Jan 12, 2023

Governments around the world use many different strategies to control or repress religion, but a common tactic is for the state to elevate a particular religion to a special status in ways that can marginalize different faiths or belief systems. USCIRF’s recently released report, “A Global Overview of Official and Favored Religions and Global Implications for Religious Freedom,” looks at 78 countries that identify an official or favored religion and subsequently enforce that religion, or a particular interpretation of that religion, through the law. While several countries that maintain these relevant laws do not enforce them or even have a legal framework to enforce them, some countries take these laws seriously and are, in fact, some of the worst violators of freedom of religion or belief. 

Kurt Werthmuller, Supervisory Policy Analyst and author of this report, joins us today to discuss the findings of this report.

Read the full report on “A Global Overview of Official and Favored Religions and Global Implications for Religious Freedom”

Additional Name(s): Aleksandr Vasiliyevich Votyakov, Вотяков Александр Васильевич

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: December/14/2022

Date of Release: August/7/2023

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: House Arrest

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism

Aleksandr Votyakov

Extra Bio Info:

Aleksandr Votyakov was under house arrest for his religious belief and activity. 

On December 14, 2022, authorities in Izhevsk detained Votyakov after searching his home. Authorities charged him with “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC) and accused him of holding religious services and studying a religious publication. 

On December 15, 2022, Votyakov was placed under house arrest.

On August 7, 2023, Votyakov 's house arrest was lifted.

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Additional Name(s): Yevgeniy Vladimirovich Bitusov, Битусов Евгений Владимирович

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Russia

Religion or Belief: Christian – Jehovah's Witness

Sentence: 6 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: December/28/2022

Date of Sentencing: December/28/2022

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Discussing Religion & Religious Texts

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Extremism

Yevgeniy Bitusov

Extra Bio Info:

Yevgeniy Bitusov is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity. 

On December 28, 2022, the Zeya District Court of the Amur Region sentenced Bitusov to six years in prison for “organizing the activities of a public or religious association or other organization in respect of which a court has adopted a final decision to liquidate or ban activities in connection with extremist activities” (Art. 282.2-1 RCC). Bitusov was accused of holding religious services, which included discussing the Bible. Bitusov was taken into custody following the verdict.

On March 31, 2023, the Amur Regional Court upheld Bitusov's sentence.

On March 19, 2024, the judicial panel of the Ninth Court of Cassation of General Jurisdiction in Vladivostok upheld Bitusov's sentence.

Related Cases: Leonid Druzhinin

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