RUSSIA: Religious freedom survey, March 2024
Freedom of religion and belief, with interlinked freedoms of expression, association, assembly, and other fundamental freedoms remain seriously restricted in Russia. Forum 18's survey analysis ahead of...
View ArticleRUSSIA: "Extremism" prosecutions of elderly Jehovah's Witnesses
Courts have convicted 467 Jehovah's Witnesses from 2017 up to 18 March 2024, and ultimately acquitted none. Over a quarter of the Jehovah's Witnesses prosecuted have been aged 60 or older, with 12...
View ArticleKYRGYZSTAN: Two Muslim men jailed for mosque closure protest
On 26 February, Kara-Suu District Court jailed prisoners of conscience Asadullo Madraimov and Mamirzhan Tashmatov for three years and two years respectively for protesting against the regime's closure...
View ArticleKAZAKHSTAN: 192 known administrative prosecutions in 2023
More than a third of the 192 known administrative prosecutions in 2023 for exercising freedom of religion or belief punished individuals for religious posts on social media without state permission. A...
View ArticleKAZAKHSTAN: List of 192 known 2023 administrative prosecutions
The 192 known administrative prosecutions in 2023 for exercising freedom of religion or belief are listed here. More than one third punished individuals for posting religious materials on social media...
View ArticleOCCUPIED UKRAINE: Espionage trial for "disappeared" Ukrainian Orthodox priest
The Russian occupation forces in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Region disappeared Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) priest Fr Kostiantyn Maksimov in May 2023. On 29 March 2024, more than 10 months later, the...
View ArticleOCCUPIED UKRAINE: Deported priests now in Ukraine
In February and March, Russia illegally deported two Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) priests - Fr Khristofor Khrimli and Fr Andri Chui â to Georgia. Both priests were arrested and fined by...
View ArticleRUSSIA: Archbishop fined for criticising Russia's war in Ukraine
A Krasnodar Region court found 87-year-old Archbishop Viktor Pivovarov guilty on 8 April of repeatedly "discrediting" the Russian Armed Forces. The judge fined him 8 months' local average pension....
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