Bishop Rolando Álvarez, who was arrested in August 2022 and sentenced to 26 years in prison after refusing to leave the country, is also still in custody.
Ortega’s administration also expelled religious sisters such as the Missionaries of Charity and shut down Catholic schools and media organizations.
The report found that 20 members of the Catholic clergy were under arrest at some point in China throughout the year. However, the report also noted that “confirming the information is almost impossible” and some of the persecuted members of the clergy “remain unaccounted for after many years.” The number could be slightly higher or lower, according to the report.
At least five Catholic clergy and one woman religious were arrested in India in 2023, which was mostly driven by anti-conversion laws, which the report noted “impede the work of the Church.” All of them have been released but could still face charges and even prison time.
There have also been arrests in two European countries. The report found that 10 members of Catholic clergy were arrested in Belarus, three of whom are still imprisoned. Two Greek Catholic priests were also arrested by Russian forces in Ukraine, neither of whom have been released.
The kidnapping of clergy and religious sisters went down in 2023, according to the report, but the problem “remains significant.” The total number of kidnapped clergy and religious was 33 in 2023, which is down from 54 in 2022.
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