Praying for the Kingdom: Belarus

COUNTRY	Belarus
DESCRIPTION	Belarus became an independent country in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Although it is officially a republic, it is often called “Europe’s last dictatorship.” Under authoritarian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, the government maintains tight control over the country’s citizens, restricting freedoms of speech and the press, peaceful assembly and religion. Category: Restricted Nation Religion: Christian 70.5%, Non-Religious 28.1% Ideology: Communism (remaining influence) Head of State: President Aleksandr Lukashenko A 2002 religion law severely curtailed religious freedom, banning unregistered religious activity, meetings with fewer than 20 members and religious activity in private homes. Unapproved churches may not buy or rent property. All religious literature is subject to censorship. The Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches enjoy special status, while other denominations or religious groups have great difficulty operating openly. A number of religious leaders have been subjected to arbitrary arrest, harassment, fines and imprisonment. Nevertheless, the church is growing despite Belarus’s overall declining population. VOM is involved in printing literature for Belarus.
RELATED LINKS	Persecution.com Story - Belarus: Bishop Deported Persecution.com Story - Belarus: Church Evicted Persecution.com Story - Worldwide: Religious Freedom in 2012