Tag: Russia

Russia outlaws Jehovah’s Witnesses as ‘extremist group’

July 18, 2017 Russia Don Ossewaarde, Jehovah's Witnesses, Kazakhstan, Russia, USA, Vladimir Putin, Yarovaya Law

The administrative centre of the Jehovah's Witnesses based in the town of Solnechnoye in the federal city of St Petersburg, Russia. The Supreme Court has ordered the disbanding of the group. It needs to hand over all its assets and property to the Russian government. (Photo: Getty Images)

Russia’s Supreme Court yesterday (17 July) rejected an appeal by the Jehovah’s Witnesses against a ruling in April which declared it to be “extremist” and has ordered the disbanding of the group on Russian territory. “The justice ministry had argued that the group distributed pamphlets which incited hatred against other . . . Read More

Kazakhstan: closure of Jehovah’s Witnesses operation is sign of creeping religious intolerance

July 18, 2017 Kazakhstan Jehovah's Witnesses, Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Russia, Soviet Union

Kazakhstan’s decision to suspend operations at the headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is a symptom of the country’s growing intolerance towards religious rights, and particularly Christianity, writes Casey Michel in The Diplomat. Jehovah’s Witnesses, who had operated in Kazakhstan for 25 years with 18,000 followers, reacted by expressing concern that . . . Read More

US lawmakers call for continued sanctions against Sudan as Bashir plans Russia visit

July 11, 2017 Sudan African Union, International Criminal Court, Religious freedom, Russia, Sanctions, Sudan

Sudan's President Omar Bashir attending the Arab League summit meetings in Jordan in March 2017. Photo: Getty Images

A bipartisan group including 53 US lawmakers has urged President Donald Trump to delay the permanent lifting of sanctions on Sudan, ahead of tomorrow’s (12 July) deadline for a decision to be made. Meanwhile, Sudan’s President, Omar Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes including . . . Read More

US Commission urges Trump administration to prioritise international religious freedom

May 18, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Abune Antonios, Andrew Brunson, Central African Republic, China, Donald Trump, Eritrea, Eritrean Orthodox Church, Iran, Mike Pence, Myanmar, Nguyen Cong Chinh, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Religious freedom, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam

An influential US government commission that monitors religious freedom around the world is urging President Donald Trump and his new administration to take concrete steps to make advocacy of universal religious rights a priority in American foreign policy. “Our foreign policy should not simply be about US self-interest – you know, . . . Read More

Kazakh Baptists raided, fined on Easter Sunday as ‘illegal’

May 4, 2017 Kazakhstan Almaty, Astana, Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Russia, Uyghurs

Police raided meetings of at least two Baptist Churches on Easter Sunday. The protestant communities draw attention because they they choose to hold their church services without seeking state registration "out of conviction".

Tammar leads a church of young Uyghurs in Kazakhstan. On Easter Sunday, as 20 of them gathered, there was a sudden police raid, including members of the anti-terrorist team. All 20 had to sign a form saying they were at this ‘illegal’ meeting, and Tammar was fined $900. At first, he wouldn’t . . . Read More

US watchdog adds Russia to its list of worst oppressors of religion

April 27, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Bahrain, Religious freedom, Russia, Taliban, USA

Religious freedom is in retreat worldwide, and for the first time Russia is among the world’s worst oppressors, according to America’s most prominent and influential scorecard on the issue. The annual report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, released 26 April, puts its case plainly in its opening . . . Read More

Religious intolerance increasing, says Pew annual report

April 25, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country China, Egypt, Europe, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Religious freedom, Russia, Saudi Arabia

Europe is seeing an increase in government's engaging in harassment and use of force against religious groups. This is partly caused by a surge in migration.

A report released earlier this month by the Pew Research Center shows an increased intolerance towards religion by governments and societies alike in 2015. According to Pew’s annual report, restrictions on religious activities increased in 2015, as did harassment relating to religion. The global study, which included 198 countries, found . . . Read More

US missionary appeals to European Court of Human Rights over Russian law

March 29, 2017 Russia Don Ossewaarde, Oryol, Pentecostals, Russia, Seventh-day Adventists, Yarovaya Law

UPDATE (29 March 2017) Today, Donald Ossewaarde filed an application to the European Court of Human Rights. The US Baptist preacher argues his right to religious freedom has been violated. Mr. Ossewaarde had held weekly Bible meetings at his home in the Russian city of Oryol, 300 kilometres south of Moscow, . . . Read More

US missionary in Russia fights for right to pray

February 6, 2017 Russia Don Ossewaarde, Moscow, Oryol, Russia, Terrorism, Yarovaya Law

An American missionary in Russia, who is appealing to the country’s Supreme Court against his conviction for holding religious services in his home and inviting others to attend them, says he is fighting to make sure everyone in Russia is free to read the Bible and pray. “If I don’t . . . Read More

Russia considers amending ‘anti-missionary law’

January 27, 2017 Russia Don Ossewaarde, Russia, Vladimir Putin, Yarovaya Law

Russia is considering amendments to what has been referred to as its “anti-missionary law“, which came into effect last summer and has since seen over 30 people charged with “offences”, including holding groups to study the Bible in homes or handing out New Testaments on a train. A Working Group . . . Read More

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