Russia continues to perpetrate “particularly serious” violations of religious freedom against minority groups both within its territory and in the Ukraine areas that it maintains occupied, according to a new report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
The report, Posted on June 30documents violations of religious freedom during all 2024 and the first months of 2025, and concludes that the “intense persecution” continues against Uritodox Christians Ukrainian, Catholics and Protestants.
Receive the main news of ACI Press by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social networks. Subscribe to our free channels today:
Within the Russian borders, the report also denounces numerous violations of religious freedom against human rights activists, independent media, manifesters against war and other members of minority religious groups.
“The Russian authorities abuse vague and problematic laws to persecute religious communities that do not conform to the power of the State,” said the president of the USCIRF, Vicky Hartzler, in a statement to CNA – an English assistance from Ewtn News.
“They persecute Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Pharmons, Protestants, Ukrainian Christians, Muslims Tartars of Crimea and many others that Moscow considers a threat to its dictatorial control,” added the former congressman of Missuri. “There is no religious freedom in Russia or in the territories it occupies.”
Approximately 72% of Russians are orthodox, 7% Muslims, 5% atheists, and 13% have no religious affiliation. About 3% belong to other religious groups.
Persecution against Ukrainian Christians
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has resulted in the most serious violations of religious freedom by the Russian State.
According to the report, non -governmental organizations have documented the murder of at least 47 religious leaders since the invasion initiated in February 2022. In addition, some 640 churches and religious sites have been damaged or destroyed in that period.
The report indicates that the “Russian de facto authorities have banned” several churches, such as the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (IAU), the Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses and various Protestant groups, including Bautistas, Pentecostal and Adventists of the seventh day.
The Russian authorities have pressed Orthodox communities and leaders to submit to the Patriarchy of Moscow, the document points out.
Among the cases registered, the report denounces that “Russian forces allegedly kidnapped and tortured the priest Stepan Podolchak, of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.” Russia is also accused of having demolished the last church of that confession in Crimea, in July 2024.
Likewise, the report refers to a UN Human Rights Report which documents “torture and ill-treatment” against the Greco-Catholic priests Ukrainians Iván Levitsky and Bohdan Geleta, during their detention between November 2022 and June 2024.
“One of the priests denounced having been regularly beaten, forced to remain in prolonged stress positions and dragged long distances on asphalt,” the report says.
Persecution within Russia
The document warns that Russia has used laws against “alleged illegal missionary activities” to persecute religious minorities for their faith. In 2024, the Russian courts discussed 431 cases under these laws, which resulted in fines for almost 60,000 dollars.
In one of the cases, Russia deported a 85 -year -old Polish Catholic priest who had served almost 30 years in the country, after she lost her documentation to preach. Churches have also been closed based on this legislation.
The report also details the persecution of protesters against war and religious leaders for expressing their opposition to the conflict from religious perspectives.
One of the aforementioned cases is that of the Pentecostal pastor Nikolay Romanyuk, who would have been “physically and arrested” by the Russian police after pronouncing a sermon against the war. Another case is that of Archbishop Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko, of the Apostolic Orthodox Church, who was fined 369 dollars to publish a video in which he criticized the Russian invasion of Ukraine using a biblical story.
Regarding military service, the report indicates that Christians with religious conscientious objections are frequently denied the possibility of performing an “alternative civil service”.
Violations against Muslims and other groups
The report also documents numerous violations against Russian Muslims. According to USCirf, those who belong or are accused of belonging to the Hizb UT-Tahrir group have been charged with terrorism “without evidence or even accusations that they have incited or committed violent acts.”
At least 352 people have been prosecuted for alleged affiliation to Hizb Ut-Tahrir, including Muslims Tartars of Crimea. Of the 280 convicted, 119 received sentences of 15 years or more, and 131 sentences between 10 and 14 years in prison.
Russia has also prosecuted leaders and members of the Church of Cienciology – called as “extremist” -, as well as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Falun Gong practitioners and members of the Allya Ayat spiritual movement for similar reasons.
Translated and adapted by ACI Press. Originally published in CNA.
Tyler Arnold
Tyler Arnold is a reporter of the National Catholic Register. He previously worked at The Center Square and has published in various media, including The Associated Press, National Review, The American Conservative and The Federalist.