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.

8 January 2025

TURKMENISTAN: First conscientious objector punishment since 2021

On 7 January, Mary Regional Court on appeal punished 21-year-old Jehovah's Witness conscientious objector Arslan Wepayew with two years' corrective labour, with 20 per cent of his earnings to be taken by the regime. Also, 51-year-old Muslim prisoner of conscience Myratdurdy Shamyradow is in poor health in a strict-regime labour camp. "He can't stand and is almost paralysed. Health care in the camp is inadequate," Forum 18 has been told. His family have repeatedly asked for his sentence to be reduced. "These pleas have been ignored."

20 December 2024

RUSSIA: Fined for citing Vatican, Scottish Episcopal texts

A Moscow court fined an Anglican Christian three weeks' average wage under Russia's "gay propaganda" law for social media posts citing a Vatican declaration condemning "unjust discrimination" on the basis of sexual orientation and a Scottish Episcopal Church essay on equal marriage. This is the first known time a court imposed such a fine for sharing church documents. Amid ever-tightening laws for opposing Russia's war against Ukraine, a Buddhist is on criminal trial and a Pentecostal Pastor in pre-trial detention (despite suffering a mini-stroke). Courts fined two religious leaders for violating the "foreign agents" law.

19 December 2024

OCCUPIED UKRAINE: Masked, armed men in third raid on church's worship meetings

Armed, masked men broke up worship meetings of a Council of Churches Baptist church in Russian-occupied Melitopol three times between October 2023 and November 2024. They checked members' passports and church literature. Police questioned the church's Pastor Dmitry Malakhov, insisting he led a religious service without informing the authorities and conducted illegal missionary activity. On 18 December, a court closed one case because of the statute of limitations, issued a warning in another and set the third for 21 January. Russian-controlled courts continue to hear "illegal missionary activity" cases. A Military Brotherhood official vandalised a seized Jehovah's Witness place of worship.

18 December 2024

KYRGYZSTAN: Muslim's jail term increased, raids on Jehovah's Witness, Hare Krishna, Protestant events

On 28 October, the Supreme Court restored the three-year jail term for 36-year-old Muslim prisoner of conscience Asadullo Madraimov which a lower court had earlier halved. He has been jailed since October 2023 for criticising the authorities for closing Kara-Suu District's Al-Sarakhsi Mosque. Police and NSC secret police raided Jehovah's Witness worship meetings in two southern towns 8 days apart in August, insisting the meetings were "illegal". Officials raided and closed down a Hare Krishna meeting in Bishkek in November and a Protestant conference in June, with summary fines for both.

13 December 2024

KYRGYZSTAN: Repressive new Religion Law passes first reading

Parliament has given first reading approval to two draft new laws increasing freedom of religion or belief restrictions. Among many other restrictions, the draft Religion Law makes it impossible for communities with fewer than 500 adult members to legally exist. Violations Code amendments sharply increase fines. "This is a very dangerous law," a religious community leader who wished to remain anonymous for fear of state reprisals told Forum 18. "They seem to be in a rush, and this is alarming," a human rights defender who wished to remain anonymous for fear of state reprisals told Forum 18.

6 December 2024

UZBEKISTAN: Demands to reopen, not demolish, church and mosque

Urgench Council of Churches Baptist Church and Tashkent's Shaykhontohur District Imam al-Bukhari Mosque are being simultaneously demolished. The Baptist Church is being demolished by the Bailiff's Department, and the Mosque by an unknown person or company with the full co-operation of the regime. By 5 December most of the roof, walls, and floors of the Baptist Church were destroyed, and most of the walls, roof, and dome of the Mosque were destroyed. Baptists and Muslims in both cities insist to Forum 18 that they want the demolitions stopped and their buildings returned, so they can use them to meet for worship.