The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) of the Philippines voiced severe concern over “Operation Supak” in Maguindanao del Sur, where local officials allegedly targeted LGBTQIA persons, forcing same-sex adult couples to separate, citing conflicts with Islamic law. The CHR emphasized that these acts violate constitutional rights, dignity, and privacy, noting that the Philippines is a secular state where religious freedom cannot justify discrimination. The CHR has initiated an investigation and called for inter-agency action to protect the LGBTQIA community.

The European Parliament passed an unprecedented urgency resolution strongly condemning the Iranian government’s 45 years of “systematic persecution” against the Bahá’í community. The resolution, passed overwhelmingly by 549 MEPs, denounced arbitrary arrests, imprisonment, property confiscation, and exclusion from education/employment, citing a 1991 memorandum codifying these discriminatory policies. The Parliament demanded the immediate release of Bahá’ís imprisoned for their beliefs, the reversal of wrongful convictions, and urged EU institutions to impose sanctions on Iranian officials responsible for the persecution.

The Moscow City Court overturned the 8-year sentence given to Moscow Buddhist leader Ilya Vasilyev for an anti-war Facebook post, citing a violation of his right to a defense, though he remains detained pending a retrial. Meanwhile, the Moscow Regional Court upheld the 4-year jail term for Protestant pastor Nikolay Romanyuk, convicted for an anti-war sermon on religious grounds, confirming his transfer to a prison colony.

Following two massive typhoons, including Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi), that devastated the Philippines in early November, the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines (UUCP) is leading recovery efforts for the worst natural disaster in its nearly 70-year history. Eleven UU congregations and scores of families, particularly on Negros Island, were severely impacted. The UUCP, whose members are mostly farmers and fisher folk, received emergency grants totaling $20,000 from the UUA and UUSC for immediate food and water relief. The article emphasizes the need for ongoing donations to rebuild damaged homes and churches, restore livelihoods, and support community education on climate change resilience.

The IARF is launching a new, global online “Free Religion Institute” offering lectures on inter-religious and worldview dialogue from various spiritual and expert perspectives. Prof. George Williams, IARF International Board Chair and a Hindu specialist, will coordinate the program and host a free, open Zoom session on June 10 (8 PM European time), duplicated for different time zones. Vrijzinnigen Nederland’s board has tentatively approved a subsidy for the institute, reinforcing its connection to IARF’s international platform. This initiative is seen as a crucial step towards fostering mutual respect, tolerance, and global cooperation in addressing contemporary challenges, encouraging members to actively participate in the institute’s courses or the upcoming IARF conference in Offenbach. More information is available on iarf.net or via [email protected] for the Dutch member group.

The IARF (International Association for Religious Freedom) EME Conference 2025, themed “Limits of Religious Freedom and Tolerance,” will take place from September 11-14 in Offenbach and Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Prompted by current global challenges, the conference will explore freedom of thought, conscience, and worldview from diverse liberal perspectives, emphasizing international dialogue for support and problem-solving. The event, which is hybrid (online and in-person), also celebrates the 180th anniversaries of the host communities and IARF’s 125th year. A pre-conference tour of German frei-reigiöse groups is scheduled for September 9-11. All are invited, including young people, to engage in interfaith exchange and experience unity in diversity. Further details and registration are available at iarf.net.

The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches (GA) commends the passage of the ‘Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill’ through the House of Commons, now proceeding to the House of Lords. This advancement aligns with the GA’s 2013 motion in favor of assisted dying for terminally ill patients, reflecting Unitarian values of inherent worth, dignity, and freedom of conscience. The GA hopes these principles will guide the Bill’s implementation and ensure that individuals facing intolerable physical conditions have the right to seek a painless and dignified end to their lives.

This article commemorates the Transylvanian Unitarian victims of the repression following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, who faced persecution, imprisonment, and forced labor for advocating spiritual and national freedom. Numerous Unitarian clergy, theology professors (including Dr. Lőrinczi Mihály and future Bishop Dr. Erdő János), and students were targeted by the regime. Sentences often ranged from several years to 25 years of hard labor (as experienced by Nyitrainé Deák Berta and Sándor Balázs). Rázmány Mór is identified as the first Unitarian victim of Communism, interned in 1952–53. Tragic fates included Pastor Gellérd Imre, who committed suicide due to harassment, and Moyses Márton, who self-immolated in 1970 in protest. The community is urged to preserve their memory and draw strength from their courage. An ecumenical memorial service is announced for October 23rd at the Unitarian Church in Cluj-Napoca.

Timothy Stacey has been appointed as the new endowed professor of Liberal Religiosity and Humanism at the University for Humanistics (UvH), effective November 1st. This chair, financed by the Foundation for the Promotion of Liberal Thought (SSVG), is dedicated to researching sources of meaning and values from liberal traditions to guide individuals and society in a secular and diverse world. Stacey, a religious scholar and anthropologist, will focus his research on symbolic strategies that help restore faith in freedom and democracy, emphasizing that the ‘religion of a free society’ originates among those striving for a better world.