According to the August 2011 report put out by Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life, 2.2 billion people - about a third of the world’s population - live in countries where government restrictions or social hostilities involving religion are increasing. Only 1% lives in countries where these hostilities are decreasing.
We can no longer allow religious intolerance to overcome human rights and freedom of religion. As an MP I have an obligation and moral responsibility to stand up for those who are unable to do so. People everywhere should possess the right to worship without being attacked, tortured, or taunted.
With the advancement of social media, the internet news allows us to see the immediate effects of religious intolerance. Suicide bombings, attacks on individuals, and recent debates on the role of religion in society spotlight that this is an issue for every country. I hope you will take the time to read the following articles and to stay informed.
The Egyptian president, Muhammad Morsi, is doing great damage to his country’s democracy November 18, 2012 Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II enthroned in CairoOctober 28, 2012 Suicide bomber attacks Catholic church in northern Nigeria, killing 7, wounding more than 100October 26, 2012 Suicide attack at mosque in northern Afghanistan kills 41 people, many of them security forcesOctober 14, 2012 Nigeria mosque attack kills 12October 05, 2012 Egypt’s constitution: In endless debate over religion’s role In Egypt and elsewhere the drafters of constitutions wrangle and tangleSeptember 26, 2012 Analysis: India’s narrow path to religious freedomSeptember 25, 2012 Anderson Hosts 3rd Parliamentary Forum on Religious FreedomSeptember 13, 2012 The Ravages of Pakistan’s Blasphemy LawSeptember 12, 2012 EU Welcomes Iran Releasing Christian Pastor On Death RowAugust 19, 2012 11-year-old mentally challenged Christian girl jailed for blasphemyJuly 01, 2012 Attacks on Kenyan churches kills and wounds dozensJune 27, 2012 Vietnamese Officials Destroy Two New Church BuildingsJune 13, 2012 The Nation: Boko Haram: FG rejects calls for foreign interventionJune 08, 2012 Iranian Authorities Shut Church in Tehran
Revolutionary Guard closes doors amid crackdown on recognized churches.May 23, 2012 "Prevent religious persecution in Macedonia"May 10, 2012 USCIRF Alarmed By Blasphemy Amendments in KuwaitMay 06, 2012 Accused in Shahbaz Bhatti murder exoneratedMay 01, 2012 Nigerian troops raid hideout over church attacksApril 23, 2012 Sudan Muslims Torch Catholic Church in KhartoumApril 10, 2012 Southern Sudanese Fear Forced RepatriationMarch 19, 2012 Parliamentary Forum on Religious Freedom and Governance on April 2nd, 2012March 19, 2012 Press Tributes to Coptic Pope Shenouda and source is the BBC News Middle East.March 08, 2012 The Overlooked Demographic: A Report on the Impact of Religious Persecution on Children (PDF) - Religious Liberty Commission, The Evangelical Fellowship of CanadaMarch 02, 2012 Pakistan’s Honorable Shahbaz Bhatti, Murdered with Impunity One Year AgoFebruary 22, 2012 Tibetans in China mark new year with sombre defianceFebruary 14, 2012 USCIRF Concerned about Saudi Blogger and Welcomes Release of Long-Held Religious Prisoner February 06, 2012 The integrated approach to engaging BeijingFebruary 02, 2012 International Standards for Constitutional Religious Freedom ProtectionsJanuary 25, 2012 KHARTOUM, Sudan, (Compass Direct News)January 24, 2012 BAUCHI CITY, Nigeria (Compass Direct News)
