Russian Court Sentences Ukrainian Priest to 14 Years in Hard Labor for Alleged Espionage

Russian Court Sentences Ukrainian Priest to 14 Years in Hard Labor for Alleged Espionage

An imprisoned Ukrainian Orthodox Church priest, the Rev. Kostiantyn Vyacheslavovich Maksimov, has been sent to a hard labor camp in Russia to serve a 14-year sentence based on false espionage charges. The priest lost a closed court appeal of his conviction by a Russian-controlled Supreme Court, leading to his transfer from his parish in Tokmak, located in the Zaporizhzhia Region of Ukraine, to a labor camp in Saratov, Russia, on February 11.
  • Over 60 Persecuted Christians Arrested in Bangkok; 40 Uighurs Sent Back to China
    Thai authorities in Bangkok have arrested more than 60 Montagnard Christian migrants facing persecution in Vietnam and deported 40 Uighur ethnic minorities back to China. The group consists of 68 Montagnard Christians, including men, women, children, and at least one pregnant woman, all of whom were apprehended on Sunday during a memorial gathering near the Thai capital that involved prayer and worship.
  • Fifty Christians Targeted in Violent Assault at Indian Church Service
    Fifty Christians were attacked during a Sunday service in Rajasthan, India when a group of approximately 200 individuals stormed a church building in Bikaner City. Several attendees suffered injuries after being struck with iron rods, and the assailants vandalized the property before police arrived. The attack, which occurred near the end of the service on February 16, left three worshippers severely injured while many others sustained bruises.

Ukrainian Patriarch Voices Concerns for Church's Survival Amid ‘Russian Imperial Ambitions’

The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church warned attendees in Washington last week that his church would not survive if Russia succeeds. Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk took part in a discussion at the Hudson Institute to explore lasting peace in Ukraine, joined by Borys Gudziak, the metropolitan archbishop of Philadelphia, and Archpriest Marc Morozovich, with the event moderated by Nina Shea, director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom.
  • Archaeologists Discover Rich Hoard of Artifacts and Coins at German Medieval Church
    Renovations of a medieval church in Germany have led to the discovery of more than 1,000 artifacts, some of which date back to the church's founding in the 13th century. Excavations at St. Mary's Church in Gardelegen began in June 2022 to install a new underfloor heating system. The excavation work continued until September 2023, covering an area of 145 square meters and reaching a depth of approximately 40 centimeters.
  • JD Vance Condemns Anti-Free Speech and Anti-Christian Discrimination in Munich
    U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance criticized European governments for their suppression of free speech and discrimination against Christians. He urged leaders across Europe to halt the ongoing crackdown on conservative voices and religious freedoms. Vance pointed out that conservatives have faced investigations, arrests, prosecutions, or fines for protesting against abortion and expressing their views on social media.
  • European Parliament Urges Release of Nigerian Musician Imprisoned for Blasphemy
    The European Parliament has reiterated its call for the immediate release of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, a young Sufi musician imprisoned for blasphemy in Nigeria, while urging the repeal of the blasphemy laws that support his detention. Sharif-Aminu is facing the death penalty for allegedly circulating song lyrics deemed blasphemous under Kano state's blasphemy laws.
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  • Formerly Pardoned Christians Re-Arrested in Iran After Years in Prison

    Two Christians who were previously released from prison in Iran were re-arrested last Thursday, according to advocacy group Article 18. Intelligence agents took Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and Joseph Shahbazian from their homes in Tehran province and returned them to Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, along with other Christians detained for their faith.

  • Patriarch Emphasizes Christians' Critical Role in Syria's Reconstruction

    Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, the supreme head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, has presented a vision for how Christians worldwide can help rebuild Syria under Islamist-led rebel control. Speaking at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, the patriarch called on the international community to assist in Syria’s reconstruction.

  • US Pastor Successfully Delivers 23 Tons of Rice to Gaza's Christians

    An American pastor has described how he and several partners miraculously delivered 23 tons of rice to Christians sheltering in churches in Gaza. Pastor William Devlin, the missions pastor of Infinity Bible Church in the South Bronx, New York, declared that he believed the Lord would provide the means to deliver the rice.

  • EU Warns Pakistan's Trade Status Over Human Rights Concerns

    Pakistan's preferential trade status could be at risk if it fails to address human rights issues, including controversial blasphemy laws, forced marriages and conversions of religious minority girls, and freedom of religion, according to a European Union (EU) delegation. The delegation, led by EU Special Representative on Human Rights Olof Skoog, issued a warning in a press statement on Friday, indicating that Pakistan should not take its Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status for

  • Pakistan's Christian Twin Brothers Cleared of Blasphemy Allegation

    A court in Pakistan has cleared Christian twin brothers of false blasphemy charges, as the prosecution was unable to provide sufficient evidence against them. Eighteen-year-old Christian twin brothers Sahil Shahid (Kalu) and Raheel Shahid (Tabish) were prosecuted for false blasphemy accusations but were recently released from prison, according to their attorney Javed Sahotra.

  • Protestant Pastor Detained in Vietnam for Allegedly Spreading Anti-State Messages

    Vietnamese authorities have arrested 71-year-old Pastor Nguyen Manh Hung in Ho Chi Minh City, charging him with spreading “anti-state propaganda.” According to Radio Free Asia, the police conducted a raid on Pastor Nguyen's home, reportedly cutting off electricity before entering.

  • Iranian Christians Experience Sixfold Surge in Prison Sentences in 2024

    Three Christians who were rearrested for their faith in Iran were subjected to torture, as it has been revealed that prison sentences for Christians in the country increased sixfold in 2024, according to a recent report. Article 18, a London-based religious freedom NGO, released its annual report this month detailing rights violations against Christians in Iran.

  • Ancient Structure from First Temple Period Discovered in Jerusalem's City of David

    A structure used for ritual religious practices from the First Temple Period has been uncovered on the eastern slope of the City of David, according to All Israel News. The structure uncovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority consists of eight rock-hewn rooms, including a standing stone (matzeva), an olive oil press, and a winepress, all used to provide oil and wine for rituals.
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