- Two Men Executed in Iran For “Blasphemy” Against Islam
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/two-men-hanged-iran-blasphemy-charges
Location: Iran
In a chilling and shocking display of state power, Iran has delivered its grim verdict on two men accused of blasphemy, Yousef Mehrad and Sadrollah Fazeli Zare. The sentence: death. The men were hanged at the Arak Prison in central Iran after being arrested in May 2020 for their involvement in a Telegram channel called "Critique of Superstition and Religion." Mizan, an Iranian judiciary-linked news agency, described the men as promoting atheism, insulting the Prophet Muhammad, and burning a copy of the Quran. It's unclear whether Mehrad and Zare were the ones who burned the Quran, or if such provocative images were merely shared on the Telegram channel. The international community has condemned the executions, with the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and Amnesty International criticizing Iran's increasing use of the death penalty against blasphemy charges as an assault on freedom of expression and religion. Yet, despite the global outcry, the Islamic Republic has already executed 203 prisoners this year alone, reaffirming Iran's grim reputation as one of the world's top executioners. Their execution comes amidst a wave of similar rulings that have swept through the nation following the tumultuous protests of 2022, sparked by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini while in police custody.
- Islamic Cleric Lynched in Pakistan Over Alleged Blasphemy
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/islamic-cleric-lynched-pakistan-over-alleged-blasphemy
Location: Pakistan
A Muslim cleric in Pakistan was recently lynched by an angry mob after allegedly making blasphemous remarks at an opposition party rally. The cleric, Nigar Alam, was invited to speak at a rally organized by the opposition Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in the village of Sawaldher, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Following his speech, the crowd became enraged and killed him. Police initially secured him in a nearby shop, but the crowd broke through the door, dragged him out, and beat him to death. The incident was widely shared on Pakistani social media. Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in Pakistan, often leading to violence, lynchings, and death, even for unproven allegations. There have been other incidents of lynching due to blasphemy charges in the country. In December 2021, a Sri Lankan factory manager was lynched and burned for alleged blasphemy, an incident that then Prime Minister Imran Khan called a “day of shame for Pakistan.”
- Kenyan Cult Leader Linked to Hundreds of Bodies Found in Mass Graves
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/kenyan-cult-leader-linked-hundreds-bodies-found-mass-graves
Location: Kenya
Kenyan pastor and cult leader, Paul Makenzie, is currently being investigated for the recent discovery of hundreds of bodies in mass graves near his church and farm in Shakahola Forest, close to the coastal city of Malindi. This development comes after Makenzie's previous arrest for allegedly promoting self-starvation among his followers as a means to encounter Jesus Christ, resulting in eight fatalities. The death toll related to the mass graves has now reached 201 as of May 12th, with victims spanning various age groups and causes of death including starvation, strangulation, and suffocation. Disturbingly, some of the bodies showed signs of organ removal, indicating potential organ harvesting. The incident has caused widespread outrage in Kenya, with the Senate Speaker raising concerns about the failure of intelligence systems to prevent such a crime. In response, President William Ruto has instructed a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the deaths and review the country's regulations regarding religious organizations. Meanwhile, Makenzie, who has not issued any public statements regarding the allegations, remains in custody while investigations are ongoing.
- Iranians Forced to Remove Hijab-Free Photos from Graves
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/iranians-forced-remove-hijab-free-photos-graves
Location: Iran
In an escalating crackdown on mandatory hijab laws, the Iranian government has forced a family in Kermanshah, western Iran, into the unthinkable - removing a photo of their late daughter from her tombstone because she wasn't wearing a hijab. This startling act is a part of a wider, stringent campaign to enforce the Islamic Republic's dress code not just in public life, but extending its grip into the private sphere, including cemeteries. The Behesht-e Zahra, the country's largest cemetery near Tehran, has seen the eradication of hundreds of gravestones bearing images of women without hijabs. Moreover, it has ignited sparks of violence between those in favour of and those against the mandatory hijab law. Despite the vehement opposition from many Iranians, the government continues its unyielding march towards stringent enforcement of the law.
- Report Finds UK's Forced Marriage Unit Overly Targets Muslims
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/report-finds-uks-forced-marriage-unit-overly-targets-muslims
Location: United Kingdom
In a hard-hitting new report, the UK government's faith adviser, Colin Bloom, has launched a scathing critique of the government's Forced Marriage Unit, accusing it of disproportionately targeting Muslim communities. This report, commissioned by the ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, criticizes the agency, branding it as "under-resourced and poorly led," and highlighting that forced marriages are a widespread issue, reaching beyond Muslim communities into Orthodox Jewish groups and others. The report also criticized the government for failing Muslims and called for an end to the stigmatization of the Muslim community. The review proposed several policy changes, including introducing Sharia-compliant student loans, mandatory religious training for officials, investigating extremism in the Sikh community, and a campaign to recruit more Muslims into the armed forces. This provocative report has stirred the pot, with religious leaders largely welcoming the findings, while some critics, like the CEO of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, argue that it elevates "religion and religious groups onto a pedestal."
- Shocking Violence: 54 Dead, 25 Churches Burned in India
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/shocking-violence-6-dead-25-churches-burned-india
Location: India
A chilling wave of violence has swept through Manipur in northeastern India, where bloodthirsty mobs have mercilessly taken the lives of 54 innocent people, set ablaze 25 churches, displacing around 23,000 people. This volatile situation marks a drastic escalation in the long-standing conflict between the dominant Hindu "Meite" community and Christian tribal communities. The tensions, rooted in land ownership disputes, have been worsened by the influence of Hindu nationalist organizations like the RSS and BJP. The Manipur High Court's order to review the Meitei community's request for Scheduled Tribe status has also intensified tensions, a move which has stoked fears among tribal groups of losing their own protections and political representation. In light of the escalating violence, authorities have issued orders for military reinforcement, including "shoot-on-sight" directives, in an attempt to suppress the conflict. This unrest has unveiled a new zone of tension in the state, which already has a complex history of ethnic violence. After the outbreak of violence in early May, internet services were suspended and a curfew was enforced in over half of the state's districts.
- Beard Ban Backlash: Muslim Security Guard Sues US State Department
Location: United States
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is suing the US State Department and Secretary Anthony Blinken on behalf of security guard Devin Brooks, who alleges religious discrimination. Brooks claims the department forced him to shave his beard, a violation of his Islamic faith, which he claims mandates a fist-length beard. The State Department reportedly denied his request, citing safety concerns. The agency argued that longer beards could potentially be a liability in physical confrontations as they could be grabbed or used to manipulate guards, potentially exposing their weapons. CAIR's lawsuit counters that these safety concerns are not sincere as Brooks was allowed to keep a longer beard during his time at the Department of Homeland Security. Brooks, who was taken off active duty and placed on administrative and unpaid leave, is seeking compensation for economic and emotional damages, among other fees. The State Department has yet to comment on the pending litigation.
- Outrage in Pakistan: Two Muslim Clerics Arrested for Raping 10-Year-Old Boy
Location: Pakistan
On April 30th, police in Pakistan arrested two Muslim clerics accused of raping a 10-year-old boy in a religious school located in the country's Punjab province. The sexual abuse allegedly occurred on April 29th, and the boy's uncle discovered the crime when he visited the school and found one cleric raping his nephew while another waited for his turn in a side room. The two suspects were arrested after an initial investigation, and the boy was sent to a local hospital for treatment for physical injuries and trauma. The Associated Press conducted an investigation into the growing sexual abuse in Pakistan’s religious schools in May 2020, where they found dozens of police reports accusing Islamic clerics of rape, physical abuse, and sexual harassment while teaching in Islamic religious schools, or madrassas, across different parts of the Muslim-majority country. Many of the students studying in madrassas are from low-income backgrounds. Their families, overcome by shame and fear of the stigma of being sexually abused that could follow a child into adulthood, are forced to drop the cases or coerced into “forgiving” the accused clerics.
- Will the United Nations Recognize the Taliban’s Afghanistan?
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/will-united-nations-recognize-taliban-s-afghanistan
Location: Afghanistan
The United Nations (UN) is considering the possibility of recognizing the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan. The deputy secretary-general of the UN, Amina Mohammed, announced plans to set up a meeting to discuss this possibility. The intention is to engage with the Taliban authorities to encourage the development of the country and address the wide-ranging restrictions against women they imposed after seizing power in August 2021. These restrictions curbed women's rights to work and education, contradicting the Taliban's initial promises of a softer, more moderate rule. Mohammed visited Afghanistan in January to discuss these issues with the Taliban leaders. She also raised concerns about the Taliban's growing strength due to increased economic engagement from neighboring countries. However, at a meeting held in Doha, Qatar on May 1 and 2, no recognition of the Taliban government took place, and no members of the Taliban were invited to attend.
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