A smiling family stands in a doorway.

Actively Remembering and Serving the "Church Persecuted."

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KGB Declares Religious Freedom Group "Extremist"

A church is seen between two trees.
An Orthodox Church in Belarus.
Photo: Pexels

Amidst 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."

New Religious Restrictions Pass into Law

President Aleksandr Lukashenko
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.

Officials Issue Threats to Church Leaders

Saint Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Church in Baranovichi city.
An Orthodox church in Belarus.
Photo: Wikimedia / Horakvlado (cc)

On December 20th, a meeting was held for the Minsk Orthodox Diocese. During the gathering, which consisted of more than two hundred priests, Olga Chemodanova from the Ideology Department of the Minsk Executive Committee was invited to speak. She told those present that state agencies were monitoring more than 500 religious communities and openly warned against committing any act that could potentially be perceived as being political in nature, including the use of "non-religious symbols." Her address clearly threatened any church leaders who may be considered "ideologically alien," further indicating that such leaders should expect to serve time in prison.