- Indian High Court Bows to Islam: Judge Denies Interfaith Marriage
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/indian-high-court-bows-islam-judge-denies-interfaith-marriage
Location: India
In a controversial ruling that has sparked outrage among legal experts and activists, the Madhya Pradesh High Court in India denied protection for an interfaith Hindu-Muslim couple seeking to get married, declaring their marriage invalid under Muslim Personal Law. Citing the interpretation that a Muslim man cannot validly marry a Hindu woman considered an "idolatress or fire-worshiper," Justice G.S. Ahluwalia stated "As per Mahomedan law, the marriage of a Muslim boy with a girl who is an idolatress or a fire-worshipper is not a valid marriage. Even if the marriage is registered under the Special Marriage Act, the marriage would no longer be a valid marriage, and it would be an irregular (fasid) marriage." The ruling directly contradicts the intent of India's secular Special Marriage Act of 1954 which aims to enable interfaith unions, with critics arguing the court's definition of "prohibited relationship" under the law is flawed and discriminatory towards non-Muslim partners.
- Hindu Pilgrims Attacked By Islamist Militants in Kashmir
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/hindu-pilgrims-attacked-islamist-militants-kashmir
Location: India
A horrific attack on Hindu pilgrims in Indian-controlled Kashmir has left nine dead and 33 injured after Islamist militants opened fire on a bus carrying worshippers, causing the vehicle to plunge into a deep gorge. The bus was en route to the revered Shiv Khori cave temple when the militants struck on June 9th in the Reasi district. "Initial reports suggest that terrorists fired upon the passenger bus...Due to the firing, the bus driver lost balance of the bus, and it fell into the gorge," said Senior Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma, confirming the chilling details of the assault. While India's home minister vowed "the culprits of this dastardly attack will not be spared and will face the wrath of the law," the militant ambush marks a dangerous escalation in the long-simmering conflict over Kashmir between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed rivals who have fought multiple wars over the Himalayan territory. The Kashmir region has been a flashpoint since the subcontinent's partition in 1947, with Muslim-majority Kashmir opting to join Hindu-majority India over Pakistan, igniting an armed rebellion in 1989 by militants seeking independence or merger with Pakistan. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and soldiers have been killed over the decades of turmoil.
- No Mercy: Taliban Publicly Lashes Over 60
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/no-mercy-taliban-publicly-lashes-over-60
Location: Afghanistan
The Taliban's harsh rule in Afghanistan continues to draw international condemnation, as the United Nations has spoken out against the public flogging of over 60 people, including more than a dozen women, by the ultraconservative regime. In a scathing statement, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan condemned "the Taliban's use of corporal punishment and call[ed] for respect for international human rights obligations." Despite promises of moderation, the Taliban has reverted to the draconian punishments of their previous reign in the 1990s, publicly executing individuals and subjecting men and women alike to cruel lashings for alleged crimes like adultery and theft. With the world watching in horror, the Taliban's disregard for human rights raises grave concerns about the future of Afghanistan under their brutal regime.
- Trying to Open Pakistan's First Gay Club Lands Man in Mental Hospital
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/trying-open-pakistans-first-gay-club-lands-man-mental-hospital
Location: Pakistan
In a daring move that has landed him in a mental hospital, an unnamed man in the deeply conservative Pakistani city of Abbottabad attempted to establish the nation's first gay club. The man filed an application stating the proposed "Lorenzo gay club" would be "a great convenience and resource for many homosexual, bisexual and even some heterosexual people residing in Abbottabad." Despite promises of no sex beyond kissing on the premises, the plan sparked outrage from religious and right-wing groups threatening arson and accusing the man of being a foreign agent. "I have started the struggle for the rights of the most neglected community in Pakistan, and I will raise my voice in every forum," the man boldly declared before authorities had him committed to a psychiatric facility, where his friends now fear for his safety in the backlash against his push for LGBTQ rights.
- Iranian Blogger Arrested for Correcting Ayatollah's Punctuation in Tweet
Location: Iran
In an alarming escalation of the Iranian regime's crackdown on dissent, blogger and satirist Hossein Shanbehzadeh was arrested on June 4th by authorities in the northwestern city of Ardabil. His alleged crime? Posting a single period punctuation mark under a tweet by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last month, in an apparent mocking of Khamenei's failure to use proper grammar. Despite Shanbehzadeh's reputation for humorous social commentary under his real name, prosecutors accused him of the grave offense of spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and insulting Shia Muslim imams. Shanbehzadeh's family vehemently denies the "unjustifiable" charges, stating he merely uses social media for satire. The hashtag #FreeHosseinShanbehzadeh garnered over 57,000 hashtag mentions, with supporters questioning "What information did Hossein have access to that he could spy on? Did he have missile or nuclear information? Why are you weaving nonsense..." The regime's draconian overreaction underscores its willingness to concoct absurd pretexts to imprison those who dare poke fun at the Islamic Republic’s hyper-sensitive leadership.
