MINSK, Belarus — With seven months left in the government-mandated re-registration period, only one of 3,500 previously approved faith groups in Belarus has been granted official status.
RELATED: Read more stories on the persecuted church here.
The rights group Forum 18 reports that July 5, 2025, is the deadline. Courts will liquidate any faith group that has not re-registered by that time or does not meet requirements prescribed in the newer religion law signed Dec. 30, 2023. The newer law, which went into effect July 5, 2024, imposes even greater restrictions upon faith groups than the previous law did. With the newer law, faith groups were also given a year to re-register.
Belarus prohibits faith groups or religious activities without government approval. Under Criminal Code Article 193-1, a group or individual can be fined or imprisoned for violations, states Forum 18.
In order to re-register, “religions will have to support state ideology,” a Protestant pastor told Forum 18. “This means they will have to place the state above God. When we lodge re-registration applications, it will look like we support the government in this.”
The new law also requires a faith group to have at least 20 local adults as members, meaning those in villages may not meet application criteria.
Share with others: