19 February 2025

UZBEKISTAN: Torturers' impunity "is mockery not justice"

Officials of Bukhara Region Prison No. 1 repeatedly tortured Muslim prisoner of conscience Tulkun Astanov. Prison officer Davr Sottiyev severely beat him and pledged to "give Astanov an injection which will soon kill him", a local Muslim told Forum 18. Despite complaints, the regime has taken no action against the suspect torturers. In January 2025 the Prison Governor called relatives with an implied threat of punishment if they lodge complaints. The Interior Ministry's Chief Directorate for the Enforcement of Punishments, General Prosecutor's Office, and Ombudsperson's Office refused to answer Forum 18's questions.

13 February 2025

TURKMENISTAN: Second conscientious objector sentenced to corrective labour

A second Jehovah's Witness conscientious objector is serving a corrective labour sentence, where the state takes a fifth of his wages. On 27 January, a Dashoguz Region court sentenced 20-year-old Agabek Rozbayew to 18 months' corrective labour. The indictment shows he informed the Military Conscription Office in September 2022 that he could not perform compulsory military service on grounds of conscience. More than 10 others appear to be under criminal investigation. An assistant to regime-appointed Ombudsperson Yazdursun Gurbannazarowa told Forum 18: "I have never heard of such kinds of problems." Muslim prisoner of conscience Myratdurdy Shamyradow is paralysed in prison hospital.

10 February 2025

RUSSIA: Multiple trials, convictions, for criticising invasion of Ukraine

Christian preacher Eduard Charov's trial for repeatedly allegedly "discrediting" the Russian Armed Forces and state bodies is due soon. Buddhist Ilya Vasilyev is on trial for allegedly spreading "knowingly false information" about the Armed Forces "on grounds of hatred or enmity". Pastor Nikolay Romanyuk, tortured while arrested, is under investigation for preaching that "on the basis of Holy Scripture" Christians should not fight in Ukraine. On 27 January, Christian bard Andrey Buyanov received possibly the largest total fine yet for criticising from a religious perspective Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

5 February 2025

CRIMEA: Two more Jehovah's Witness prisoners of conscience jailed

On 14 January, a Russian-controlled court in the occupied Ukrainian city of Sevastopol jailed two Jehovah's Witnesses, 53-year-old Sergey Zhigalov and 55-year-old Viktor Kudinov, for six years each for organising the activities of a banned "extremist" organisation. They have appealed against the sentence. Eleven of the 13 jailed Crimean Jehovah's Witnesses have been illegally transferred to Russian prisons. Two other trials against 5 Jehovah's Witnesses are underway, including against 69-year-old Tamara Brattseva. It is illegal under international law for Russia to enforce its own laws in occupied Ukrainian territory.

28 January 2025

KYRGYZSTAN: Repressive new Religion Law in force from 1 February

In defiance of international human rights obligations, the new Religion Law signed by President Sadyr Japarov on 21 January bans religious communities that do not have 500 adult citizen members, and bans unregistered religious activity and places of worship and sharing faith in public. State censorship of all religious materials continues. A new Amending Law in the Area of Religion – which takes effect in early February – among other things sharply increases Violations Code fines for violating the Religion Law. "The new Law does not make anything better or easier for us to practice our faith, but makes it more difficult," a Protestant stated.

24 January 2025

RUSSIA: Getting Alternative Civilian Service "a hellishly difficult task"

Military officials deny many young men Alternative Civilian Service (ACS), rather than military service, despite their demonstrating their pacifist convictions. A Krasnoyarsk Region court fined Baptist conscientious objector Zakhar Asmalovsky three weeks' average wages in November 2024. He is appealing against the conviction. German Strelkov, another Baptist, is on his fourth round of legal proceedings to try to realise his right to conscientious objection. "After the war began, the situation changed dramatically, and now it has become very difficult to obtain ACS," Seventh-day Adventist Andrey Bondarenko told Forum 18.

17 January 2025

UZBEKISTAN: Eight Muslim prisoners of conscience tortured, handed long jail sentences

A judge in Karshi jailed 8 Muslim men for between 6 and 10 years for exercising freedom of religion or belief. Four are former prisoners of conscience. The regime has used all the Criminal Code articles used in this case to jail – with as in this case the use of an informer - groups of Muslim men who met informally to pray and discuss their faith. Torture has also been used in such cases. Police threatened the men's families that if they appeal the jail terms will be increased.

16 January 2025

BELARUS: "Low status" prisoners denied prison church visits

The administration of Labour Camp No. 2 in Bobruisk deemed political prisoner Vadim Yermashuk to be "low status" (alongside more than 100 other prisoners) and thus banned from attending the camp's Orthodox church. "When my brother died I was not even allowed to go to light a candle for him." Another political prisoner, Yahor Martsinovich, expressed shock at the ban. Forum 18 was unable to reach camp officials. Political prisoners are particularly targeted for denial of rights. Protestant political prisoner Vladimir Matskevich has had no visit from a pastor since his 2021 arrest.