Law and religion round-up – 5th November – Law & Religion UK

‘A week in which the Westminster sexual exploitation scandal continued to claim scalps, there was an important report on House of Lords reform – and Brexit rumbled on’

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Law & Religion UK, 5th November 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Black and Muslim prisoners suffer worse treatment, study finds – The Guardian

‘Black and Muslim offenders are more likely to be badly treated in prison, leading to poorer outcomes and mental health concerns, research has found.’

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The Guardian, 19th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

The muslim foster carer case again – what else has emerged? – Transparency Project

Posted October 3rd, 2017 in children, families, fostering, media, news, religious discrimination by sally

‘This week the court held a further hearing, the IRH or Issues Resolution Hearing. In terms of the progress of the case itself, press reports tell us that little AB’s future will be decided at a final hearing in December, meaning that the proposed plan for her long term care is in some way disputed, it seems by the child’s mother. The details are unclear.’

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Transparency Project, 2nd October 2017

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

English marriage law discriminates against minorities – celebrants could change that – Law & Religion UK

Posted August 8th, 2017 in legislation, marriage, news, religious discrimination by sally

‘Getting married is a major life event. Not only is it a public affirmation of one person’s commitment towards another but it also results in significant life-changing obligations. The marriage ceremony should mean something to both people, as well as being valid and enforceable in law. But at the moment, English law does not allow all citizens to get married in a way that meets their needs.’

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Law & Religion UK, 5th August 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Christian magistrate in gay adoption row set for legal battle with 0NHS bosses – Daily Telegraph

‘A Christian magistrate who lost his job and then his role as an NHS director for speaking out against adoption by same-sex parents will this week sue NHS bosses claiming political correctness can prevent Christians holding public posts.’

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Daily Telegraph, 30th July 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police and prosecutors ‘failing to protect British Jews from hate crime’, new data suggests – The Independent

‘Police and prosecutors have been accused of betraying British Jews by failing to crack down on anti-Semitic crime. New research suggests suspected hate offences targeting Jewish victims surged for the third consecutive year in 2016, reaching the worst level on record.’

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The Independent, 15th July 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

General Pharmaceutical Council guidance on religion, personal values & beliefs – Law & Religion UK

‘The General Pharmaceutical Council – the independent regulator for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises in Great Britain – has published In practice: Guidance on religion, personal values and beliefs.’

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Law & Religion UK, 24th June 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Does an employer discriminate by behaving inconsistently with religious values? – Keens-Betts – Law & Religion UK

Posted June 1st, 2017 in employment, news, religious discrimination, tribunals by sally

‘Can an employee claim direct or indirect discrimination on grounds of religion because she feels that her employer’s behaviour is inconsistent with what she understands to be “the Christian way of life”? That was one of the issues raised in Miss M Keens-Betts v The Anthony Gregg Partnership Ltd [2017] UKET 2208102/2016.’

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Law & Religion UK, 1st June 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Jehovah’s Witnesses lose appeal to block New Moston inquiry – Law & Religion UK

‘In Tayo & Ors (Trustees of Manchester New Moston Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses) v Charity Commission for England and Wales [2017] UKUT 134 (TCC), the trustees of Manchester New Moston Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses lost their appeal against the First Tier Tribunal’s refusal in 2015 – which we noted at the time – to review the Charity Commission’s decision to open a statutory inquiry into the charity under s 46 Charities Act 2011.’

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Law & Religion UK, 5th April 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Lady Hale on indirect discrimination: Essop and Naeem – Law & Religion UK

‘In Essop & Ors v Home Office (UK Border Agency) [2017] UKSC 27, there were two conjoined cases: Essop and Naeem v Secretary of State for Justice. The Supreme Court gave a unanimous judgment on both.’

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Law & Religion UK, 7th April 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Freedom of speech, the Prevent duty and higher education – Law & Religion UK

‘S 43 Education (No. 2) Act 1986 (Freedom of speech in universities, polytechnics and colleges) requires “Every individual and body of persons concerned in the government” of further and higher education institutions to “take such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is secured” for staff, students and visiting speakers. The institutions must ensure, “so far as is reasonably practicable”, that use of the premises is not denied to anyone on any ground connected with their beliefs, views, policy or objectives. On the other hand, the Prevent duty in s 26 Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 requires specified authorities – including relevant higher education bodies – to have due regard in the exercise of their functions to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.’

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Law & Religion UK, 5th April 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation’s efforts to block inquiry squashed – The Guardian

‘A Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation in Manchester has lost a legal attempt to block an investigation into its handling of sexual abuse allegations, after failing to convince a judge that the inquiry amounted to religious discrimination.’

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The Guardian, 4th April 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fine for senior partner who “accidentally” discriminated against colleague on grounds of age and religion – Legal Futures

‘A senior partner who was found by an employment tribunal to have discriminated against, harassed and victimised a former equity partner at his firm, has been fined £2,000 by the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), which found his culpability to be “low” as his behaviour had “just crossed the line into discrimination”.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd April 2017

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Still no time off for religious observance: Gareddu in the EAT – Law & Religion UK

Posted March 10th, 2017 in appeals, employment tribunals, holidays, news, religious discrimination by sally

‘The issue of whether or not attendance at religious festivals in Sardinia could be a genuine manifestation of religion or religious belief been rehearsed again, before an Employment Appeal Tribunal.’

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Law & Religion UK, 10th March 2017

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Reports of antisemitic incidents increase to record levels in UK – The Guardian

Posted February 2nd, 2017 in harassment, hate crime, Judaism, news, religious discrimination by tracey

‘The number of antisemitic incidents in the UK rose by more than a third to record levels in 2016, according to data released by the Community Security Trust.’

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The Guardian, 2nd February 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Magistrate disciplined after refusing to hear same-sex parenting case – Daily Telegraph

‘A magistrate who refused to sit on a same-sex parenting case has been given a formal warning for misconduct.’

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Daily Telegraph, 30th January 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Teenager who praised killer of Jo Cox guilty of making pipebomb – The Guardian

‘A teenage white supremacist who lauded the killer of MP Jo Cox as a hero has been found guilty of making a pipebomb.’

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The Guardian, 27th January 2017

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Religious discrimination laws ‘working well’, says national equality body – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 5th, 2016 in equality, news, religious discrimination, reports by sally

‘Discrimination laws governing religion or belief are generally working well and do not require significant revision, the Equality and Human Rights Commission concludes in a report published today.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 2nd December 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Sikhs in UK are ‘invisible to government’ despite hate crime increase – The Guardian

Posted November 25th, 2016 in hate crime, news, religious discrimination, Sikhism by tracey

‘British Sikhs have been “invisible to the government since 9/11” despite increased levels of discrimination and hate crimes, the Sikh Federation has said as a comprehensive survey of the UK’s fourth largest faith group was published.’

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The Guardian, 25th November 2016

source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs and peers question independence of press watchdog – The Guardian

Posted October 27th, 2016 in complaints, Islam, media, news, religious discrimination, terrorism, women by sally

‘The press watchdog is facing questions over its independence after Trevor Kavanagh, one of its board members, used his regular Sun column to criticise the Channel 4 News reporter Fatima Manji just days after her complaint against the tabloid was rejected.’

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The Guardian, 27th October 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk