(Christianity Today) The US State Department has added Russia to its list of nations it considers among the world’s most egregious violators of religious freedom.
Russia joins Myanmar (referred to as Burma on the list), China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan on the 2021 list of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC).
The most controversial change: Nigeria, which was finally added to the top-tier CPC list last year, is no longer included.
Nor is the troubled West African nation listed on the second-tier “Special Watch List,” where Russia had been listed in the 2020 designations. Meanwhile, Algeria was added to the watchlist, joining Comoros, Cuba, and Nicaragua, which were also listed in 2020.