17 September 2024

UKRAINE: Law banning Ukrainian Orthodox Church about to enter force

Law No. 3894-IX banning the Russian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate (ROC) and Ukrainian religious organisations affiliated with the ROC comes into force on 23 September. Its main target is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). While addressing real security concerns over the ROC's involvement in Russian aggression, the Law does not comply with legally-binding international standards of freedom of religion or belief, and significantly increases State powers to arbitrarily monitor and restrict religious communities and the expression of religious ideas. Government, public and private actors already see it as a signal to attack UOC communities and believers.

5 September 2024

KYRGYZSTAN: Public discussion of latest repressive draft Religion Law

Ten months after a previous proposed new Religion Law was made public then withdrawn, religious affairs, National Security and Interior Ministry officials have prepared a new version. It would continue to require all religious communities to gain state registration before being allowed to exercise freedom of religion or belief, but would require re-registration every 5 years. New restrictions on "preaching" are included. An Amending Law would impose higher Violations Code fines for a greater range of "offences". The public have until 28 September to submit comments.

28 August 2024

UZBEKISTAN: Given punishment cell "so he will stay in prison longer"

The prison administration in Akhangaran sent 26-year-old Faryozbek Kobilov to the punishment cell for two days in early August. He was hoping for early release in September. Prison authorities told his parents he now has no chance for early release because he violated the prison regime. "The authorities imprisoned him for no crimes and now they are trying to keep him there for longer." Prisoner of conscience Alimardon Sultonov was sent to a punishment cell for five days in July. The prison Governors refused to explain the punishments.

21 August 2024

UKRAINE: Real threats, but freedom of religion or belief concerns

Clerics and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate (UOC) have and are facing criminal charges of justifying Russian aggression and hate speech. Many have been prosecuted for criticising the rival Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the state's religious policies. The state faces a real threat of the utilisation of religion to justify Russian aggression, but uses tools - imposing a blatant ban on the UOC and turning inter-Orthodox relations in Ukraine into a security issue - that are neither reasonable nor proportionate.

20 August 2024

ARMENIA: Conscientious objector begins two-year jail term

On 20 August, Yerevan police took 21-year-old Baptist conscientious objector Davit Nazaretyan to the city's Nubarashen Prison to begin his two-year jail term for refusing military service on grounds of conscience. Nina Karapetyants of the Helsinki Association for Human Rights described Nubarashen as "the worst prison" in Armenia. "There are no proper conditions for exercise or for taking a shower." The office of Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan did not respond to questions on what it might do to defend Nazaretyan's rights.

15 August 2024

UZBEKISTAN: Why can't places of worship reopen?

A secret police officer and religious affairs official visited Abu Zar Mosque in Yangiyul District, saying it would be handed over for business use. "They just came, brazenly told us this and said that no one from the mahalla should get angry," said a Muslim. Officials refuse Bukhara's Baptist Church permission to rebuild its church, which they sealed after water damage in 2021. "Last year at least they were listening to us," Baptists say. "Now some officials tell us directly to our face: Leave my office and get lost!"

13 August 2024

UZBEKISTAN: Who instigated Church demolition?

On 25 April, Judge Nurlubay Akimniyazov ordered the destruction of two buildings under construction belonging to Urgench Council of Churches Baptists. The decision, which against Uzbek law the Baptists have not seen, entered into force on 27 May. Demolition began on 30 July. One of the buildings was intended to be a church. The Judge, regime officials, and state-appointed Muslim clerics have either refused to explain the demolition order or given contradictory explanations, and officials have stated they are "determined to complete the demolition sooner or later".

8 August 2024

RUSSIA: Anti-war Christian preacher facing criminal prosecutions

In 2023, Christian preacher Eduard Charov was fined for social media comments, including the remark: "would Jesus Christ have gone to kill in Ukraine????!" He now awaits criminal trial for further anti-war posts "discrediting" the armed forces. "Most likely, it will all end with a prison term for me", he noted. Information on Charov's case "is not subject to disclosure", the Investigative Committee said. Orthodox priest Fr Ioann Kurmoyarov, jailed for also criticising Russia's war in Ukraine from a religious perspective, was freed at the end of his sentence.