Jack Bethel

Religious Freedom Correspondent

Articles by Jack Bethel

2 days ago

Europe 2 days ago

Russia begins demolishing of church building in occupied Crimea

By Jack Bethel

Russian occupation forces began dismantling a worship building of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) in the Crimean city of Yevpatoria on Sunday (July 21), according to published reports.
8 days ago

Asia Europe 8 days ago

Azerbaijan destroys Christian sites, heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh

By Jack Bethel

Azerbaijan is guilty of “cultural genocide” for destroying Christian sites in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and falsely claiming that Armenian religious presence there never existed, according to a report by a legal advocacy group.
19 days ago

Europe 19 days ago

Protestant sentenced to prison in occupied Ukraine; arrested priest disappears

By Jack Bethel

A Ukrainian Protestant in her early 50s has received a seven-year jail term for remarks at a home prayer meeting in a Russian-occupied city, while a Ukrainian Orthodox Church priest has disappeared following his arrest, according to Forum 18.
1 month ago

Europe 1 month ago

‘Terror attacks’ kill Russian Orthodox priest, others in Dagestan

By Jack Bethel

Three days of mourning have begun in Russia’s predominantly Muslim Republic of Dagestan after a spate of terror attacks on Sunday (June 23) left a Russian Orthodox priest, three other civilians and at least 15 police officers dead, Russian officials said.
1 month ago

Europe 1 month ago

‘Foreign agents law’ in Georgia takes aim at churches

By Jack Bethel

The Georgia government has enacted a law that aims to persecute churches, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and independent media, according to a renowned law professor.
2 months ago

Asia Europe 2 months ago

Authorities in Russia tell archbishop to demolish church building

By Jack Bethel

Russian authorities want an elderly archbishop to pay for the demolition of his own church building for “repeated crimes” after he criticized the invasion of Ukraine.
2 months ago

Asia Europe 2 months ago

Crackdown on Baptists in Kazakhstan sparks fears of tighter religion laws

By Jack Bethel

A sharp escalation in police raids, arrests and fines in the past two months have traumatized Baptists in southern Kazakhstan, raising concerns about the future of religious liberty in the country.
3 months ago

Africa Europe 3 months ago

Tunisian Muslims charged with beating Christian in Italy

By Jack Bethel

Three Muslims from Tunisia were detained this month in Italy for beating and robbing a Christian convert from Islam because he attended a church, according to a watchdog group.
3 months ago

Europe 3 months ago

Russia’s crackdown on church leaders in Ukraine continues

By Jack Bethel

Church leaders in Russian-occupied Ukraine continue to face crackdowns, with one arrested for “missionary activities” and two others deported to Georgia.
4 months ago

Europe 4 months ago

Ukrainian priest could face prison for ‘espionage’

By Jack Bethel

A Ukrainian priest abducted by Russian occupiers nearly a year ago could face 12 years in prison after a secret court trial for alleged espionage, contrary to international law.
4 months ago

Europe 4 months ago

Pastor in Belarus jailed for calling for prayer to end war in Ukraine

By Jack Bethel

Authorities in Belarus this month sentenced a pastor to 15 days in jail for calling for prayer to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine after arresting him on Feb. 22, sources said.
5 months ago

Europe 5 months ago

Organized crime suspected in attempted poisoning of priest in Italy

By Jack Bethel

Decades of hostility by organized crime toward the Catholic Church in Italy allegedly surfaced anew when a priest who had received death threats found bleach in wine he was about to serve for Holy Communion.