{"id":205623,"date":"2026-09-29T23:31:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T20:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/205623\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T00:33:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T21:33:13","slug":"authorities-set-to-monitor-number-of-religious-believers","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/205623\/","title":{"rendered":"Authorities set to monitor number of religious believers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (president.gov.by)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

September 29, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Authorities should understand the processes that are taking place in society and know the actual number of believers and how to work with them, Aleh D\u017aja\u010denka, the newly appointed commissioner for religious and ethnic affairs, told reporters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u017aja\u010denka announced plans to carry out \u201cefficient ethnic and denominational monitoring\u201d in Belarus and cooperate with religious communities to promote spiritual, moral and family values and improve the demographic situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u017aja\u010denka stressed the need for compliance with regulations governing religious freedom, warning that their violations lead to \u201cdifficult situations\u201d in relations between ethnicities, religions and nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D\u017aja\u010denka was appointed by Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka on September 28 instead of Alaksandar Rumak, who had served as commissioner for religious and ethnic affairs since late 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2026, \u0141uka\u0161enka signed a law making the commissioner for religious affairs directly accountable to him rather than to the Council of Ministers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe change in status gives the commissioner\u2019s office broader opportunities to quickly coordinate and resolve necessary issues with other governmental agencies,\u201d the Belarusian ruler\u2019s press office said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many leaders of religious communities in Belarus and rank-and-file believers have faced politically motivated persecution after speaking out during the crisis that erupted following the 2020 presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, \u0141uka\u0161enka expanded the grounds for dissolving religious organizations and banned religious associations from expressing political positions that diverge from the official line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least 95 Christian ministers, including 37 Catholics, 29 Protestants, 21 Orthodox Christians and five Greek Catholics, faced some form of politically motivated persecution in Belarus between late 2020 and July 2026, according to Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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