Religious Freedom Tightening in Former Soviet Republics (COLUMN)

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By Martin Roth, BosNewsLife Senior Columnist martyr MOSCOW, RUSSIA (BosNewsLife Columns)-- The 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union sparked hopes among Christians for a new era of religious freedom. Sadly, these dreams have been only partially realized. This has been confirmed in the 2016 Open Doors World Watch List of the 50 countries where Christians are most severely persecuted for their faith.

NEWS ALERT: Azerbaijan Increasing Fines For ‘Unauthorized’ Worship; Missionaries Face Deportation

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By BosNewsLife News Center with BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos in Budapest BAKU/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Devoted Christians and foreign missionaries in Azerbaijan have begun 2011 amid concerns about their future after parliament agreed to increase fines up to 16 times for unauthorized worship and evangelism.

NEWS WATCH: Armenia Cuts Ties With Hungary Over Soldier Row

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife reporting from Budapest, Hungary BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- Armenia says it is cutting all ties with Hungary for allowing an Azerbaijani military officer who killed an Armenian colleague to return home, where he was immediately pardoned and freed by his country's president.

NEWS WATCH: Hungary Condemns Azerbaijan In Soldier Row; Armenia Talks Of War

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife reporting from Budapest, Hungary BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- The Hungarian government on Monday, September 3, condemned a decision by Azerbaijan to immediately pardon and release an officer convicted of murder, after he was extradited from Hungary.

Azerbaijan Pastor Receives “Corrective Labor” Sentence

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By BosNewsLife Correspondents Stefan J. Bos and David Haggith nevtelenBAKU/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife) -- A well-known Baptist pastor in Azerbaijan was weighing his legal options Monday, February 23, after receiving a two-year "corrective labor" sentence for allegedly possessing an "illegal" weapon, trial observers said.

Police Seize Bibles Of Azerbaijan Evangelicals; Several Fined

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By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest BUDAPEST/BAKU (BosNewsLife)-- Scores of Evangelical Christians in Azerbaijan were without Bibles Saturday, May 28, after security forces raided two churches in the seaside city of Sumgai where they also fined church members for unauthorized worship, Christians said.

Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan Crackdown On Evangelical Churches

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By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest BAKU/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Authorities in Azerbaijan continued preparations Tuesday, March 13, to close down an evangelical church in the first such reported incident since the former Soviet republic introduced harsh religious legislation in 2009, rights activists said.

Azerbaijan Christians Appeal Closure Of Protestant Church

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By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest BAKU/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Devoted Christians on Tuesday, August 14, prepared to go to Azerbaijan's Supreme Court after a lower tribunal upheld a decision to close down their Baku Greater Grace Protestant Church, adding to concerns about a reported crackdown on Protestants in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan Demands Closure Protestant Church

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By Joseph DeCaro, BosNewsLife International Crrespondent BAKU/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)– A congregation of protestant Christians in the Azerbajani capital Baku potentially faced its last public Sunday worship service April 22, as authorities have threatened to "liquidate" the church, rights activists said.

Georgia Detains Christian Evangelist After Preaching To Muslims, Activists Say

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By BosNewsLife News Center Georgia-map-in-europeBAKU/TBILISI (BosNewsLife)-- Christian activists have urged prayers for a frail Christian evangelist from Azerbaijan who has been spending a year behind bars in neighboring Georgia on what his supporters say are "trumped up charges" of drugs possession. If convicted the man could face 14 years imprisonment, Christians said.