News from August 2017
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution prohibits discrimination based on creed and provides for religious freedom, including the right of individuals to change, manifest, and propagate their religious beliefs. The government grants subsidies to six religious groups, including Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Seventh-day...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution prohibits religious discrimination and guarantees freedom of religion and religious expression. It provides for equality before the law for all individuals regardless of religious belief. Five religious groups are cited by name in the constitution; other religious groups may register...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: A combination of historical and modern constitutional and legal documents provides for freedom of religious belief and affiliation and prohibits religious discrimination. The law bans public incitement to hostile acts against religious groups if the incitement is perceivable by a larger number of persons.
By DOJ Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: McALLEN, Texas - A 26-year old resident of McAllen has been sentenced to federal prison following his conviction of one count of receipt of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Daniel Ramirez-Tobias pleaded guilty Dec. 2, 2016.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution states the country is a secular state, and both it and other laws provide for the right of individuals to choose and change their religion and to practice the religion of their choice. The government subsidized travel costs for Muslim Hajj pilgrims and allocated subsidies to the four...
By Homeland Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: COLUMBUS, Ohio - Thirteen individuals alleged to be members and associates of MS-13 were arrested in Central Ohio and Indiana Tuesday, following a FBI-led multi-agency investigation that included U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police Department.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution stipulates the state is independent of all religion and provides for “freedom of thought, spirituality, religion and cult, expressed individually or collectively, in public and in private." The constitution and other laws give educational institutions the right to teach religion, including...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution establishes separation of religion and state and the responsibility of the state to respect and protect legally recognized religious groups. There were no reports of significant government action affecting religious freedom.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution provides for freedom of worship as well as the right to practice and change religion. Rastafarians continued to express concern that government practices, including the prohibition of marijuana use, required vaccination for entry to public schools, and headdress restrictions, negatively impacted their religious activities and convictions. They also reported being subjected to undue scrutiny at security checkpoints.
By DOJ Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that two leaders of the violent Bronx gang known as “18 Park" pled guilty yesterday before the U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer to firearms offenses in connection with murders and racketeering offenses...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution states that all people have the right to freedom of belief and religion. Current law, however, provides for significant government control over religious practices and includes vague provisions that permit restrictions on religious freedom in the stated interest of national security...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution guarantees freedom of religion as well as the right to change one’s religion. It specifies there is no state religion and guarantees equality and freedom for all religious communities. The law prohibits religious discrimination and hate speech. Religious groups, especially the Serbian ...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution guarantees the freedom of religion, as well as the right to change one’s religion. It states everyone shall have the freedom to worship individually or with others, in private or in public. It also states the freedom to express one’s religious beliefs may be restricted by law only as...
By DOJ Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: BOSTON - Three Boston-area residents, including a former Gillette employee, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with the online sales of stolen Gillette razor blades.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on religion. The government and the Cuban Communist Party monitored religious groups through the Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) in the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and continued to control most aspects of religious life.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution protects the freedom to practice one’s religion and prohibits the incitement of religious hatred, violence, or discrimination. Religious groups must register with county or city courts to receive tax benefits. The government held a memorial event for victims of the Holocaust. The government sponsored educational programs for teachers on best classroom practices for teaching about the Holocaust.
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution provides for religious freedom and prohibits discrimination based on religion. Watchtower International, a Jehovah’s Witnesses-affiliated nongovernmental organization (NGO), reported there were 495 Jehovah’s Witnesses in prison for conscientious objection to military service, with an...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution defines the state as secular, prohibits religious discrimination, and provides for freedom of religion. The law requires religious groups to seek government recognition by meeting rigorous criteria. In April the Huambo provincial court convicted Jose Kalupeteka, leader of the Light of...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
News Release: The constitution provides for freedom of religion, including the freedom of individuals to change their religion. The government prohibits the use of marijuana, including for religious reasons. Rastafarians said they disagreed with the government’s ban on marijuana, stating it was integral to their religious...
By State Newswire | Aug 15, 2017
Release: The constitution states Islam is the “religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony." Federal and state governments have the power to control doctrine among Muslims and promote Sunni Islam above all other religious groups. Other forms of Islam are illegal and subject...
