#KAZAKHSTAN: Kentau Police use torture, murder threats

On 13 August, Kentau Police tortured Jehovah's Witness Daniyar Tursynbayev and threatened him with death until he admitted "illegal missionary activity". Freed after six hours, friends took him to hospital to document his fractured rib and other injuries. If the court finds him guilty of "illegal missionary activity" on 15 September, he would be due for a fine and – as an Uzbek citizen - deportation. Baglan Yankin, Deputy Chief of Kentau Police Department, denied anyone had tortured Tursynbayev. "This is not true. It is disinformation," he told Forum 18.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3002

#AZERBAIJAN: State restricts who can worship and where

Sumgait's Peace Church is one of five Protestant churches whose registration applications languish unanswered, some for years. State Committee officials "simply told us that you cannot hold any more meetings, that it is forbidden to hold any religious ceremony without registration. 'If you do not heed this warning and hold a religious ceremony, you will be punished,' one official said." The State Committee did not respond to questions, including: why Jehovah's Witnesses cannot register nationally; why Georgian Orthodox cannot regularly use their Kurmukhi church; why mosques must belong to the Muslim Board.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3003

UZBEKISTAN: Prisoners of conscience pressured to implicate others, banned from reading Koran

Qorovulbozor Prison officials threatened prisoner of conscience Khayrullo Tursunov to further implicate seven fellow Muslims jailed alongside him. "We are not sure, but others arrested with him may have been threatened to do the same," Muslims told Forum 18. Zarafshon Prison administration banned Khasan Abdirakhimov from calling his family. Police pressured relatives not to speak publicly about him. Prisoner of conscience Faryozbek Kobilov hoped for early release in September 2024. But after days in the punishment cell, he was transferred to a harsher prison, which banned him from reading the Koran.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3004

#KYRGYZSTAN: Secret police raid, police fine Baptists for "illegal" worship meeting

Ten months after NSC secret police officers raided members of the True and Free Reform Adventist Church (which a court later banned), on 14 September NSC officers raided the harvest festival worship meeting of Bishkek's Council of Churches Baptist congregation. They likewise choose to meet without state registration. Officers seized religious literature for "expert analysis". Police summarily fined the pastor and deacon two weeks' average wages each. Five United Nations Special Rapporteurs wrote to the regime in July reiterating concerns about "the legal framework governing freedom of religion or belief".

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3005

#KYRGYZSTAN: Did torture cause jailed Reform Adventist pastor's brain damage?

65-year-old True and Free Reform Adventist Pastor Pavel Shreider – serving a 3-year jail term – is in a prison medical unit after relatives raised concerns about brain damage apparently caused by torture. He has been "diagnosed with traumatic brain injury" resulting in "cognitive impairment", Major Azat Kudaybergenov, Chief of Prison No. 21 where he was held for 10 months, wrote to the family. Five United Nations Special Rapporteurs asked the regime about "arrests, detentions and alleged torture" of church members, Pastor Shreider's criminal prosecution, and banning of the Church as "extremist".

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3006

#RUSSIA: Another Jehovah's Witness tortured during arrest

Armed National Guard personnel tortured 58-year-old Mikhail Proshenkov with a stun gun while searching his home on 3 September. Proshenkov was one of five Jehovah's Witnesses arrested during early-morning raids in Saratov. The National Guard in Saratov did not respond to Forum 18's questions on the torture, while Saratov Region Human Rights Commissioner Nadezhda Sukhova refused to answer. On two successive days, Zelenokumsk prison administration forced 60-year-old Jehovah's Witness Anna Safronova to stand for over 10 hours. Officials refused to open a criminal case against the perpetrators.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3007

#RUSSIA: More long jail sentences, removals of citizenship

Courts handed at least 3 Jehovah's Witnesses long jail terms for exercising freedom of religion since September. A Samara court jailed Samvel Babayan for 7 years. A Saransk court jailed Ivan Neverov for 7 years, Mikhail Shevchuk for 6 years 6 months. Neither the court nor the Prosecutor's Office would explain the long jail terms or who Neverov and Shevchuk might have harmed. Interior Ministry officials rescinded Irina Khvostova's citizenship. Within minutes of release from prison on 13 October, police took Armenian citizen Vardan Zakaryan to prepare his expulsion.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3008

#BELARUS: KGB tried to use jailed priest to entrap nuncio?

KGB secret police officers offered to free jailed Catholic priest Fr Henryk Okolotovich if he agreed to plant material on the Vatican nuncio in an apparent attempt to compromise him. He refused. KGB officers said they would visit the priest again in prison "many more times, so that perhaps you will change your mind", released political prisoner Andrey Krylov recounted. KGB officers try to recruit informers in religious communities, both in Belarus and abroad. "The regime tries to incriminate the Church and its priests as spies," says one religious leader.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3009

#RUSSIA: Bans on Council of Churches Baptist congregations "only growing"

Courts have now banned at least 10 Council of Churches Baptist communities for meeting without state permission. (These Baptists choose to meet without registration.) "This practice is only growing", says lawyer Sergey Chugunov. Six of the known lawsuits have been in Krasnodar Region. Krasnodar Region Prosecutor's Office did not respond to Forum 18's questions. Such bans often start with FSB or police surveillance, raids and prosecutions for "illegal missionary activity". Bans on churches' activities "must be overturned", Chugunov believes. The churches continue to meet despite the bans.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3010

#RUSSIA: Exiled Orthodox journalist facing criminal charges added to Wanted List

Russia's Interior Ministry Wanted List includes: 4 opponents of Russia's war against Ukraine on religious grounds; 7 Muslim Nursi readers from Russia; 15 Jehovah's Witnesses from Russia, 4 from Russian-occupied Crimea; 4 people wanted by Belarus; 3 wanted by Kazakhstan; 2 wanted by Tajikistan; 5 wanted by Uzbekistan. Most recently added was exiled Orthodox journalist Kseniya Luchenko. The Interior Ministry did not say why it includes people who peacefully exercised their right to freedom of religion or belief. Interpol would not say for how many of them Russia had sought Red Notices.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3011

#KAZAKHSTAN: Prosecutors stall criminal investigation into police torture of Jehovah's Witness

A court had to order Kentau Prosecutor's Office to begin a criminal investigation into police torture of and murder threats to Jehovah's Witness Daniyar Tursynbayev on 13 August. But prosecutors stalled the investigation, insisting that Tursynbayev – who fled to Almaty fearing for his safety – must testify in person. "This can't be done appropriately by video," says an official. No one has been arrested or tried. Lieutenant Colonel Baglan Yankin, who denies leading the torture, remains in post. "On what basis should I be removed from duty?" he asks.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3012

#UZBEKISTAN: Jailed, fined for uncensored religious materials

A Tashkent court jailed Muslim blogger Alisher Tursunov (Mubashir Ahmad) for two-and-a-half years for his online publications and ordered his sites closed. Tursunov did not appeal and is in labour camp in Navoi Region. A Samarkand court handed Anvar Aliyev a four-year suspended sentence for a Shia Muslim Telegram group. A Tashkent court fined Gayrat Ziyakhojayev for an officially-approved Imam's sermon. "It doesn't matter whether the religious materials are legal or illegal, you have to get the permission of the organs before publishing them," the Investigator told him.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3013

#BELARUS: Will regime allow freed Catholic priests to return to ministry?

Two Catholic priests, Fr Henryk Okolotovich and Fr Andrei Yukhnevich, who were handed long sentences at closed trials, were pardoned and freed from labour camp early on 20 November. They were taken to Minsk airport and are now in Rome. State news agency Belta claimed both had committed "serious crimes against the state". Both rejected all the accusations against them. It remains unclear if the regime will allow them to return to Belarus and resume parish ministry. Deputy Plenipotentiary for Religious and Ethnic Affairs Sergei Gerasimenya refused to say.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3014

#RUSSIA: Orthodox priest tortured, prosecuted for "overt disrespect for society"

On 27 November, National Guard, Investigative Committee, and FSB officers raided an independent Orthodox church in Krasnodar Region. "They'd rummaged through the sanctuary, barbarously turning everything upside down", a church member noted. They arrested the 34-year-old Fr Iona Sigida and held him overnight. Investigators beat him, shocked him with a stun gun, and forcibly shaved him. Officials did not respond to Forum 18's questions about the torture. He is facing criminal charges for posts on the church website. Slavyansk City Court placed him under house arrest until January.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3015

#KAZAKHSTAN: Fined, ordered deported, but torture unpunished

On 21 November, Kentau Town Court fined and ordered deported Jehovah's Witness Daniyar Tursynbayev – an Uzbek citizen - for posting on Telegram about his faith. Deportation is suspended, pending his appeal. "Deportation will separate Daniyar Tursynbayev from his wife and infant daughter - citizens of Kazakhstan - or force them to leave the country," Jehovah's Witnesses complain. "The conviction is based solely on testimony obtained under torture." Lieutenant Colonel Baglan Yankin – one of four police officers suspected of the torture – denies it. Tursynbayev "invented it all", he claims.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3016

#RUSSIA: Orthodox journalist to face in absentia criminal trial?

Investigators in Moscow have opened a criminal investigation into Orthodox journalist Kseniya Luchenko for online comments from a religious perspective about Russia's war against Ukraine. She could eventually be tried in absentia on charges of "dissemination of knowingly false information about the use of the Armed Forces". Investigators had already had her placed on the Interior Ministry's Federal Wanted List, the Federal Financial Monitoring Service "List of Terrorists and Extremists", and the Justice Ministry's register of "foreign agents". Outside Russia since 2022, she will be arrested if she returns.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3017

#RUSSIA: Buddhist's retrial, Protestant pastor's appeal fails

On 22 October, Moscow City Court overturned the conviction and 8-year prison term handed to Moscow Buddhist leader Ilya Vasilyev for a Facebook post about a Russian missile attack in Ukraine made "solely out of religious conviction". No date has yet been set for a retrial, and Vasilyev remains in a Moscow prison. On 25 November, Moscow Regional Court upheld the 4-year jail term on Protestant pastor Nikolay Romanyuk for a 2022 anti-war sermon. "Dad is awaiting transfer to the penal colony," his daughter noted even before the appeal hearing.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3018

#UZBEKISTAN: Police conduct sexual harassment, threaten fines or jail for sharing faith

Police and Struggle against Terrorism and Extremism police summon Jehovah's Witnesses who share their faith with others in public. Officers warn of fines of two months' average wages – and in one case of up to five years' imprisonment. In May, police interrogated and verbally abused a woman and her minor daughter, and instructed them to undress. The women refused. Officers forced them to sign that they "illegally shared their faith". "I don't think that could have happened," Mirjamol Miralimov of the Interior Ministry's struggle against extremism and terrorism Service claimed.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3019

#AZERBAIJAN: Conscientious objector freed from prison under restrictions, with electronic tag

Jehovah's Witness conscientious objector Elgiz Ibrahimov will serve the rest of his one-year sentence not in prison but on probation under restrictions, wearing an electronic tag. On 26 November, Sheki Appeal Court upheld his conviction for rejecting compulsory military service on grounds of conscience. The Judges said his nearly 4 months in prison "will deter him from committing acts that could lead to the loss of his freedom in the future". Despite its Council of Europe commitment to introduce alternative civilian service by 2003, Azerbaijan failed to do so.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3020

#RUSSIA: Peaceful clergy statements "can become the target of prosecution"

In a series of administrative prosecutions, a Krasnodar Region court fined Orthodox priest Fr Iona Sigida on 18 December for allegedly expressing "overt disrespect" for society, state bodies, and state symbols, apparently for articles on his church's website. Other administrative cases are pending. He also faces criminal charges. In September, a St Petersburg court fined Fr Grigory Okhanov for his religiously-based opposition to Russia's war in Ukraine. Also in St Petersburg, Archbishop Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko managed to overturn an earlier fine, but the case will be reheard.

https://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=3021