CRACKDOWN?

LDS Church: Two Volunteers Detained in Russia

Church is concerned about the “circumstances surrounding their detention.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said two of its volunteers serving in Russia have been detained, local Utah news station KSL TV reports. Spokesman Eric Hawkins said the volunteers were detained in a church meetinghouse in Novorossiyk on Friday, and church officials are now working with local authorities for their release. “While we are grateful these young men are reportedly in good condition and are being treated well, we are troubled by the circumstances surrounding their detention,” Hawkins wrote in a statement. “They have both spoken to their parents. We will continue to work with local authorities and encourage the swift release of these volunteers.” In 2016, the church reportedly started calling its missionaries in Russia “volunteers” in response to a Russian law aimed at combating terrorism by placing restrictions on religious organizations in the country. According to The Moscow Times, Mormons are just one religious minority in Russia that feel the pressure amid the “crackdown.”