Raids on ‘illegal’ worship meetings in rebel-held Ukraine
World Watch Monitor A Pentecostal church in the rebel-held Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine was raided by armed men on 6th August, the latest in a series of raids on religious communities, reports Oslo-based news service Forum 18. The raid took place during a worship meeting at the Grace Church of God Pentecostal church in Alchevsk. […]
Myanmar’s army accused of destroying churches and turning them into Buddhist temples
World Watch Monitor Myanmar’s military has destroyed about 60 churches in the past 18 months and turned a third of them into Buddhist pagodas in northern Kachin state, according to an American pastor who visited the region recently. “In the last 18 months, they have bombed 60 churches. Of the 60 churches they have bombed, […]
Sixty-nine punished for practising faith in Kazakhstan in first half of 2018
World Watch Monitor Courts in Kazakhstan prosecuted at least 69 individuals, religious communities or organisations for religious activities in the first half of this year, according to Oslo-based news service Forum 18. Punishments included fines of up to four months’ average salary ($US1,400) and three-month bans on activities such as distributing religious literature or meeting for worship. […]
Five Baptists fined on non-specific charges in Uzbekistan
World Watch Monitor Five members of a Baptist church in the southern Uzbek city of Karshi were detained and fined for meeting without state permission, without hearing the exact charges, reports Forum 18. Police also raided the homes of two Baptists, Khamid and Ziyatullo Rakhmonov (not related), on 23rd May, and took them to the police […]
Uzbek pastor might face criminal charges after police repeat raids on his home
World Watch Monitor A Uzbek Baptist pastor, who is already serving a two-year sentence in his home for having religious books, might now be facing criminal charges. Police raided Pastor Stanislav Kim’s flat in Urgench, north-western Khorezm Region, twice last month, on Easter Sunday (8th April) and a week later (15th April), while the Baptist […]
Russia’s religious communities face ‘unclear’ requirements
World Watch Monitor Legal requirements applied to the expression of freedom of religion in Russia impose a significant burden on religious communities not recognised by the state – in the shape of fines, legal costs and bureaucracy – reports regional news agency Forum 18. The requirements are “unclear” and applied “inconsistently”, Forum 18 says, and are […]
Catholic bishops in India warn against Hindu nationalism as religious hate crimes rise
World Watch Monitor An acknowledgement by India’s BJP-led government that there has been a rise in religion-based hate crime has coincided with a warning from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India about the dangers to the country of a Hindu-nationalist agenda. Statistics revealed in India’s parliament on 6th February confirmed a long-standing allegation by rights […]
Kyrgyzstan church burned down
World Watch Monitor A Bible survived the arson attack on the Baptist church PICTURE: World Watch Monitor A Baptist community in eastern Kyrgyzstan fears for its safety after unknown attackers burned down its church building. The loss of the church has forced its 40 Kyrgyz and Russian members to start searching for a new place […]
Myanmar’s Christians hope Pope Francis will speak for them
World Watch Monitor Pope Francis landed in Myanmar on Monday to start his six-day visit to Southeast Asia, raising the hopes of Christians there that he will address the issues they face in the majority-Buddhist nation. Among those welcoming the Pontiff in Yangon were more than 7,000 ethnic Kachin from the conflict-torn state in northern Myanmar, […]
Russia closes Baptist church despite recent praise of Protestants
A Baptist church has been closed down in Russia only weeks after a senior official praised the contribution Protestants had made to the country’s culture during a speech marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The owners of the church in Tula, central Russia, were charged with “improper use of the building”, according to Asia News, […]