Religious Freedom Tightening in Former Soviet Republics (COLUMN)
By Martin Roth, BosNewsLife Senior Columnist
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.
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. Kazakhstan Acquits Pastor; Azerbaijan Church Threatened With Closure
By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest
ASTANA/BAKU/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Kazakhstan's Supreme Court has acquitted an evangelical pastor on charges of "severe damage to health due to negligence” after praying for an ill man, but devoted Christians in another former Soviet republic, Azerbaijan, were awaiting whether a high court would ban their church, BosNewsLife learned Saturday, June 30
ASTANA/BAKU/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Kazakhstan's Supreme Court has acquitted an evangelical pastor on charges of "severe damage to health due to negligence” after praying for an ill man, but devoted Christians in another former Soviet republic, Azerbaijan, were awaiting whether a high court would ban their church, BosNewsLife learned Saturday, June 30
Evangelicals in Belarus and Kazakhstan Detained, Beaten, Fined
By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest
ASTANA/MINSK/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Evangelical Christians in Belarus and Kazakhstan faced increased pressure Friday, October 21, to halt unauthorized worship services after pastors were fined and churches raided in the former Soviet republics.
ASTANA/MINSK/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Evangelical Christians in Belarus and Kazakhstan faced increased pressure Friday, October 21, to halt unauthorized worship services after pastors were fined and churches raided in the former Soviet republics.
Kazakhstan Constitutional Council Objects “Restrictive” Religious Law
Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, BosNewsLife
BUDAPEST/ASTANA (BosNewsLife)-- A global Christian rights group welcomed a "landmark decision" by Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Council to reject as “unconstitutional” a draft law which would “further restrict freedom of religion and belief in the country," BosNewsLife learned Saturday, February 14.
BUDAPEST/ASTANA (BosNewsLife)-- A global Christian rights group welcomed a "landmark decision" by Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Council to reject as “unconstitutional” a draft law which would “further restrict freedom of religion and belief in the country," BosNewsLife learned Saturday, February 14. Crackdown On Evangelicals In Central Asian States
By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest with BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos
ASTANA/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Authorities in three Central Asian nations have launched a crackdown on evangelical Protestant churches and several believers are reportedly mistreated, fined and detained, BosNewsLife learned Wednesday, October 24.
ASTANA/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Authorities in three Central Asian nations have launched a crackdown on evangelical Protestant churches and several believers are reportedly mistreated, fined and detained, BosNewsLife learned Wednesday, October 24. Baptist Congregation Appeals Against Closure
By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest
DUSHANBE/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Members of a Baptist congregation in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe have appealed to the City Court against a ban on their activity, which was apparently imposed because they meet in a private home without state registration, BosNewsLife learned Wednesday, December 2.
DUSHANBE/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Members of a Baptist congregation in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe have appealed to the City Court against a ban on their activity, which was apparently imposed because they meet in a private home without state registration, BosNewsLife learned Wednesday, December 2. Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Sentences Pastors For Evangelism, Literature Distribution
By BosNewsLife News Center
ASTANA/TASHKENT/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Evangelical Christians in Central Asia remained concerned Tuesday, June 4, about the plight of Pastor Sharofat Allamova who was sentenced to 1.5 years "corrective labor" in Uzbekistan for distributing Christian literature while in neighboring Kazakhstan a pastor was detained after distributing red tea during communion, activists and missionaries said.
ASTANA/TASHKENT/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Evangelical Christians in Central Asia remained concerned Tuesday, June 4, about the plight of Pastor Sharofat Allamova who was sentenced to 1.5 years "corrective labor" in Uzbekistan for distributing Christian literature while in neighboring Kazakhstan a pastor was detained after distributing red tea during communion, activists and missionaries said. NEWS WATCH: Kazakhstan President Re-election Expected Amid Uncertainty
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent
ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev was set to renew his 26-year grip on power in elections on a pledge to offer the multi-ethnic Central Asian state economic and social stability in return for what rights groups call "systematic suppression" of opposition and devoted Christians.
ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN (BosNewsLife)-- Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev was set to renew his 26-year grip on power in elections on a pledge to offer the multi-ethnic Central Asian state economic and social stability in return for what rights groups call "systematic suppression" of opposition and devoted Christians. BosNewsLife Week In Review: Christians Battle Nazism, Starvation, Deadly Attacks (Dec.2-8)
By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- Devoted Christians in Hungary and the Middle East stood up against Nazism or Islamic extremism this week, while others worshiped Christ behind bars, between bomb explosions and in bitter cold conditions.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (BosNewsLife)-- Devoted Christians in Hungary and the Middle East stood up against Nazism or Islamic extremism this week, while others worshiped Christ behind bars, between bomb explosions and in bitter cold conditions. Christian Convert Faces 10 Years Imprisonment In Kazakhstan
By BosNewsLife News Center in Budapest with reporting by BosNewsLife's Stefan J. Bos
ASTANA/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- A court in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan has begun hearing the case against a Kazakh Christian convert who could face a long prison term on charges of "inciting religious hatred". Yqylas Qabduaqasov, 54, an active member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, was brought to the courtroom in the capital Astana Friday, October 9, in handcuffs, reporters said.
ASTANA/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- A court in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan has begun hearing the case against a Kazakh Christian convert who could face a long prison term on charges of "inciting religious hatred". Yqylas Qabduaqasov, 54, an active member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, was brought to the courtroom in the capital Astana Friday, October 9, in handcuffs, reporters said. 
