The French National Assembly has re-introduced in the amended law on “cults” the strange crime of “psychological subjection” the Senate had eliminated.
Op-eds Global
Murder of Sindh Activist Hidayatullah Lohar in Pakistan Calls for International Reaction
A political assassination came in an unbearable climate of constant persecution.
Italy Gives € 500,000 for the Restoration of Odessa’s Orthodox Cathedral Shelled by Russia
The church, heavily damaged by Russian shelling on July 23, 2023, is one of the beneficiaries of the projects of the Italian presidency of G7.
Pakistan: A Good Supreme Court Decision for the Ahmadis—But What’s Next?
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court ordered the release of a man who had distributed an Ahmadi commentary to the Holy Quran. A step in the right direction, but problems remain.
Japan Proposes Guidelines That Would Artificially Multiply the “Victims” of “Cults”
Under the new draft proposal, a “victim” is a “victim” even if she denies being one, if the anti-cult lawyers or the government says she has been victimized.
Does Japan Have an Independent Judiciary? Implications for the Unification Church Dissolution Case
Scholars have noted that, while proclaimed by the Constitution, the independence of the Japanese judiciary is in fact limited by the government’s role in appointing and promoting judges.
Pakistan Wants to Ban TikTok for “Immorality”
A tragic incident where a girl killed her sister over a TikTok quarrel is used by conservative clerics to call for a broad crackdown on social media.
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.”
Fox Elected to Guard the Henhouse: Pakistan Became One of UNESCO’s Vice-Chairs
Comments emphasized China’s and Pakistan’s ability to maneuver smaller countries. The question, however, is ethical before being political.
Religious Liberty and the Dangerous Snake of Moral Panic
Generalizing from a single incident to attack an entire category of persons or movements is an effective strategy used by the enemies of freedom of religion.