Tag: religious freedom

Parliamentary committee considers WC religious leaders’ request for investigation of CRL chair

The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Parliamentary Portfolio Committee met virtually yesterday to consider a request by a group of Western Cape religious leaders for the committee to open a formal misconduct meeting against CRL Rights Commission chair Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva. In a letter sent to the COGTA committee on […]

Christians take stand for religious freedom during mass march in Durban

The centre of Durban was yesterday filled with Christians — many dressed in yellow and holding placards — participating in a mass provincial march for religious freedom hosted by South African Church Defenders (SACD). “The KZN Provincial Christian March was nothing short of powerful and historic. This was the Church […]

Finnish MP on trial over Bible verse to speak to Congress about Europe’s growing crackdown on speech

Originally published in The Christian Post Finnish member of parliament Päivi Räsänen, who is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling in a criminal case over a Bible verse tweet, is scheduled to testify before the US Congress on Wednesday about expanding speech restrictions in Europe. Räsänen, 66, will appear before the […]

No justice for Christian couple separated from daughters after ‘religious extremism’ accusations

Originally published in Christian Today A Swedish couple that have been separated from their two eldest daughters for nearly four years due to alleged “religious extremism” have had an appeal rejected by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Daniel and Bianca Samson’s ordeal began in late 2022 when government […]

US Religious Freedom body urges Trump to highlight Sudanese suffering

Originally published in Premier Christian News A religious freedom watchdog has urged Donald Trump’s administration to highlight the persecution of believers in Sudan, in the same way that it has recognised Christian suffering in Nigeria. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called on the US State Department to […]

US report exposes worsening religious freedom abuses, calls for offenders to be held accountable

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its sobering 2026 Annual Report on Wednesday documenting the worsening global crisis in freedom of religion or belief throughout 2025. The bipartisan commission, mandated by Congress under the International Religious Freedom Act, cataloged egregious violations — including state-sponsored repression, extremist violence, attacks on […]

Parliament’s entry into dispute between CRL and faith communities welcomed

Key religious freedom stakeholders in South Africa have reacted positively to a  virtual meeting between religious sector leaders and Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs last Wednesday. Freedom of Religion South Africa says in a briefing memorandum that it is cautiously optimistic after the engagement which it […]

Week of accusations and counter-accusations over CRL Christian sector regulation process

At a press conference last week Professor Musa Xulu called the CRL Rights Commission chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva a dictator and the CRL’s Section 22 committee on Christian-sector abuses a front for pushing state regulation of religion. At a media briefing yesterday the CRL chair and Section 22 member Dr John […]