Legal

Woman Who Sued Cop for "Forced Baptism" Found Dead

A woman who sued a police officer for allegedly forcing her to be baptized was found dead in her home on April 13. The 42-year-old Shandele Marie Riley's body was discovered in her home in Log Cabin Lane in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee.

According to Hamilton County Police, Riley's cause of death is still unknown. The police are waiting for the medical examiner's autopsy reports to check for any foul play involved.

Bangladeshi Teacher Arrested for Saying "There Is No Evidence in Religion"

On March 22, a high school teacher in Bangladesh was arrested by authorities for allegedly hurting religious sentiment. Hriday Chandra Mondal, a teacher at the Binodpur Ram Kumar High School in Munshiganj district, was arrested for telling students that "religion is a matter of faith."

Mondal followed up on his statement by comparing religion to science. "Science looks at the evidence," he said.

Spain Criminalizes the Harassment of Women Undergoing Abortions

On April 6, Spain’s Senate approved landmark legislation that criminalizes the harassment of women who are undergoing abortions.

The new legislation was approved by 154 versus 105 votes, ushering in a change to Spain’s penal code. The law is expected to come into effect as soon as it gets published in its official gazette.

Victory! Canada Confirms Atheists are Eligible for Expedited Refugee Policy

On March 24, after a successful petition campaign, Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship confirmed that atheists and other non-religious are eligible for Less Complex Claims (LCC).

The LCC is an expedited refugee application process run by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. The process is handled by the Refugee Protection Division and allows for "short-hearing and file-review processes."

Female Students Kill Teacher Over Blasphemy in Pakistan

Another victim of Pakistan's dangerous blasphemy allegations has died. A teacher at a religious seminary school in Dera Ismail Khan, a city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was stabbed to death.

Safoora Bibi was killed on Tuesday, March 29, by two students and one of her colleagues. They claimed that a 13-year old child dreamt of Bibi committing blasphemy and wanted Bibi dead.

Allegations of blasphemy in dominantly Muslim countries like Pakistan are a dreadful experience. Despite being unproven, many of the allegations result in injury or, worse, death.

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