Brussels – In the decades leading up to and during World War II, several European regimes implemented policies requiring individuals to declare their ideological or religious affiliations as a precondition for employment, professional licenses,...
In today’s deeply polarized political climate, where partisan divides often seem insurmountable, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) stands out as a rare and vital example of sustained bipartisan cooperation. Established by...
ROME — In the historic Sala Matteotti of Italy’s Camera dei Deputati, where law and legacy often converge, a quiet but urgent conversation unfolded this week about who gets to be officially recognized —...
In a chamber of the Italian Parliament, beneath frescoed ceilings and marble columns, something quietly extraordinary was unfolding.
It wasn’t a protest. It wasn’t a sermon. It was a conversation — one that had taken...
According to the French religions news site Religactu, which conducted an in‑depth review of hundreds of internal documents and email exchanges, France’s anti‑cult watchdog—the Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires...
The early‑morning stabbing of 22‑year‑old Aboubakar Cissé on April 25 inside the Khadija mosque of La Grand‑Combe has forced France to confront a surge in anti‑Muslim violence that many fear is eroding the republic’s secular ideals....
In a world still grappling with the legacies of forced migration and religious persecution, new academic research is revisiting one of Southeast Asia’s lesser-known tragedies — the complex fate of the Cham people of...
“Portraits in Faith” is a section dedicated to highlighting the lives and legacies of individuals who champion interfaith dialogue, religious freedom, and global peace.
In the quiet, persistent work of building bridges between the sacred...
In the shattered remains of a once-thriving Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) parish in Crimea, a single icon hangs askew on a cracked wall. Its gold leaf tarnished, the image of Christ stares outward—a...
PARIS — On a warm June morning in 2024, the Administrative Court of Paris delivered a verdict that sent ripples through France’s secular institutions. The court ruled that the MIVILUDES — France’s Interministerial Mission...
Portrait in Faith - Jan Figel has the demeanor of someone who is neither in a hurry nor easily rattled. He carries with him the quiet assurance of someone who has spent decades working...
Germany has long been regarded as a bastion of constitutional democracy and a vocal defender of human rights on the international stage. Yet one discriminatory practice has persisted quietly within its borders for decades:...
On April 22, 2025, Hofstra University in New York awarded the prestigious Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize 2024 to two global leaders in interfaith cooperation: the United Religions Initiative (URI) and its founder the Rt....
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Religious Freedom (IRF) Roundtable welcomes the announcement—made last night via the platform X—of Congressman Mark Walker’s selection by the Trump administration to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for...
Brussels – The Council of the European Union (EU) imposed sanctions and restrictive measures on a number of courts, judges and prisons in Iran in its decision 2025/774. These sanctions spotlight the role of judicial...
Anna Safronova, 59, a Jehovah's Witness, convicted for her faith, is subjected to inhuman treatment in penal colony No. 7 in Zelenokumsk (Stavropol Territory), and she also does not receive proper medical care. The...
MIVILUDES, the French government agency tasked with monitoring so-called “cultic deviations,” recently released its latest report, covering the years 2021 to 2024. While it claims to protect the public from harmful practices, the report...
The European Parliament has passed an urgency resolution on Iran, expressing its concern about the worsening human rights situation in the country. The resolution specifically calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Mahvash Sabet. This...
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released its 2025 annual report, painting a grim picture of religious repression and discrimination worldwide.
From state-controlled religious policies in China to the persecution of...
In a chilling escalation of state-endorsed persecution, the Pakistani government has been accused of complicity in fostering extremist narratives that directly threaten the lives and safety of members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. The...
On Friday 14 March, the Borgarting Court of Appeal issued a landmark judgment declaring the loss of registration and denial of state grants for the years 2021-2024 invalid.
It unanimously concluded that the practice...
Geneva. On March 4th the United Kingdom called for urgent global action to combat torture and protect freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in detention centers, following a stark warning from the UN Special...
The UN’s latest discussions on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) once again revealed two troubling trends: Hungary’s continued refusal to address serious religious discrimination, and the misuse of the FoRB space by multiple states to wage geopolitical battles, rather than...
In France, Miviludes is a sub-agency of the Ministry of Interior, dedicated to fight against what they call “cults”, which encompasses a large variety of well accepted abroad new religious movements as well as...
SOFIA, BULGARIA—In a celebration of unity through diversity, the 'Magnificent Bridges of Light' concert took center stage on February 17th at Sofia’s Military Club. The event, held beneath the grand arches of the venue’s...