The International Journal for Religious Freedom (IJRF)

Good practices to reduce, resolve, and prevent religious conflict

Kyle Wisdom — 2023-05-08

The International Institute for Religious Freedom is working on a research project to compile case studies of good practices that help prevent, de-escalate, or resolve conflict.

Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for religious minorities from the UN perspective

Rossella Bottoni — 2023-05-08

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a serious challenge to the enjoyment of free- dom of religion or belief. This article examines how this was addressed in the context of the UN machinery on human rights protection. UN documents indi- cate a holistic perspective that the global crisis could not be solved only with public health and emergency measures, but also required a human rights-based approach. The UN also exhibited a concern for application of the principles of necessity and proportionality, with particular regard for the inclusion of margin- alized and vulnerable groups, such as religious minorities.

Addressing health inequalities in times of COVID-19

Silvia Angioi — 2023-05-08

In numerous countries, the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic has affected ethnic, racial and religious minorities most severely, along with indigenous peoples. On one hand, the pandemic is laying bare the presence of deeply rooted patterns of discrimination in access to health; on the other hand, for some states and non- state actors, it also represents a useful opportunity to persecute particular ethnic and religious minorities through additional forms of discrimination, labelling, stigmatization and scapegoating.

The impact of COVID-19 on religious regulation in Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Nicaragua

Dennis P. Petri — 2023-05-08

In Latin America and globally, drastic sanitary measures were taken to combat the coronavirus. In this study, we investigate the consequences of these sanitary measures for religious regulation. We compare the situation before and after the sanitary measures taken in four Latin American countries (Colombia, Cuba, Mex- ico, and Nicaragua). We conclude that the COVID-19 measures mainly restricted the collective dimension of freedom of worship, bringing religious regulation to similar levels as that in some authoritarian regimes. We also found evidence that some governments took advantage of the situation to increase their repression of religious groups.

Moral, environmental, and physical contamination

Danielle N. Boaz — 2023-05-08

In 2020, global restrictions on religious gatherings raised questions regarding the extent to which governments could restrict religious liberty to protect the pub- lic. Although the COVID-19 pandemic heightened public awareness about such issues, African diaspora religions had already been widely persecuted as “super- stitions” that posed a threat to public health from the 18th century to the early 20th century. This article argues that discrimination against Africana religions has continued in the 21st century using similar rhetoric, as private citizens and governments in the Atlantic world have restricted religious practices that they claim threaten moral, environmental, and physical health.

Organised Shi’ism without organisation

Minoo Mirshahvalad — 2023-05-08

This article investigates the mutation of three aspects of Shi’a online communities before and during the pandemic. These aspects are the Shi’a relationship with their religious authorities, their relations with other faith communities and their gender relations. The article shows that gender relations have undergone relatively smaller changes. For the fulfilment of this enquiry, online ethnography and interviews with members of the online communities were adopted.

COVID-19 and Korea

Ciarán Burke — 2023-05-08

Although South Korea’s response to COVID-19 has been praised as efficient, effective, and well-planned, the legislation devised to tackle the pandemic suffered from a lack of human rights safeguards and was rather opportunistically employed by the government to target an unpopular religious community. In such situations, it falls to the courts to provide protection to those who may have suffered as a result of state excesses. The trial of Chairman Lee Man-hee of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus places these issues in sharp relief. Chairman Lee’s prosecution is instructive regarding applications of the rule of law in situations of national emergency, freedom of religion, and the inadequacy of traditional legal remedies for certain human rights violations.

A critical human rights perspective on the Sri Lankan government’s forced cremation policy of COVID-19 deceased in the context of religious majoritarianism

Lakmali Bhagya Manamperi — 2023-05-08

The State-sanctioned forced cremation of COVID deceased in Sri Lanka was a policy which blatantly discriminated the religious rights of certain minority communities – the Muslims, for whom cremation is forbidden by their religion, and certain sections of the Christian community who consider burial as the traditional way of farewell to the dead.

This paper analyzes how COVID-19 was used as a tool for State intervention in the religious matters in a Constitutional context where religious majoritarianism prevails. It is suggested that more secular features, would improve the respect for human rights of the country.

Noteworthy

Janet Epp Buckingham — 2023-05-12

The noteworthy items are structured in three groups: annual reports and global surveys, regional and country reports, and specific issues. Though we apply serious criteria in the selection of items noted, it is beyond our capacity to scrutinize the accuracy of every statement made. We therefore disclaim responsibility for the contents of the items noted. The compilation was produced by Janet Epp Buckingham.

Book reviews

IJRF — 2023-05-12

Barbara Ann Rieffer-Flanagan: Promoting religious freedom in an age of intolerance
Renae Barker, Paul T. Babie and Neil Foster (eds.): Law and religion in the Commonwealth: The evolution of case law
Mariz Tadros (ed.): What about us? Global perspectives on redressing religious inequalities
Paul McDonough: Human Rights Commitments of Islamic States: Sharia, Treaties and Consensus
Benedict Rogers: The China Nexus: Thirty Years in and Around the Chinese Communist Party’s Tyranny
Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas (ed.): Race, religion, and COVID-19: Confronting White supremacy in the pandemic