Few had heard of a new anti-cult association that claimed credit for the arrest of the MISA founder in France. The story of its founder Hughes Gascan is not without interest.
Massimo Introvigne
A Pro-China Campaign Against the Prague Inter-Governmental Religious Freedom Conference—and Bitter Winter
Anti-cultist Steven Hassan and fellow travelers of the Chinese Communist Party, joined forces against the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance summit—and our magazine.
Behind the Bivolaru Case. 1. Some Incorrect Reports About MISA’s Past History
After the arrest of the Romanian yoga teacher in France, the same fake news about his and MISA’s past were reproduced from one media to another.
The Sad Story of the Tai Ji Men Lainan Street Academy in Kaohsiung
On January 6, international scholars visited yet another testimony of the injustice of the Tai Ji Men case.
Belarus: New Life Church No Longer Exists
After a long persecution, Pastor Vyacheslav Goncharenko’s Pentecostal community has been “liquidated” by the country’s Supreme Court.
The Ghent Saga Ends: Belgium Cassation Court Confirms that Shunning Is Lawful
On December 19, 2023, the Belgian Court of Cassation confirmed the appeal decision favorable to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Novopashin: “Sad Followers of Navalny” and “Cultists” “Recruited by the Thousands to Spy for Ukraine”
The Russian anti-cult leader ridiculously claims that “thousands of recruited agents” report to Kyiv movements of troops and military trains. Many of them, he says, are “cultists.”
The Netherlands Also Sees “No Reason” to Criminalize Shunning
After a study by the Open University, the Minister of Justice and Safety told the House of Representatives that taking action against “social exclusion” would be both against religious liberty and unrealistic.
A New Campaign Against “Bitter Winter” in China
A film with bizarre lies against our magazine was presented months ago in Brussels. It is now promoted all over China.
Happy New Year from “Bitter Winter”
All the “Bitter Winter” team wish a happy and joyful New Year and holiday seasons to everybody.
Massimo Introvigne
Massimo Introvigne (born June 14, 1955 in Rome) is an Italian sociologist of religions. He is the founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), an international network of scholars who study new religious movements. Introvigne is the author of some 70 books and more than 100 articles in the field of sociology of religion. He was the main author of the Enciclopedia delle religioni in Italia (Encyclopedia of Religions in Italy). He is a member of the editorial board for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion and of the executive board of University of California Press' Nova Religio. From January 5 to December 31, 2011, he has served as the "Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a special focus on discrimination against Christians and members of other religions" of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). From 2012 to 2015 he served as chairperson of the Observatory of Religious Liberty, instituted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to monitor problems of religious liberty on a worldwide scale.