Russia Tightens Restrictions on Churches and Missionary Activity

June 1, 2021 — 06/01/2021 Russia (International Christian Concern) - On April 5, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an amendment to the country’s Religion Law, initiating significant changes for ministries across Russia, according to...

Secretary of State Discusses Nagorno-Karabakh with Russian Minister Amid Rising Tensions

May 21, 2021 — 05/21/2021 Artsakh (International Christian Concern) - This week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on his visit this week to northern Europe, during which...

Religious Freedoms Crackdowns Intensify in Russia with Fresh Arrests of Jehovah’s Witnesses

March 29, 2021 — 03/29/2021 Russia (International Christian Concern) - Crackdowns on religious freedom have intensified in Russia in 2021, with the arrest last week of a 30-year-old Jehovah’s Witness in the city of...

Armenian Soldiers Killed After Ceasefire Breach

February 12, 2021 — 02/12/2021 Nagorno-Karabakh (International Christian Concern) – A recent report detailed the execution of 19-year-old Erik Gasparyan, an Armenian soldier who fought in the Nagorno-Karabakh (Armenian: Artsakh) war this past year. Gasparyan...

Armenia-Azerbaijan Meeting in Moscow Leaves Unanswered Questions

January 15, 2021 — 01/15/2021 Russia (International Christian Concern) - This week, the prime ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the peace agreement between the...

Students and Church in Russia Punished for Worship Videos

June 26, 2018 — ICC Note: Two African students from a Pentecostal church in Russia have been fined and ordered deported for being in videos of church worship services. In addition to punishing the...

Could Church Attacks in Chechnya Be the New Norm?

May 30, 2018 —

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05/29/2018 Washington, D.C. (International Christian Concern) – The Republic of Chechnya lies between the Caspian and Black Sea...

Russian Citizens Turned Families of ISIS Fighters Returning to North Caucasus Region

May 24, 2018 — ICC Note: Ramzan Kadyrov, appointed president of Chechnya appears to be seeking thousands of Russian citizens who are family members of ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria. Many of these...

Gunmen Attack Church in Chechnya

May 21, 2018 — ICC Note: Several days ago, four gunmen attacked Archangel Michael Church in Grozny, Chechnya. At least 1 churchgoer and 2 police officers were killed as well as all of the...

Russia’s Constitutional Court Clarifies Anti-Missionary Law

May 18, 2018 — ICC Note: Russia passed an anti-missionary amendment in 2016 to stop both foreign and domestic religious persons from spreading their beliefs. Anyone caught speaking, passing out religious literature, or any...

DoS Calls China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia “Morally Reprehensible” On Human Rights

April 22, 2018 — ICC Note: The State Department released global human rights report on April 20, calling out China, Russia, Iran and North Korea for their severe violation of human rights on a daily...

Russia Uses the Law to Restrict Religious Freedom

April 19, 2018 — ICC Note: Russian authorities are using administrative codes about missionary activities and land use policies to restrict freedom of religion. Two administrative codes prohibit ‘missionary’ activity which means talking about...

2017 USCIRF Report Denounces Russia’s Religious Freedom Violations

April 26, 2017 — ICC Note: As Russia continues to violate and infringe upon religious freedom, the United States Commission on Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2017 Annual Report, recommending that Russia be categorized...

US Pastor Charged for ‘Illegal’ Bible Study in Russia Appeals to European Court of Human Rights

March 30, 2017 — ICC Note: As previously reported, an American pastor, Donald Ossewaarde, was convicted under Russia’s recently implemented Yarovaya laws for “conducting illegal missionary activities.” He has made several appeals, reaching even...

American Missionary’s Case Reaches Russian Supreme Court

January 26, 2017 — ICC Note: Don Ossewaarde's case will be taken to the Russian Supreme Court, ideally within the coming months. In 2016, Ossewaarde was charged with violating Russia's Yarovaya law that enforced...

Protestant churches are the Secret Church in Central Asia

November 28, 2016 — ICC Note: A rise in Muslim radicalism and the anti-religious freedom agenda of governments in certain Central Asia regions have led to a grave persecution of the followers of Jesus...