Additional Name(s): Enrique Martínez Gamboa, Benito Enrique Martínez
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Health Concerns: Diabetes, hypertension, kidney problems, blood circulation problems
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: October/13/2022
Date of Release: February/9/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Criminal Premeditation & Conspiracy Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials
Enrique Martínez was detained for his religious leadership role.
On October 13, 2022, authorities reportedly violently arrested Martínez, the parish priest of St. Martha’s Church in Managua, at his home. Riot police reportedly entered his home forcibly, broke down the door to his room, beat him, and pushed him into a van. Martínez was reportedly charged with conspiracy and propagating false news. Martínez's arrest came amid a crackdown of fellow clergymen criticizing the government for its human rights violations, including religious freedom.
On February 9, 2023, Martínez was released from prison and exiled to the United States.
Martínez reportedly suffers from diabetes, hypertension, kidney problems, and blood circulation problems.
"Nicaragua: Priests, political prisoners deported to US" Independent Catholic News" (ICN)
"Arzobispo de Managua afirma que el diálogo con el Gobierno de Daniel Ortega no se puede detener" Cable News Network (CNN)
"Acusan por “conspiración” y “noticias falsas” a sacerdote Enrique Martínez Gamboa" Confidencial
"The violent arrest of Father Enrique Martínez Gamboa" Confidencial
"Another Catholic priest has been ‘kidnapped’ by Nicaragua’s government, says exiled churchman" Catholic News Agency (CNA)
Additional Name(s): Богдана Гелети
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Health Concerns: Diabetes
Date of Detainment: November//2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Bohdan Geleta is detained for his religious leadership role.
In November 2022, Russian forces in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Ukraine, reportedly abducted Geleta, a priest and employee of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, and Ivan Levitsky, a hieromonk and rector of that same church. Their abductions reportedly occurred on or around November 16, 2022, with Russian forces searching the church's premises around that same time.
On November 24, 2022, it was revealed in Russian media that Russian forces had detained the two priests and accused them of "subversive" and "partisan" activities directed against Russian forces after allegedly discovering explosives, weapons, and "prohibited literature" on church premises. According to the Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Donetsk, the accusations levied against the two seem to be in retaliation to Ukrainian authorities searching the Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, which is under the authority of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
In February 2024, Forum 18 reported that Geleta is being held in a prison in Russian-occupied Crimea, Ukraine.
Geleta reportedly suffers from diabetes.
Related Cases: Ivan Levitsky
Photo attributed to Information Department of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC)
"OCCUPIED UKRAINE: "Disappeared" Greek Catholic priests in Russian Investigation Prisons?" Forum 18
"OCCUPIED UKRAINE: Russian occupation forces continue to disappear religious leaders" Forum 18
USCIRF Commissioners Abraham Cooper and Susie Gelman, Tweet, August 30, 2023
USCIRF Issue Update: Russia’s Religious Freedom Violations in Ukraine July 2023
"OCCUPIED UKRAINE: After 4 months, are "disappeared" Greek Catholic priests still alive?" Forum 18
"Єпископ УГКЦ просить посилити молитви за визволення з російського полону двох священиків-редемптористів" Religious Information Service of Ukraine
USCIRF Hearing: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Implications for Religious Freedom March 15, 2023
"OCCUPIED UKRAINE: 'There is no one to replace the arrested priests'" Forum 18
"Russian invaders abduct two Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests from Berdiansk and accuse them of ‘terrorism’" Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KHPG)
"UGCC demands urgent release of illegally arrested priests in Berdyansk: official statement" Religious Information Services of Ukraine (RISU)
"ОФІЦІЙНА ЗАЯВА ДОНЕЦЬКОГО ЕКЗАРХАТУ УГКЦ З ПРИВОДУ НЕЗАКОННОГО АРЕШТУ СВЯЩЕННИКІВ У БЕРДЯНСЬКУ" Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Donetsk
Additional Name(s): Івана Левицького
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Russia
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Date of Detainment: November//2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Ivan Levitsky is detained for his religious leadership role.
In November 2022, Russian forces in Berdiansk, Zaporizhzhia oblast, Ukraine, reportedly abducted hieromonk Levitsky, rector of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, and Father Bohdan Geleta, an employee of the same church. Levitsky's abduction reportedly occurred on or around November 16, 2022, with Russian forces searching the church's premises around that same time.
On November 24, 2022, it was revealed in Russian media that Russian forces had detained the two priests and accused them of "subversive" and "partisan" activities directed against Russian forces after allegedly discovering explosives, weapons, and "prohibited literature" on church premises. Russian media also claimed that Levitsky had called on people sabotage and resist Russian forces and had held prayers in support of Ukrainian forces and the government. According to the Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Donetsk, the accusations levied against the two seem to be in retaliation to Ukrainian authorities searching the Pechersk Lavra in Kyiv, which is under the authority of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
In February 2024, Forum 18 reported that Levitsky is being held in a prison in Russia's Rostov region.
Related Cases: Bohdan Geleta
Photo attributed to Information Department of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC)
"OCCUPIED UKRAINE: "Disappeared" Greek Catholic priests in Russian Investigation Prisons?" Forum 18
"OCCUPIED UKRAINE: Russian occupation forces continue to disappear religious leaders" Forum 18
USCIRF Commissioners Abraham Cooper and Susie Gelman, Tweet, August 30, 2023
USCIRF Issue Update: Russia’s Religious Freedom Violations in Ukraine July 2023
"OCCUPIED UKRAINE: After 4 months, are "disappeared" Greek Catholic priests still alive?" Forum 18
"Єпископ УГКЦ просить посилити молитви за визволення з російського полону двох священиків-редемптористів" Religious Information Service of Ukraine
USCIRF Hearing: Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Implications for Religious Freedom March 15, 2023
"OCCUPIED UKRAINE: 'There is no one to replace the arrested priests'" Forum 18
"Russian invaders abduct two Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests from Berdiansk and accuse them of ‘terrorism’" Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KHPG)
"UGCC demands urgent release of illegally arrested priests in Berdyansk: official statement" Religious Information Services of Ukraine (RISU)
"ОФІЦІЙНА ЗАЯВА ДОНЕЦЬКОГО ЕКЗАРХАТУ УГКЦ З ПРИВОДУ НЕЗАКОННОГО АРЕШТУ СВЯЩЕННИКІВ У БЕРДЯНСЬКУ" Ukrainian Catholic Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Donetsk