Friday, April 17, 2015

Europe’s ‘Unlikely Bible Belt’ Officially Disappears


Few Crimean religious groups recognized under Russian rule.

There were 1,546 official religious groups in Crimea when citizens of that region voted overwhelmingly last year to leave Ukraine and join Russia.

Today only about 14 remain, according to the religious liberty watchdog group Forum 18.

Under rules imposed last fall, all Crimean religious groups had to re-register with Russian authorities.

According to Forum 18, this included requiring their leaders to become Russian citizens, to join an existing centralized religious organization, or in some cases to pass a state religion expertise text.

Without registration, even simple day-to-day tasks have become difficult. Keep reading

Also see
CRIMEA: Only one percent of religious organisations re-registered

Photo credit: Pixabay, public domain

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