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Belarus News
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Another Church Leader Arrested
Father Anatol Parakhnevich
Photo: Katolik.life
On March 16th, masked security officials arrested Anatol Parakhnevich, a 65-year-old Catholic priest, at his parish in Alkovichi, Minsk Region. During the arrest, officers searched his home as well as the church building. Following the raid, both premises were sealed, with the keys being returned one week later.
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Priests Pardoned by the Nation's Presidential Leader
Father Henryk (second from left) and Father Andrei
(second from right), along with two archbishops.
Photo: Catholic.byTwo Catholic priests who had been convicted and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison were pardoned and freed from a Belarusian labour camp on November 20th. State media claimed that the church leaders, who were granted clemency by President Alexander Lukashenko, had been "convicted of serious crimes against the state, as well as other crimes."
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KGB Declares Religious Freedom Group "Extremist"
An Orthodox Church in Belarus.
Photo: PexelsAmidst the ongoing oppression of Christians in Belarus, an organization was established in 2020, bringing together leaders from multiple churches in an effort to monitor and publicize persecution in the country. The organization was registered in neighbouring Lithuania as "Christian Vision for Belarus."
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New Religious Restrictions Pass into Law
President Aleksandr Lukashenko
Photo: Wikipedia / Tatarstan.ru (cc)On December 30th, President Aleksandr Lukashenko officially passed into law new religious regulations, finalizing a bill that had initially been introduced in September 2023. For more details, see this page. The policies are scheduled to take effect on July 5th and, while the legislation carries various new stipulations, the most significant is the requirement that all religious communities must re-register within one year of the law coming into effect.
