By mid-November, Azerbaijan's parliament will have adopted stricter amendments for those who produce or distribute religious literature. Heftier fines and long prison sentences will now be the punishment for those who do not submit their religious literature to compulsory state censorship before producing or distributing it, according to Voice of the Martyrs, Canada. Prison sentences will be as long as five years, and fines will be as high as nine years' official minimum wages, reports Forum 18 News. The new restrictions come just months after an amendment made to Azerbaijan's Religion Law. In June, the nation invoked a requirement for all religious communities that 50 adults must state that they are founders in order for the group to apply for registration. The law tightens its grip around religious necks each time an amendment is added, keeping Azerbaijan in the top 25 Most Persecuted countries in the world.
Pray: that these restrictions would not hinder the spread of Christian materials and the Gospel. (2Th.3:1)