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Hello,
With Mubarak Bala's disappearance by Kano State becoming increasingly evident as the municipal authorities continue to refuse the Humanist Association of Nigeria's president of his rights, another story out of Kano state has a musician, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu (22) sentenced to death for violating blasphemy laws. Sharif-Aminu circulated a song via WhatsApp in March which landed him the conviction.
Blasphemy laws are a grievous affront to human rights. All of them should be abrogated by the end of the decade. Another practice that needs immediate cessation is the cruel, degrading, and torturous practice of "conversion therapy" targeting gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons.
An independent investigator's report to the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UNHRC) has called for an end to conversion therapy. The Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal-Borloz has called to both end the practices and to penalize and prosecute those who conduct them on others.
Ridding the world of blasphemy laws and other strictures on "incurring religious sentiment" is an attainable goal. It's something that we must work toward and can accomplish together.
Have a great week.
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Jason Frye, CEO
Secular Policy Institute |
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International Update:
India
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has unveiled new curriculum no longer requiring educators to teach lessons on democracy or secularism. Additionally, a contested site of a former mosque was replaced with the start of a Hindu Temple to Ram in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted religious rituals on the grounds.
Read more...
Nigeria
Literature Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka speaks out against the treatment and imprisonment of Humanist Association of Nigeria president Mubarak Bala. Additionally, a Shari'ah court sentenced singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu (22) to death for violating blasphemy laws.
Read more...
Turkey
A fantastic piece in Foreign Policy details Erdogans' "Widening Culture War."
Read more...
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UNITED STATES UPDATE:
First Vice Presidential Candidate from a Hindu Family Background
With a first name representative of a Hindu goddess (Kamalatmika), Senator Kamala Harris is the first Vice Presidential candidate of a major political party not of an exclusive Abrahamic family cultural tradition.
Read More...
Foreign Policy: Lebanon
In the wake of last week's explosion in the Port of Beirut, the administration of US President Donald Trump is preparing anti-corruption sanctions to weaken the influence of Hezbollah.
Read More...
Jerry Falwell Jr.'s Indefinitely Lead
The son of televangelist and Liberty University founder Jerry Falwell, Jerry Falwell Jr. has been placed on "indefinite leave" from his post as Liberty University following the dissemination of a photograph on social media with content seemingly in violation of the school's morality codes.
Read More...
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Update on SPI Fellows: Drs. Cerling, Grayling, Lindenfors,
Thure Curling
The work of Dr. Cerling was highlighted in Scientific American investigating isotopes in human hair samples from barber shops to determine the protein sources consumed in target human populations.
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A.C. Grayling
Dr. Grayling signs onto a letter expressing concern over the effects of a Scottish "Hate Crime and Public Order" bill.
Read More...
Patrick Lindenfors
Dr. Lindenfors wrote an editorial in the Göteborgs-Posten calling for a new symbol to replace the Christian cross on the Swedish flag with a more inclusive and secular one.
Read More...
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Science News
Research Revive Ancient Bacteria (after 100m years)
As published in Nature Communications, researchers have revived microbes that have been dormant for 100 million years.
Read More...
Ancient part of the immune system may underpin severe COVID (Science Daily)
A study released in Nature Medicine suggests that an overactive complement may correspond with severe SARS-CoVid-19 symptoms.
Read More...
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MONTHLY ZOOM CONFERENCE
We are returning to our monthly conference call on secular policy and human rights.
Our first regular call will be held on Thursday 3rd September at 1 pm EDT (GMT -4). We will be taking August off for phone calls as per our old schedule.
The topic will be the waning secular state in India, the circumstances related to the Citizenship Amendment Act, and the human rights crisis in Kashmir.
A zoom link will be shared soon in this newsletter as well as a bulletin sent out to the member organizations of our coalition.
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