Campaign against witchcraft accusations and witch-hunts in South Africa from 29 March to 7 April. Advocacy against human rights abuses committed as a result of accusations of witchcraft and violent witch-hunts.https://www.paganrightsalliance.org/advocacy/ Remember their namesVictims of witch-hunts in South Africa 2000 to 2018.https://www.paganrightsalliance.org/remember-their-names/
Download a copy of the Pagan Conference on Religion and Regulation hosted by SAPRA and the South African Pagan Council on Human Rights Day 21 March 2019.
The South African Pagan Rights Alliance has lodged the following complaint against the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities, with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs. – The Honourable Mr
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It is unlawful for an employer to prevent employees from exercising their personal religious beliefs, and it is unlawful for employers to obligate employees or pupils to embrace a faith that is not theirs. An employer may not victimise an employee because
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Any discussion on or about religion in South Africa must begin with an acknowledgement of an absolute rule – all religions are to be regarded as equal before the law! This Constitutional rule was most recently reiterated in 2017, when the South
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In February 2008, the South African Pagan Rights Alliance was designated by the Department of Home Affairs as a religious organisation in terms of section 5 (1) and (2) of the Civil Union Act (Act 17 of 2006), and appoints its own
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A consideration of the ethical responsibility of journalists when reporting on accusations of witchcraft in South Africa. Download a free .pdf copy Accusations of witchcraft are not protected under the constitutional rights to freedom of religion, belief and opinion, or expression. An
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International discussions and debates on the merits of limitless (free) speech, and whether or not speech that incites harm should be protected or banned from social media, is currently trending on social and corporate media sites. In South Africa, chapter 2 section
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SAPRA frequently receives e-mails from concerned individuals alleging that their mother, or family member, has been accused of witchcraft, by members of their community. It is important to remember that accusations of witchcraft are almost never based on evidence, and invariably lead
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South African Pagan Rights AllianceAnnual General Meeting 28 April 2018 Download AGM Agenda AGENDA IntroductionFollow this annual general meeting at https://www.facebook.com/events/161890641047771/ Director’s Report Matters Arising from AGM 2017 Chief Executive Officer’s Report CRL Rights Commission proposal on regulation of religion Advocacy against witch-hunts
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An amendment to the ‘Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill‘, called a ‘religious exemption’ clause (in s3(2)(d) of the Bill), will allow “the bona fide interpretation and proselytising or espousing of any religious tenet, belief, teaching, doctrine or
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Speaker of the National Assembly New Assembly Building, Parliament Street, Cape Town P O Box 15, Cape Town 8000 E-mail: speaker@parliament.gov.za cc: cdudley@parliament.gov.za Notice 96 of 2018 – Civil Union Amendment Bill, 2018
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The proposal by the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural‚ Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Rights Commission) to license and regulate religion, religious organisation and leaders, has not been endorsed by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance
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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 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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According to the preliminary report of the CRL Commission following the hearings on ‘Commercialization of Religion and abuse of peoples belief systems’, the Commission has proposed that all religion and religious organizations in South Africa should be regulated by legislation. According to
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The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has published the draft of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill for public comment. “The Bill provides for the offence of hate crimes and the offence of hate speech and
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Can Pagans take paid leave for religious holidays? The short answer is, probably not. Whilst the celebration of religious holidays by members of any and all religions (including Paganism, Wicca and Witchcraft) is entirely legal and protected under the Constitution, employers are
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Let the buyer beware! If you undertake to pay to attend a public weekend workshop on herbalism or a two week course on Wicca, examine the offer carefully before paying any deposit fee. A supplier (in this instance, the person offering a
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SAPRA Submission on the National Action Plan to combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance Submitted to Ms. Danaline Franzman, Chief Director: Social Justice and Participatory Democracy, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on 30 August 2016. The South African Pagan
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SAPRA sometimes receives requests for assistance from Pagans who believe they have been unfairly dismissed from their employment because of their religion. If you feel that you have been unfairly dismissed, what should you know, and what can you do to receive
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“Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically
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Custody – the protective care or guardianship of someone… “A custodial parent is a parent who is given physical and/or legal custody of a child by court order. A child-custody determination means a judgment, decree, or other order of a court providing for
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The Editor – Independent Online – www.iol.co.za The South African Pagan Rights Alliance strongly objects to the implied incitement of violence against independent candidates as “witches” by President Zacob Zuma. Zuma: Independents are treacherous witcheshttp://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/zuma-independents-are-treacherous-witches-2050163 Bongani Hans | 27 Jul 2016Durban –
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SAPRA will be hosting its 2016 AGM on Friday 8 July. This meeting will close on Monday 11 July to allow all formal members to attend and participate. * This meeting will be open to the general public. Where: SAPRA Facebook group –https://www.facebook.com/groups/sapaganrightsalliance/
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African witchcraft beliefs are said to be an inherent part of the cosmological and religious belief systems of African communities. The truth however is that allegations of “African witchcraft” are only ever used by accusers to slander innocent victims of prejudice. On
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