Stories about Religion
How religious leaders exploit desperate people with disabilities in Nigeria
“Before I knew it, two men arrived and dragged me to the podium to testify that my sight had returned. They forced me to say something that wasn’t true.”
Jamaican Safiya Sinclair, author of ‘How to Say Babylon,’ reflects on her journey
“It was always about saying no to Babylon [...] a huge part of our childhood, figuring out the binary of us versus them, inside the house versus outside the gate.”
‘Buddha is with us!’ How the war in Ukraine has changed Russian Buddhism
While some Buddhists are making anti-war statements and emigrating abroad, others are going to the front lines, despite Buddhist values.
Fear and intolerance: The impact of blasphemy allegations on Pakistan’s minorities
Pakistan’s 8.7 million minorities face escalating religious extremism and violence, including forced conversions, mob attacks, and blasphemy accusations, fuelled by the growing influence of extremist groups like Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP).
Turkey's bill on stray dogs is not really about the safety of the streets
it is easier to address visible, attention-drawing issues such as stray dogs, rather than more subtle, insidious issues such as workplace safety and gender-based violence.
In Iran, persecuted minorities can also turn into persecutors
For the past four decades, the Islamic Republic has systematically repressed religious minorities. However, within society, some oppressed minorities have mirrored this behavior and become oppressors themselves.
Faith turns fatal as blasphemy laws ignite unchecked extremism in Pakistan
The rise in lynching incidents, fuelled by political support for blasphemy laws, reveals a disturbing trend of unchecked extremism threatening lives and justice in Pakistan.
Mauritania: First round of presidential elections on June 29, 2024
Seven candidates will compete in Mauritania’s first round of presidential elections on June 29, 2024. These include Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, the country’s president since August 2019.
Sanctifying the profane: The Russian Orthodox Church at the front
The militarization of the Russian Orthodox Church is ramping up, while the war is increasingly seen as sacred in the eyes of many Russians
An Orthodox priest in Kazakhstan is trying to open a church independent from the Russian Orthodox Church
The difficulty is that according to the law in Kazakhstan, preaching and missionary activity without registration are prohibited.
New museum in Bamoun Kingdom chronicles Cameroon's history
The Bamoun Kingdom, one of the oldest kingdoms in sub-Saharan Africa, located in western Cameroon, is inaugurating a museum dedicated to over 600 years of its history.
In Russia, a journalist is detained for ‘apology’ for the Taliban
Nadezhda Kevorkova’s pro-Palestinian information and human rights activities could also have been the reason for her arrest.
How China is trying to turn Xinjiang from concentration camp into tourist paradise
Overall, the accelerated and intensified assimilation program appears to have worked, and the authorities seem to have loosened the reins.
Central Asia’s unique tradition of singing during Ramadan keeps evolving
Jaramazan’s growing popularity has taken it to restaurants, parks, roads, and offices, where it is performed by professional singers, small children, and youngsters alike.
How India’s amended citizenship law is creating a large pool of exclusion
Sporadic protests erupted nationwide after Indian government implemented the highly controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 just a few weeks before India's upcoming general election.
Teenager with Muslim background saved over 100 people in Moscow concert hall terrorist attack
Fifteen-year-old Islam Khalilov, who works part-time as a cloakroom attendant, led more than a hundred people out of Crocus Concert Hall during the terrorist attack
Kyrgyzstan’s blockbuster film is a moving tale of the bond between a mother and son
According to the film’s director Ruslan Akun, its main goal is encouraging people to be merciful towards each other and do good deeds.
How Turkey’s opposition media empowers Erdoğan
President Erdoğan and his government are not the sole players in helping to consolidate the country’s democratic dismemberment. The danger comes from the very circles who despise his regime the most.
Azerbaijan speaks of peace while cracking down on Islam
Just last month, scores of religious believers were rounded up across the country. According to rights defenders, over 500 believers have been arrested just in the past year and a half.
Another wave of blasphemy in Pakistan
Blasphemy allegations in Pakistan resurfaced, prompting a smear campaign against the Chief. He faced criticism for ordering the release of a minority Ahmadiyya man accused in a blasphemy case.
Turkey's Erdoğan Silences Critics with “FETO” Terrorist Label
To date, tens of thousands of Turkish citizens have been accused of being FETO members, resulting in the loss of their jobs, possessions, livelihoods, and in many cases, their freedom.
