted for forcing Muslims to eat pork

Protestant clergyman arrested in Guangzhou

Lao Christians Expelled from Village Suffer Critical Illnesses

Beijing warns US over Falun Gong  

Europe

Kosovars call for freedom after student expelled over headscarf

Kosovars rallied to demand religious freedom as a girl expelled from school just because she wears headscarf.Hundreds in Kosovo staged a protest against a girl's suspension from school for wearing headscarf.

Arlinda Zeka, 15, was suspended from Pjeter Bogdani Technical High School in the town of Ferizaj, south of Pristina.

Greece moves to adopt cremation law

Church of England paves way for women bishops Pope: Church's own sins to blame in sex scandal

Italy to have married teacher as first woman priest  Pagan police get right to take festivals as holiday

Middle East

Jewish federations and religious streams tell Netanyahu they oppose conversion bil

The country's largest Jewish charitable network and the leaders of three major non-Orthodox synagogue movements are strongly protesting a proposed change in the laws that dictate the process for conversion to Judaism in Israel.The proposed bill, which would on the one hand make it ostensibly easier for immigrants living in Israel to convert to Judaism but on the other time expand the power of the Orthodox Rabbinate which now controls the process, has drawn loud criticism from American groups since it was proposed in March.

Russia and the CIS

AZERBAIJAN: "Unpleasantness with the law" for worshipping?

Religious communities punished for meeting for worship in Azerbaijan, or who have had religious literature confiscated, continue to formally appeal against these human rights violations, they have told Forum 18 News Service. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslim readers of the works of Said Nursi have demanded the return of confiscated literature. But despite repeated appeals over more than 15 years - most recently in early 2010 - for the Baptist church in Aliabad to be registered, its application has still not been granted. Police visited its pastor in late April, to warn him not to gather church members for worship or they would face unspecified "unpleasantness with the law". Violations of freedom of religion or belief in Azerbaijan have been occasionally successfully challenged, but the only example in 2010 known to Forum 18 is an appeal against a fine imposed on one Muslim reader of Nursi's works. Despite many such protests not being successful, for example to re-open mosques and churches, one Muslim insisted to Forum 18 that publicly challenging violations is crucial to defend religious freedom.

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