The United Nations Human Rights Council hosted the very first two day workshop on witchcraft-related human rights violations in Geneva, Switzerland, on 21 and 22 September. The workshop brought together over a hundred U.N. experts, academics and members of civil society from
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The United Nations Human Rights Council hosted the very first two day workshop on witchcraft-related human rights violations in Geneva, Switzerland, on 21 and 22 September. The South African Pagan Rights Alliance was invited to attend this event. The workshop brought together over
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In a recently published article – Pagans and Christians oppose CRL commission’s ‘state capture’ of religion – CRL Commission chairperson Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva is reported to have stated: “The participants in the hearings were part of a random sample. Only religions which were broadly represented
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Defamation Defamation is defined as “any unlawful, intentional false communication, either written or spoken, that harms a person’s reputation; decreases the respect, regard, or confidence in which a person is held; or induces disparaging, hostile, or disagreeable opinions or feelings against a
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On June 28 the South Gauteng High Court delivered its long anticipated judgement on religion and education in public schools. In Organisasie vir Godsdienste-Onderrig en Demokrasie v Laerskool Randhart and Others, Judge van der Linde, affirmed the principles of religious diversity and
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Recently published articles concerning the revision of Canada’s Criminal Code on the prohibition of Witchcraft in that country has elicited numerous calls by South African Witches to legalise Witchcraft in South Africa. Many Pagans and Witches remain under the impression that the
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South African Pagan Council 2017 Annual General MeetingReport by the South African Pagan Rights Alliance (SAPRA)(SAPRA is an affiliated member of the Pagan Council) 2017 SAPRA Director’s Report Over the last 23 years, SAPRA has demonstrated its capacity and proficiency in human
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Equitable and voluntary religious observances at state institutions Some Pagans have, whilst visiting public clinics, felt obligated to endure Christian prayer services conducted by staff members of the clinic. Some consider interrupting these services as disrespectful to the rights of Christian patients,
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. Advocacy against human rights abuses committed as a result of accusations of witchcraft and violent witch-hunts The ’30 days of advocacy against witch-hunts campaign’ was launched in March 2008 under the banner of Touchstone Advocacy, in response to ongoing accusations of witchcraft and
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In January 2009 the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released a working report on human rights abuses committed as a result of witchcraft accusations. “An extensive literature review of journal articles, UNHCR internal documents and newspapers has shown that
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The investigation of accusations of witchcraft and witch-hunts falls under the ambit of the Occult-related Crime Unit, until fairly recently, a poorly constituted special branch of the South African Police Services staffed by evangelical Christians who believe that ‘witchcraft’ constitutes evidence
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South Africa faces a growing refugee crisis as victims of witchcraft accusation who either survive assault or are expelled from their communities by community leaders, traditional leaders and traditional healers, after being tried in traditional courts and found guilty through divination,
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Witch-hunts are an internationally recognised epidemic throughout Africa. Although witch-hunts have historically been viewed as gender specific, with a large percentage of victims still identified as elderly and solitary women, a 2009 report by Yaseen Ally entitled Witch Hunts In Modern South
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Witch-hunts are illegal and must be condemned Damon Leff | 23 March 2012 | Mail & Guardian Witch-hunts are common in Africa. Historically, they have been viewed as gender specific because a large number of the victims have been elderly, solitary women,
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In South Africa witches are incorrectly believed to be responsible for human mutilations, often referred to by the media as ‘muti murders’. African traditions ascribe supernatural properties to medicines (muti / muthi) derived from both plant and animal sources. In extreme
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2017 Director’s Report The future of the South African Pagan Rights Alliance SAPRA, a community-based organization, was formed in 2004 as a faith-based (Pagan) human rights activist alliance. In recent years, SAPRA has assumed the mantle of a formal non-governmental organization, and
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