Rights group says regime targets religious liberty over war in Ukraine

June 13, BPN. A Norwegian human rights organization has said the Belarusian regime’s religious freedom violations are now centered around those opposing Russia’s hostilities in Ukraine.

“The regime’s current main focus of its freedom of religion and belief and related human rights violations is monitoring, threatening and punishing religious leaders and people opposing Russia’s renewed war against Ukraine and the Belarusian regime’s role in this,” Forum 18 said on its website.

One example it cited was Andrej Nozdryn, an Orthodox priest summoned for a “preventive conversation” with the police after complaints from informers about his anti-war position. The church then transferred the priest serving in Hrodna to a small village.

“The regime has similarly targeted other Orthodox and Catholic priests,” Forum 18 said.