HUNGARY: Scandalous New Law on Religion - Most Oppressive in OSCE Region

Draft Religion Law Would Constitute the  Most Oppressive Religion Law in the OSCE Region

 _________________________________________

Christian Newswire (21.06.2011) / HRWF (22.06.2011) -http://www.hrwf.net -Legislation recently proposed in Hungary contains provisions designed to create the most oppressive religion law and the most burdensome registration system in the entire OSCE region. Over a hundred religious organizations will be retroactively stripped of their status as religious communities and "de-registered" as religious organizations if these provisions become law.

On 10 June 2011, four Christian Democrat (KDNP) Members of the Parliament submitted a proposed draft law regarding "The Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on the Status of Churches, Religions and Religious Communities". Only four days after the Bill was introduced in Parliament, the Committee on Human Rights, Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs approved the proposed religious legislation and voted to send the draft law to the Parliamentary Assembly for discussion and passage.

"Passage of this legislation would represent a serious setback for religious freedom in Hungary," said Joseph K. Grieboski, Founder and Chairman of THE INSTITUTE. "In my opinion, the legislation contravenes international  human rights standards and Hungary's political commitments to the OSCE, European Union, Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights, and the United Nations as it clearly discriminates against minority religious groups."

The draft law's tier system of state recognition is completely inconsistent with fundamental human rights as it contravenes the principles of equality and non-discrimination. The draft law includes retroactive provisions that violate the Rule of Law and the right to religious freedom. These provisions would "de-register" targeted minority faiths that have been registered as religions in Hungary since the adoption of the 1990 Religion Law, while allowing favored religious organizations to maintain their registered religious status.

Religious organizations that have been "de-registered" may not use the name "Church" and will also lose their status as a religious organization if they are not "re-registered" through burdensome Court proceedings.

In addition, "re-registration" can only occur if a minority religious community meets onerous duration and population levels designed to suppress minority religious freedom in complete contravention of European Human Rights Court's and OSCE's standards.

The Bill also includes a narrow definition of "religious activities" that do not comport with the broad definition of religion mandated under international human rights norms that Hungary is obliged to follow.

In addition to the egregious human rights defects in the legislation, the questionable method and manner in which the draft law is being rushed through the Parliament merits sending the legislation back to the Committee on Human Rights, Minority, Civil and Religious Affairs for further study. This is especially appropriate, as passage of the draft law by the Committee did not follow standard Parliamentary procedures. The draft law is being rushed through the Committee with such great speed that it has not received thoughtful consideration, the opportunity for amendments, or debate on its merits.

THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy
urges the Hungary Parliament to refrain from enacting the draft legislation and by doing so ensure Hungary complies with international human rights and religious freedom standards.

The full report of THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy can be found under:
http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6921&Itemid=327

Contact:
Sarah Channing Grieboski, Director of Communications, THE INSTITUTE on Religion and Public Policy, 703-888-1700, sarah@religionandpolicy.org

The Function and Dysfunction of Religion in our Secular State

The Function and Dysfunction
of Religion in our Secular State

Statement by Prof. em. Dr. Christian Brünner

 European Leadership Conference, Geneva, UN, 24.-26.3.2011

Session 2: Interreligious cooperation and the prevention of incitement to racial, national and religious hatred
United Nations Office Geneva (25 - 26 March 2011)

__________________________________________

I.  The secular state

It is said that our European states are secular ones. In the respective discussions it is not always clear whether such a characteristic is an unspecified demand or a general description of a reality. In the following, I refer to a reality, and I describe this reality by three aspects:

1. Religion is not a private matter, when and in so far as it is not only related to the individual and her/his relations to God (or whatever other term is used for the unknown), but also demands responsibility for an appropriate societal environment corresponding to the respective religious teaching. The same also applies to those who have an agnostic or atheistic view and who postulate freedom from religion, and they also struggle for a societal content which goes along with their conviction.

2. In a democracy, believers and non-believers will use all democratic instruments to influence and to shape the societal and political opinion and decision-making processes, in order to promote and implement their religiously or non-religiously motivated concept of state and society.

3. The consequence of the two above-mentioned aspects is that religion and its negation are visible in the state and society, and that the public space is neither entirely free, nor can it be kept free of religion or its negation.

It has become apparent that secularization, or secularism, has blurred this view. The fact is that religion and a life of conformity with a religious doctrine is or has remained of significance for people.

Civil Society, Not Laws That Restrict Freedoms, Should Promote Tolerance

Civil Society, Not Laws That
Restrict Freedoms, Should Promote Tolerance

Remarks by Aaron Rhodes
Conference on Interreligious Cooperation and The Prevention of Incitement
to National, Racial and Religious Hatred
United Nations Office Geneva • Room XXIV (24) • 14:00 - 16:30

Geneva, 25 March 2011

I  Introduction

We have confronted many tragic cases of incitement to racial hatred and violence, and hate speech, leading to many crimes by citizens and human rights violations committed by states.In the Balkans, the media fomented hatred that led to crimes topped off by what happened at Srebrenica.  The warnings about possible genocide from hate speech were ignored in Rwanda.  The Helsinki Federation did research on this and published a book on hate speech in the Balkans.  Being a trans-Atlantic group, there were many debates about how far freedom of speech should be restricted in order to clamp down on hate speech.

In Chechnya, violence was encouraged and made possible by a campaign of hatred about people from the Caucasus region.

In the course of this terrible war, the Russian government had passed legislation criminalizing the incitement to racial and ethnic hatred and violence, under pressure from European governments to bring its laws into compliance with the European Convention, and many were worried about racial crimes in Russia, which are a very serious problem.

The Russian-Chechen Friendship Society was a small NGO located in Nizny Novgorad, which promoted tolerance, complained about racism and indeed, denounced racial and nationalist incitement in the Russian state-controlled media.  In 2006, the director of the group, Stanislav Dmitrievsky was convicted by a court for—guess what?—“inciting racial hatred.”  The evidence used to convict him was articles he had published suggesting the Russians negotiate with Chechens to end the bloody war.  The Russian Chechen Friendship Society was forced out of existence and its other leader is now living in Finland.

While this may be an extreme case, it is not the only one in which such laws are turned against human rights in an exaggerated and distorted exploitation of contradictions in human rights law.

Religious Freedom Resolution Introduced due to Recent Religious Intolerance Abroad

Religious Freedom Resolution Introduced due to Recent Religious Intolerance Abroad
http://blog.providenceforum.org/featured/religious-intolerance-abroad/

March 21, 2011 | paulchristiansen | Comments 2

In the latest push to promote international religious freedom, U.S. Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Congressman Heath Shuler (D-NC) recently introduced House Resolution 141.  The resolution would proposition the UN Human Rights Council to pass its own resolution on protecting international religious freedom as well as condemning intolerance.  Congressmen Franks and Shuler, whom co-chair the Congressional International Religious Freedom Caucus, encouraged this resolution based on recent acts of religious intolerance that have gained publicity around the globe.

A recent major setback against the fight for religious freedom occurred on March 2nd when Pakistan Minister of Minority Affairs, Shabaz Bhatti, was assassinated.  According to The Christian Post, “He was the only Christian member of the Pakistani President’s Cabinet. Bhatti, a Roman Catholic, courageously spoke out against the misuse of the country’s blasphemy laws by Islamic extremists and spoke up for religious minorities, including Christians.”

Regarded as one of Pakistan’s main proponents for religious freedom, Bhatti became a prime target of the Taliban and frequently received death threats.  For his courageous efforts, he was awarded the first religious freedom medallion in September 2009 by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.  At the presentation, Bhatti stated, “I personally stand for religious freedom, even if I will pay the price of my life.  I live for this principle and I want to die for this principle.”

Buddhists and Christians pray together for religious freedom in places where Buddha lived

Kalpit Parajuli ("AsiaNews," February 28, 2011)

http://religionandpolicy.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6771&Itemid=537

Kathmandu, Nepal – Hundreds of Buddhist religious leaders from around the world met in Nepal last Thursday and Friday. They were joined by Christian and Hindu religious leaders. The purpose of the event was to pray together for peace and greater religious freedom for minorities.

The two-day meeting began at the Buddhist temple in Bauddhanath (Kathmandu) and ended in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha. Organised by the Buddhist World Peace Association, the initiative will go on the road to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, South Korea and other predominantly Buddhist nations. It will also travel to an additional 50 nations.

According to Kenseng Lama, one of the organiser of the Nepali event, the prayer meeting is meant to counter rising conflicts and the repression of religious minorities.

 

The initiative will be taken to countries where religious freedom is violated, like Myanmar. Slogans will change in such locations to avoid friction with the authorities.

“We Nepalis prayed to see the right to freedom of religion enshrined in a new constitution,” Lama said.

A number of Christian religious leaders, both Catholic and Protestant, joined Buddhist religious leaders in prayer vigils.

“We support the event,” said Binod Thapa, a Protestant leader, “because like Buddhists we want more religious freedom.”

 

“Under the new government, minority rights and the separation between state and religion are among the new founding principles of the new constitution,” he noted. Yet, Christians in Kathmandu and other Nepali cities still do not have a place to bury their dead, and are still threatened by Hindu extremists.

Nepal became a secular state in 2006 after centuries of rule by an absolute Hindu monarchy. Religious minorities, especially Christians and Muslims, have only recently gained the right to build their own places of worship and conduct religious functions in public.

Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi 'has price on her head'

Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi '
has price on her head'

By Orla Guerin BBC News, Punjab province
Asia Bibi is said to be one of dozens of innocent people accused of blasphemy every year

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11930849
______________________________________________

Ashiq Masih has the look of a hunted man - gaunt, anxious and exhausted. Though he is guilty of nothing, this Pakistani labourer is on the run - with his five children. His wife, Asia Bibi, has been sentenced to death for blaspheming against Islam. That is enough to make the entire family a target. They stay hidden by day, so we met them after dark. Mr Masih told us they move constantly, trying to stay one step ahead of the anonymous callers who have been menacing them.

"I ask who they are, but they refuse to tell me," he said. "They say 'we'll deal with you if we get our hands on you'. Now everyone knows about us, so I am hiding my kids here and there. I don't allow them to go out. Anyone can harm them," he added.
Ashiq Masih says his daughters still cry for their mother and ask if she will be home in time for Christmas.

He insists that Asia Bibi is innocent and will be freed, but he worries about what will happen next.
"When she comes out, how she can live safely?" he asks.
"No one will let her live. The mullahs are saying they will kill her when she comes out."
Asia Bibi, an illiterate farm worker from rural Punjab, is the first woman sentenced to hang under Pakistan's controversial blasphemy law.

'Old score' As well as the death penalty hanging over her, Asia Bibi now has a price on her head.
A radical cleric has promised 500,000 Pakistani rupees (£3,700; $5,800) to anyone prepared to "finish her". He suggested that the Taliban might be happy to do it. Asia Bibi's troubles began in June 2009 in her village, Ittan Wali, a patchwork of lush fields and dusty streets. Hers was the only Christian household. She was picking berries alongside local Muslim women, when a row developed over sharing water. Days later, the women claimed she had insulted the Prophet Muhammad. Soon, Asia Bibi was being pursued by a mob.

"In the village they tried to put a noose around my neck, so that they could kill me," she said in a brief appearance outside her jail cell.

Anarchy threat
Asia Bibi says she was falsely accused to settle an old score. That is often the case with the blasphemy law, critics say.

"If the law punishes someone for blasphemy, and that person is pardoned, then we will also take the law in our hands”
(Qari Mohammed Salim Imam)

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN JAPAN

 Human Rights Violations in Japan

• SBS TV Program - Deprgramming in Japan - Click here to Watch

The deprogramming operations in the US or Europe ceased in 1980s when the deprogrammers such as Ted Patrick found themselves in jail. In Japan, 4300 Unification Church members have been victimized by this deprogramming practice since 1966. And it's ocurring in Japan even now.

Goto Takes Deprogrammers to Court

It was announced on Feb 3, 2011, that Mr. Goto filed civil suit in Tokyo District Court demanding damage compensation of 200 million Yen  (= US$2.4 Million) against a deprogrammer Takashi MIYAMURA, a Christian Minster Yasutomo MATSUNAGA and relatives.

Mr. Goto (picture–right) was confined for 12 years and 5 months (Sep.11, 1995 - Feb.10, 2008) against his will in an attempt to abandon his faith. 

 

The Tokyo Prosecutors Office failed to indict the deprogrammers in Dec 2009. Insufficient evidence was the reason.   The Tokyo No 4 Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution decided on Oct 6, 2010 that the Prosecutor’s Non-Indictment decision was appropriate. This ended the chance of criminal trial.

Mr Goto is now seeking civil trial. 

In America, civil cases had stronger impacts than criminal cases. 

In Eilers case, the grand jury dismissed all the charges brought against deprogrammers.  But in the civil case in 1984, the judge stated that “there is no question that the plaintiff was actually confined”.

 

In Scott’s criminal case (1993), the deprogrammer Rick Ross ended in acquittal.  But in the civil case (1995), Scott was awarded almost US5 million in damage compensation and punitive compensation from deprogrammer Rick Ross, his assistants and CAN, which brought CAN out of business.

Information Source:
http://kidnapping.jp/news/20110203.html

http://www.religiousfreedom.com/index.php/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=483:the-rise-and-fall-of-deprogramming-in-the-united-states&catid=47:deprogramming-issues

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Scott_case

http://mn.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.%5CFDCT%5CDMN%5C1984%5C19840306_0000010.DMN.htm/qx

Human Rights in CHINA: The Art of Social Advocacy

 The Art of Social Advocacy

By RON GLUCKMAN

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704624504576097932998562592.html 

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Beijing, He may not be China's most famous living artist, but Ai Weiwei's stature defies all odds: He not only delights in infuriating Chinese officials, but this soft-spoken, multitalented artist, known best for his performance and conceptual work, also eschews cocktail parties and claims to spend a mere 5% of his time thinking about or creating art.

Still, Mr. Ai, 53, is undoubtedly China's most outspoken artist. In 2008, as the rest of his country cheered on the Olympics here, the co-designer of the most iconic symbol of that year's Games—the National Stadium, also known as the "bird's nest"—stirred a tempest by insisting there was nothing to celebrate. He accused the Chinese government of putting on a charade, showcasing its modern facilities and economic might while depriving its own people of dignity and basic rights. He called it a fake coming-out party and coined an alternate slogan for Beijing's global welcome: "Pretend smile."

Mr. Ai himself doesn't smile much.

"I probably spend 30% of my time meeting with people whose wife has vanished, or son is missing or been arrested without evidence," he says when we met earlier this month in his art studio north of Beijing. "They tell me about their problems, things they should really tell officials. But nobody else is listening."

Mr. Ai spends six to eight hours each day online, largely on Twitter. His blog was blocked long ago.

"I'm totally banned in China. Nobody can talk about me or my work," he says, stroking his signature beard. Then, with a grin, he adds: "At least, not officially."

When Mr. Ai was placed under house arrest last November, news immediately spread around the world.

"The Internet is a miracle," Mr. Ai says. "It is the thing that will change China, definitely. Of that, I have no doubt."

CHINA: Hu denies forced abortions!

CHINA   Hu denies forced abortions! ______________________ AFP (21.01.2011) / HRWF (24.01.2011) - www.hrwf.net - President Hu Jintao denied Thursday that China was forcing women to submit to abortions under its controversial one-child policy, a US lawmaker said after meeting him on his state visit. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the new Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a staunch critic of China's leaders, said she handed Hu a detailed list of human rights concerns at a meeting. "Out of all of the issues I raised, the only one which received a response from Mr Hu was my statement urging the end of China's forced abortion policy," the Florida lawmaker said after the meeting. "I was astonished when he insisted that such a policy does not exist." China, under a 1980 policy designed to control its population, permits most couples to bear only one child. Blind activist Chen Guangcheng was jailed in 2006 after accusing officials in one area alone of forcing sterilizations or abortions on at least 7,000 women. Republican Representative Chris Smith, who strongly opposes abortion, has campaigned for years against China's one-child policy, which he said has "killed millions of innocent lives" and inflicted deep trauma on women. "The Chinese government's one-child-per-couple policy, with its attendant horrors of forced abortion campaigns and rampant sex-selective abortion, is, in scope and seriousness, the worst human rights abuse -- the worst gender crime -- in the world today," Smith told reporters ahead of Hu's visit. Ros-Lehtinen said she also pressed China to free dissidents including Liu Xiaobo and Gao Zhisheng, to respect the rights of the Tibetan and Uighur minorities and to "end the persecution" of underground Christians and members of the Falungong spiritual movement. Ros-Lehtinen said China was showing it was not "a responsible actor" and called for a robust US policy toward the Asian giant. "The US and China do not share values and principles, as some have claimed in recent days," she said. Hu is paying a state visit at the invitation of President Barack Obama, whose Democratic Party was trounced by the Republicans in November elections.

Stop Forced Abortion!!! - China's One Child Policy

Stop Forced Abortion -- China's One Child Policy -- Women's Rights Without Frontiers

Forced abortion is not a choice. Forced abortion of unborn children in China could be the worst human rights violation of our time. This is the violent center piece of China's One Child Policy. Please don't comment till after you've watched this video. Please join me in praying for justice for these mothers and children, and our hero Reggie Littlejohn. Thanks.

See also: 

The High Cost of China's One-Child Policy

President Obama and President Hu: China's forced abortion must be stopped!

CHINA

President Obama and President Hu: China's    

forced  abortion must be stopped!

On January 18, Reggie Littlejohn spoke at the Capitol Hill press conference on Chinese human rights called by Congressman Chris Smith.  Littlejohn urged President Obama to discuss human Rights with President Hu Jintao during his visit to DC.  Here is a transcript of her remarks.

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Women's Rights Without Frontiers (19.01.2011) / HRWF (20.01.2011) - www.hrwf.net - In 2009, Liu Dan was 21 years old and 9 months pregnant when family planning police grabbed her out of her home, dragged her pleading and crying to the local family planning office, and forcibly aborted her full term baby.  They did this even though they already knew from medical tests that she had high blood pressure and that a forced late term abortion would be dangerous for her.  After the forced abortion, she lay alone and unconscious in an operating room in the family planning center.  Sensing something was wrong, her fiancé burst into the room at 3:00 a.m. to find her bleeding from the eyes, nose, ears and mouth.  Even so, the family planning police refused to call for emergency help, until her family insisted.  Help arrived too late.  Liu Dan died, along with her full term baby.

China's One Child Policy causes more violence against women and girls than any other official policy on earth.  It is China's war on women.  I say to President Obama, any discussion of women's rights, or human rights, would be a charade if forced abortion in China is not front and center.  It does not matter whether you are pro-life or pro-choice on this issue.  No one supports forced abortion, because it is not a choice.  Rather, the Chinese forced abortion policy is systematic, institutionalized violence against women.

The Chinese Communist Party says that the One Child Policy is none of our business - that it's their internal affair.  This argument is a smoke screen.  First, the Chinese government has signed several international treaties that protect the rights of women and families.  Forced abortion violates these treaties. 

Undercover In The Secret State North Korea

Undercover In The Secret State North Korea

Watch this video on video.google.nl

NORTH KOREA does not only have the worlds worst record on  religious freedom. Kim Jong Il is ruling his starving people with a terror regime unmatched in human history. Thanks to some brave citizens - the true heroes of our time - we can get a glimpse into the world of the suffering people of the North Korea. 

Citisens in North Korea live life in huge fear and they must pretend and even to convict themselfs that they love egomaniac president. Fear is here with reason: -Govermant sent people in gas chambers,hard work camps and even execute them if they suspect about not loyality to govermant.They have undercover agents who spy people everhywhere and people live with scary felengs.. Simple citisens like wee are,they beging for our help.

MORE INFO ABOUT NORTH KOREA: Website One Free Korea:
Holocaust Now: Looking Down Into Hell at Camp 22
http://freekorea.us/2007/02/18/holocaust-now-looking-down-into-hell-at-camp-22/

OSCE Meeting on Religious Freedom in Vienna - FOREF Statement & Recommentations

SUPPLEMENTARY HUMAN DIMENSION MEETING

ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF

9-10 December 2010 Hofburg, Vienna
___________________________________

Statement & Recommendations
AUSTRIA

BACKGROUND:

In Austria, we have over 66 percent Catholics and 2.9 Protestants. Islam, with 450 000 Muslims (4.2percent) constitutes the second largest faith community. Only 14 faith communities enjoy special privileges by the state. Another 10 are so-called “Confessional Communities.” There are approximately 600 religious minority groups, which are regarded as so-called “sects” and are targets of the anti-sect offices.  With a population of 8.2 million, Austria has no less than 33 anti – sect offices operating in the country. Proportionally, this marks an unmatched record in Europe and even on a global scale.

● Including the Federal Sect Observatory, there are five (5) state sponsored sect observation offices

● Nine (9) Catholic Sect Offices

● Seven (7) Protestant Sect Offices
● Four (4) Private Sect Offices
● and eight (8) Family Counseling Offices with special emphasis on “Sectarian
issues”.

Austria’s constitutionally granted freedom of religion and the neutrality of the state in religious matters are torpedoed by the following facts:

FOREF-COMMENTARY: Who needs the National Sect-Office?

FOREF-COMMENTARY: Who needs the National Sect-Office? by Werner Mueller

---

Vienna, 8.12.2010 – The National Office for Sectarian Issues exists in Vienna since 1998. Its central purpose is to collect, document and distribute information about so-called sects. The nature of this information is unknown. Is it publicly available information from the media, reports from so-called drop-outs or information from the so-called sects themselves? We do not know because the national office divulges no information about it and so transparency is non-existent. The taxpayers should actually expect it from a public office funded by taxes with a budget of over 400,000 Euro.
(Photo: Dr. German Müller, leader of the Federal Sect-Office)

The reference of the national office to simply collect, evaluate and distribute information about so-called sects, does not justify the expense of approximately seven employees. And anyhow, what is meant by collecting information, is the television programme perused for contents relating to the theme or daily newspapers evaluated? And if so, who receives these “threatening medial scenarios” which ultimately contribute to opinion making? The public is not permitted any insight into files relating to persons or financial issues of the National Office for Sectarian Issues.

Should we take a look at the work and results of the National Office for Sectarian Issues over the last ten years then it is sobering to establish that the “observation” of “sects” has not led to any results by this office. Where are the publications, the informational documents or the public presentations which reveal the potential risk of “sects”? And what results has the now more than ten years of observation of these groups brought? The National Office for Sectarian Issues remains silent on this issue. What we can read are individual annual reports of this office which in no way really describe the allegedly potential danger which apparently comes from “sects”.