A recent report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) accuses Russia of severe violations against religious minorities. The report details instances of persecution against various religious groups, including Ukrainian Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Christians, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Muslims. These violations include imprisonment, harassment, and destruction of religious properties. The report also highlights the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, noting the killing of religious leaders and damage to houses of worship.
15 days ago
Russia is perpetuating "particularly severe" religious liberty violations against minority groups both within its borders and in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, according to a new report from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) 2 3. The June 30 report, which covers violations throughout 2024 and early 2025, highlights continued "intense persecution" of Ukrainian Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Christians 2 3. USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler stated that Russia abuses "vague and problematic laws" to target religious communities that do not conform to state authority, asserting that there is "no religious freedom in Russia or [the] territories it occupies" 2 3.
The report identifies a wide range of groups targeted by Russian authorities, including Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Falun Gong Practitioners, Protestants, Ukrainian Christians, and Crimean Tatar Muslims 2 3. Within Russia, violations also extend to human rights activists, independent media, and anti-war protesters who belong to minority religious groups 2 3. The majority of Russia's population is Orthodox (72%), with Muslims making up 7%, atheists 5%, and 13% having no religious affiliation, while 3% belong to other groups 2 3.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has led to the most egregious religious liberty violations by the Russian state 2 3. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have reported the killing of at least 47 religious leaders and the damage or destruction of 640 houses of worship and religious sites since the February 2022 invasion 2 3. Russian de facto authorities have banned several churches, including the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and various Protestant denominations like Baptists, Pentecostals, and Seventh-day Adventists 2 3. Authorities are also pressuring Orthodox Christian communities to submit to the Russian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate 2 3. Specific instances include the alleged abduction and torture-to-death of OCU priest Stepan Podolchak and the demolition of the last OCU church in Crimea in July 2024 2 3. A United Nations human rights report also detailed the torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian Greek Catholic priests Ivan Levitsky and Bohdan Geleta while detained 2 3.
Russia employs laws against "illegal missionary activities" to persecute religious minorities, with 431 cases in 2024 resulting in nearly $60,000 in fines 2 3. An 85-year-old Polish Catholic priest, who had served in Russia for almost 30 years, was deported after losing his preaching documentation, and churches have been shut down under these laws 2 3. Anti-war protesters and religious leaders who express opposition to the war in religious terms are also targeted; for example, Pentecostal Pastor Nikolay Romanyuk was reportedly assaulted and arrested for an anti-war sermon, and Archbishop Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko was fined for an anti-war video 2 3. Christians are frequently denied alternative civilian service due to religious objections to military service 2 3.
Russian Muslims, particularly those accused of affiliation with Hizb ut-Tahrir, face terrorism charges without evidence of violence, leading to the prosecution of at least 352 people, including Crimean Tatar Muslims 2 3. Of 280 convicted, 119 received sentences of 15 years or more, and 131 received 10 to 14 years 2 3. Leaders and members of the Church of Scientology, labeled "extremist," along with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Falun Gong adherents, and members of the Allya Ayat spiritual movement, are also prosecuted for similar reasons 2 3.
How does the Church define religious freedom and persecution?
The Catholic Church defines religious freedom as a fundamental human right rooted in the dignity of the human person, encompassing both private and public expressions of faith, and views persecution as any unlawful coercion or punishment for religious reasons .
Religious freedom is understood as the immunity from coercion by individuals, social groups, or any human power, ensuring that no one is forced to act contrary to their beliefs, whether privately or publicly, alone or in association with others, within due limits . This right is not based on a subjective disposition but on human nature itself, as beings endowed with reason and free will, who are morally obligated to seek and adhere to the truth, especially religious truth .
Key aspects of the Church's understanding of religious freedom include:
Persecution, in the context of religion, is defined as the unlawful coercion of another's liberty or their unlawful punishment for religion's sake . The Church has historically suffered various forms of persecution, from ancient paganism to modern agnosticism, and even from other Christians .
Key aspects of the Church's understanding of persecution include: