Minsk
The Belarusian parliament has declared Russian Orthodoxy the state’s “determining” religion and outlawed all new, minority religions. Catholics, Jews, Muslims, and most Protestants may continue to worship in Belarus, because their faiths are considered traditional. But any religious organization that has not been established in Belarus “for at least 20 years” cannot distribute literature, recruit followers, or hold services—even in private homes. The law was aimed at curbing proselytizing by Jehovah’s Witnesses, who have been active in Eastern Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Pope seeks inquiry on if Gaza assault is 'genocide'Speed Read In a book for the Jubilee 2025, Pope Francis considers whether Israel's war in Gaza meets the legal definition of 'genocide'
-
Can Europe pick up the slack in Ukraine?Today's Big Question Trump's election raises questions about what's next in the war
-
Biden allows Ukraine to hit deep in RussiaSpeed Read The U.S. gave Ukraine the green light to use ATACMS missiles supplied by Washington, a decision influenced by Russia's escalation of the war with North Korean troops
