The shooting of Tahir Ahmad Naseem drew strong U.S. condemnation of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which are often used to persecute and intimidate religious minorities.
Tag: Muslims and Islam
Pilgrims, Fewer and Socially Distanced, Arrive in Mecca for Annual Hajj
The coronavirus pandemic has curtailed the annual pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, limiting the number of people and barring people from outside the kingdom.
Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia Reopens as a Mosque
The Muslim faithful celebrated the decision by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, even as it generated dismay among Christians and architectural conservators.
Omar Hassan al-Bashir Goes on Trial in Sudan Over 1989 Coup
Omar Hassan al-Bashir, ousted in mass protests last year, is on trial for his role in the military coup that propelled him to power in 1989. He faces the death penalty if convicted.
India Rounds Up Critics Under Shadow of Virus Crisis, Activists Say
The Indian authorities arrested dozens of people during a nationwide lockdown. Human rights groups say many of the detentions are based on scant evidence.
Tunisian Woman Sentenced to Prison Over Joke Alluding to the Quran
Emna Chargui, 27, said she didn’t want to offend anyone when she shared another Facebook user’s post about the coronavirus that mimicked Quranic iconography.
Turkey’s Erdogan Signs Decree Declaring Hagia Sophia a Mosque
The decree came after a Turkish court revoked the site’s 80-year-old status as a museum and is likely to provoke an international furor.
Erdogan Signs Decree Allowing Hagia Sophia to Be Used as a Mosque Again
The decree came after a Turkish court revoked the site’s 80-year-old status as a museum and is likely to provoke an international furor.
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Chinese Officials Over Mass Detention of Muslims
The measure, over human rights abuses against mainly the Uighur ethnic group, is likely to ratchet up tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Erdogan Talks of Making Hagia Sophia a Mosque Again, to International Dismay
The World Heritage site was once a potent symbol of Christian-Muslim rivalry, and it could become one once more.