Religious freedom

A new regulation on school uniforms introduced last month, which bans ‘elements that contradict the principle of secular education’, is sparking fierce protests in Azerbaijan. Underlying this is the sensitive issue, common to the whole of Central Asia, of striking a balance between religious freedom and the fight against fundamentalism.

From Azekh (Idil in Turkish) to the village of Anhel (Yemisli), there have been worrying cases of violations of the rights of Assyrian-Chaldeans. In addition to private homes, a guesthouse belonging to the Syriac Orthodox Church has also been targeted. At the centre of the controversy is a (Christian) mayor elected with the DEM who has now switched to the AKP.

The leader of the Early Rain Covenant Church is reportedly suffering from liver cancer. His family, who have long been denied prison visits, have received no official news. Despite summits between Trump and Xi, China is intensifying its crackdown on believers and prominent figures within Protestant communities.

Mirza Safdar Mahmood was shot dead in Mandi Bahauddin. Police, which suspects a targeted killing, are searching for two, unidentified attackers. The Ahmadi community now fears for its safety. A spokesperson slams hatred and prejudice.

Leo XIV met with Latin bishops from Arab regions, in Rome for their annual meeting. The fruitfulness of Christian communities "is not measured in numbers" or in "solving problems," but in fidelity "to the Gospel and to the people." Migrants, martyrs, and different rites are a treasure and the priority of the mission.

Following objections from some MPs, the head of the local government has decided to withdraw the controversial bill from the Legislative Assembly’s agenda; like in other Indian states, the bill targeted “unlawful religious conversions”. Catholic leaders and representatives of other minority groups had expressed concern.

Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja was sentenced today for making donations to former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Yun Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church’s global headquarters, was also given six months. Critics slam the political nature of the sentence and call for religious freedom.

Amir Masih was arrested on 11 August 2026, Pakistan’s National Minority Day, following a complaint filed against him regarding allegedly offensive remarks and a video he supposedly shared on social media. The NGO Human Rights Focus Pakistan, which is following the case, said the allegations need to be independently verified. Fears for other Christian families remain.

The church in Nazat is targeted. The radical group's leader issued a seven-day ultimatum to the parish priest to leave. Christian groups reported the incident to the police, to no avail. The bishop of Baruipur, who praises the missionaries' work, expressed his firm condemnation to AsiaNews.  

A new report by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council details 257 incidents of sectarian violence, with 44 people killed in the first six months of 2026. Two years on from the change of government in the summer of 2024, there has been an increase in attacks on places of worship, acts of vandalism and attempts to seize land belonging to religious organisations.

After serving an 18-month sentence for the “public sale of religious books”, the former head of Zhejiang’s large Catholic community was welcomed by hundreds of the faithful. The authorities are exerting ever-greater pressure even on “official” communities, including a ban on minors entering churches. by Andrew LawChina28 July 2026

Pakistan's Supreme Court has overturned the last convictions for one of the most serious incidents of religiously motivated violence in Lahore. The Christian couple was shot to death in 2014 in the brick kiln where they worked. For lawyer Shawaiz Javed, the fight for justice continues.