Continuing the crackdown on women, Iran’s Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has released a 119-page document outlining new rules women must now observe.
IranWire called the new order, titled Hijab and Chastity Project, unhinged, calling out its most important goal: "cleansing society of the pollution caused by nonconformance with Islamic dress codes."
Ungodly and not in line with Lebanese customs – these are some of the reasons why security forces have cracked down on various LGBTQ community groups and the events they hold.
LGBTQ-friendly events, according to the Interior Ministry in its statement on June 24, “violate our society’s customs and traditions, and contradict with the principles of the Abrahamic religions.”
An honor-based family murder in a small town in the Fars province of Iran has once again sparked debates on the lack of laws to prevent “honor-killing” in Iran.
On June 27, the father of Ariana Lashkari shot the sixteen-year-old girl in the chest with a hunting rifle for allegedly laughing with a boy at a park, which he considered a disgrace to the family.
A 70-year-old man and two other gay men were sentenced to death by stoning in Bauchi, Nigeria. The accused were charged and convicted for engaging in acts of homosexuality. They were arrested by the religious police force of the state on June 14.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the city of Boston had violated the free speech of a Christian group by rejecting its request to fly a Christian flag at the city hall.
On May 2, the supreme court unanimously ruled that Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, has infringed on the first amendment rights of the Christian group, Camp Constitution.
On April 21, seven individuals were arrested in Uttar Pradesh, a state in Northern India, concerning the desecration of several mosques. According to the local police, the suspects wanted revenge for the violent clashes in Jahangirpuri during the Hanuman Jayanti parades.
The suspects threw torn pages of the Quran and pig meat, attacking two mosques in Ghosiyana and Kashmiri Mohalla. The suspects also desecrated Gulab Shah Baba, a local Mazar.
Both items used in the attacks are considered offensive by the Muslims.
A collection of Hindu human rights advocates, religious leaders, and other cause-oriented groups released a statement on April 22, 2022, condemning the worsening religious freedom in India.
The statement was initially released by Hindus for Human Rights (HHR), a US-based group that advocates for pluralism and civil and human rights in South Asia and North America. HHR called on religious leaders and other groups to sign the statement published in multiple languages.
On Wednesday, April 27, Moroccan police raided a cafe in Casablanca and arrested individuals eating and drinking during the daytime. The detained individuals were accused of breaking their fast during Ramadan.
Morocco, a Muslim-majority country, is observing the month of Ramadan, which runs from April 1 to May.
For the third year, the United States panel on international religious affairs recommended labeling India as one of the "countries of particular concern." The report accuses India and other countries of engaging or tolerating "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations" of religious rights.
On April 6, Spain’s Senate approved landmark legislation that criminalizes the harassment of women who are undergoing abortions.
The new legislation was approved by 154 versus 105 votes, ushering in a change to Spain’s penal code. The law is expected to come into effect as soon as it gets published in its official gazette.
