Uzbekistan Jails Baptists, Threatens Church
Police in Uzbekistan jailed ten Baptists for three to five days, and fining them 80 times the monthly minimum wage, according to a religious rights group, Worthy News learned on Monday, August 9.
Christian Persecution – Russia & Former USSR
Evangelical Group Condemns Uzbekistan Crackdown On Churches
An influential evangelical organization, which claims to represent over 400 million Christians worldwide, expressed concerns Tuesday, June 1, about police raids on Protestant congregations in Uzbekistan and the detention of several Christians in the former Soviet republic.
NEWS ALERT: Uzbekistan Jails Protestant Christians
An assistant pastor and two other members of one of Uzbekistan capital’s largest Protestant churches began serving 15-day jail terms Wednesday, May 19, on charges that included “violating” strict religious regulations of the former Soviet nation, trial observers said.
Uzbekistan Police Raid Church Feeding Homeless
Police in Uzbekistan broke up a Protestant youth conference, detaining dozens of Christians, and separately raiided and Protestant church feeding homeless people for allegedly violating local regulations, a religious rights group said Wednesday, April 21.
BREAKING NEWS: Kyrgyzstan Christians Help Injured As Gunfire Rocks Presidential Rally
Christians in Kyrgyzstan continued praying and caring for injured survivors of their Central Asian nation’s bloody uprising that killed at least 84 people, as gunfire interrupted a rally Thursday, April 15, of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, witnesses and Christians said.
Armenia, Turkey Sign Landmark Accord Despite Tensions
The former Soviet republic of Armenia and Turkey have signed a historic accord on normalizing relations after a century of hostility.
NEWS ALERT: Belarus Evangelical Church Faces Imminent Eviction By Security Forces
There was uncertainty about the future of one of the largest evangelical churches in Belarus Tuesday, June 2, after authorities ordered it to abandon its building in the capital Minsk.
Christians In Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan Face New Restrictions
Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliev was to receive for signing the final version of controversial legislation “limiting freedom of religion” while Christians elsewhere in Central Asia faced similar restrictions Saturday, May 16, rights investigators and local believers said.
Mounting Concerns Over Detained Uzbekistan Pastor
An international protest was underway Tuesday, May 12, to obtain the release of a detained, frail, evangelical pastor in Uzbekistan, who came to symbolize what rights investigators described as widespread persecution of Christians and other minorities in Central Asia.
Azerbaijan Pastor Receives “Corrective Labor” Sentence
A well-known Baptist pastor in Azerbaijan was weighing his legal options Monday, February 23, after receiving a two-year “corrective labor” sentence for allegedly possessing an “illegal” weapon, trial observers said.
NEWS ALERT: Minsk Church Threatened With Closure; Evangelicals “Fasting”
Members of one of Belarus’ largest evangelical churches continued a five-day “fasting and prayer” action, Friday, January 30, amid attempts by authorities to seize their place of worship as part of an alleged crackdown on non-Orthodox groups.
Tajikistan Churches Facing Closure In New Year
A major Christian rights group warned Tuesday, December 23, that many churches in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan in 2009, if a new draft law requiring them to re-register under restrictive conditions is adopted by parliament.
Russia Authorities Threaten Baptists, report
Baptists in the Russian town of Lipetsk south-east of Moscow say local authorities are using “a bureaucratic way” to restrict their activities, BosNewsLife monitored Wednesday, December 3.
Kyrgyzstan Adopts Controversial Religious Law
Kyrgyzstan’s controversial new Religion Law was adopted unanimously by the country’s parliament Thursday, November 6, adding to concerns among small Christian groups and churches that they will be targeted by authorities.
Detained Baptist Pastors Face Uncertainty In Kazakhstan And Azerbaijan
Two Baptist pastors in two former Soviet republics faced legal challenges Monday, November 3, because they continued worship services despite opposition from local authorities, Christians and rights watchers said.
Christian Missionaries Bring Bibles, Aid To South Ossetia
Christian missionaries said Tuesday, October 21, they have managed to distribute Russian Bibles and humanitarian aid in Georgia’s breakaway region of South Ossetia, which was devastated by two months of war between Russian and Georgian forces.
Tajikistan Seizing Church Properties; Christians Forced Underground
Authorities in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan have begun destroying and banning Protestant churches, forcing an increasing number of Christians to meet and worship “underground” missionaries said Wednesday, October 15.
Belarus Bans Christian Festival, Group Says
Belarus has banned a Christian music festival, initiated by Catholics, minutes before it was due to begin, a religious rights group said Thursday, September 25.
Kazakhstan Baptists Fined For Unregistered Worship
Several Baptist Churches in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan continue have been raided by police because they refuse state registration on principal grounds, BosNewsLife learned Monday, September 15.
Baptist Pastor in Azerbaijan Still in Jail: Prosecution Given Another Chance
The judge in the criminal trial of Baptist pastor Hamid Shabanov in Azerbaijan has not yet convicted him.