Introduction

 

CATHOLIC CHURCH

- Higher Regional Court of Hamm, No. 4 ORs 159/25, 27 January 2026 (Germany)

(clerical attire – Catholic Church – false identity)

- High Court of Australia, case of AA vs The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, judgment No. HCA/2, 11 February 2026 (Australia)

(strict liability – damages – minors)

 

JUDAISM 

- Berlin Regional Court, 12th Chamber, judgment no. 12 K 356/24, 23 March 2026 (Germany)

(university – anti-Semitism – discrimination on religious grounds)

 

ISLAM

- Federal Labour Court, judgment no. 8 AZR 49/25 of 29 January 2026 (Germany)

(aviation security – hijab – discrimination on religious grounds)

-  High Court of Bombay, criminal jurisdiction, case of Suman and Singh v The State of Maharashtra et al., of 30 April 2026 (India)

(right to satire – contempt of religion – haram food)

 

SECULARISM

-  Civil Court of Cassation, Commercial Chamber, judgment no. 23-22.932, of 13 November 2025 (France)

(trade name – the adjective ‘Catholic’ – secularism in public services)

 

- Administrative Court of Appeal of Nantes, 2nd Section, judgment no. 25NT02346, 3 July 2026 (France)

(naturalization – essential requirement – sincere adherence)

 

RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS

- Administrative Court of Appeal of Marseille, 5th Division, judgment no. 25MA03453, dated 26 June 2026 (France)

(1905 Act – Article 28 – limitation period)

- US Courts of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, case of Nathan v Alamo Heights Independent School District, dated 22 April 2026 (USA) 

(Ten Commandments – state schools – First Amendment)

 

HINDUISM

- Madras High Court, case of Sameer Ahamed N. v The District Collector, Thoothukudi et al., 25 June 2026 (India)

(conversion – castes – Islam)

- Supreme Court of India, criminal appellate jurisdiction, case of Anand v State of Andhra Pradesh, 24 March 2026 (India)

(Gospel – castes – Christianity)

 

AUTONOMY OF CHURCHES

- Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, case of Funti v Andrews, 6 January 2026 (USA)

(marriage – Coptic Orthodox Church – First Amendment)

- Federal Labour Court, judgment no. 8 AZR 194/25, 21 May 2026 (Germany)

(labour law – religious affiliation – private life)

- United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, Union Gospel Mission of Yakima, Washington v Brown et al, 6 January 2026 (USA)

(labour law – religious affiliation – First Amendment) 

 

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

- Draft Constitution of the Palestinian Authority (Palestinian National Authority)

(Constitution – Islam – Middle East)

- High Court of England and Wales (Family Division), case of Bains v Arsalan & Anor, 23 June 2026 (United Kingdom)

(Sikh – conversion – religious rites)

 

HATE SPEECH

- Korkein Oikeus (Supreme Court), Judgment No. 27, 26 March 2026 (Finland)

(freedom of speech – the Bible – the Lutheran Church)

 

RELIGIOUS COURTS

- Knesset, חוק שיפוט בתי דין דתיים (בוררות), התשפ”ו (Law on the Jurisdiction of Religious Courts in Arbitration), 26 March 2026 (Israel)

(arbitration – applicable religious law – jurisdiction)

 

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

- Norges Høyesterett (Supreme Court), judgment no. 25-089326SIV-HRET, 29 April 2026 (Norway)

(social ostracism – Article 9 of the ECHR – freedom of association)

 

HOME EDUCATION

- Verwaltungsgericht Münster, judgment no. 4 K 594/23 of 5 January 2026 (Germany)

(freedom of religion – denominational schools – parallel societies)