The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief
1 December 2016
UZBEKISTAN: More literature-related arrests, raids, fines, jailings
Uzbekistan continues to raid, arrest, fine, and jail people exercising freedom of religion and belief who possess religious literature. Two Protestant five-day prisoners of conscience were ordered to pay 15 per cent each of a month's minimum salary as "compensation" for state prison costs.
30 November 2016
TURKMENISTAN: Who is obstructing Russian Orthodox diocese?
"The Orthodox Church wants a diocese and resident bishop in Turkmenistan," an Orthodox told Forum 18. "But it hasn't yet happened." The Deanery Secretary, a Russian priest, was forced to leave. And the Armenian Apostolic Church is still unable to regain a former church.
24 November 2016
KAZAKHSTAN: Trial if imam's Istanbul asylum bid fails?
Imam Abdukhalil Abduzhabbarov – in Istanbul Airport with his family since October after deportation from Saudi Arabia - faces criminal trial in his native Kazakhstan if asylum appeal in Turkey fails. The KNB secret police officer who launched the case refused to reveal the accusations.
18 November 2016
UZBEKISTAN: More jailings, long-term prisoners' sentences increased
Bakhtiyor Khudaiberdiyev jailed for 6 years for Islamic texts on his phone. Muslim Zulhumor Hamdamova's prison term has been extended by 3 years and her sister Mehrinisso will be tried on unknown new charges. But Baptist Tohar Haydarov freed and Muslim Vohidjon Niyazov deported.
16 November 2016
AZERBAIJAN: Raids, fines enforce state religious censorship
At least 26 shops and 6 homes raided for religious literature sold or distributed without having undergone compulsory censorship by or in places not licensed by State Committee for Work with Religious Organisations. Some individuals already punished. UN Human Rights Committee concerned over religious censorship.
11 November 2016
KYRGYZSTAN: State permission to exist still denied
Kyrgyzstan continues to deny all belief communities permission to exist without state control, Protestants stating they "live and exercise freedom of religion and belief with constant fear." Officials refuse to explain why officials' torture of Jehovah's Witnesses meeting for worship is not seriously investigated.
10 November 2016
KAZAKHSTAN: Muslim jailed and fined, books banned
Rustam Musayev was jailed for two years for talking about his Islamic faith to KNB secret police informers. "Expert analyses" claimed two books Musayev allegedly offered incited religious hatred. One of these books – with one not claimed to incite religious hatred - was banned.
24 October 2016
RUSSIA: Many meetings raided and evidence planted
Raids on Jehovah's Witness premises now take place more than three times per month. These raids on doctrinally pacifist religious communities often involve many heavily armed and camouflaged officials, with the "discovery" of apparently planted banned "extremist" literature. Legal dissolution of communities can follow.
21 October 2016
KAZAKHSTAN: Judges' religious freedom to be restricted?
The draft Code of Judges' Ethics – likely to be adopted at a 24 November congress - proposes wide-ranging bans on exercising freedom of religion outside the professional setting. Judges "shouldn't be very active in their religious conduct", says the Union of Judges secretary.
20 October 2016
KYRGYZSTAN: Mobs twice exhume body – with impunity?
Mobs in two villages dug up the body of deceased Protestant Kanygul Satybaldiyeva, insisting non-Muslims cannot be buried in village cemeteries. Police, secret police and officials observed the exhumations but did not stop them. Officials took Satybaldiyeva's body and claim to have buried it elsewhere.
17 October 2016
KAZAKHSTAN: Criminal case, fines, warnings, imprisonments for uncensored literature
Founder of Muslim WhatsApp group escapes criminal prosecution, but is fined for distributing uncensored religious literature. Baptists are fined for offering literature on the streets, while parents of one girl who did so are warned and father fined. The OSCE calls for end to religious censorship.
13 October 2016
TURKEY: Freedom of belief and security threats
Turkey's failed coup attempt, ongoing and new security threats and government actions have long-term implications for the rule of law with the freedoms of religion and belief, assembly, association and expression. Immediate measures are necessary to protect religious or belief communities directly affected by conflict and terror.