Uzbekistan Church Closes Because of Official Pressure
A Pentecostal Full Gospel congregation in Uzbekistan has decided to close down and halt all its activities in the wake of official pressure.
Christian Persecution – Russia & Former USSR
Imprisoned pastor transferred to harsher camp in Uzbekistan
After twice being punished in the isolation cell in his open work camp near Tashkent, imprisoned Pentecostal pastor Dmitry Shestakov is being transferred to a harsher labor camp to serve the rest of his punishment.
Belarus Christians Search For Worship Places After Police Raid Pentecostal Church
Embattled Protestant communities in Belarus on Tuesday, May 29, continued to search for locations to worship after special police raided a Pentecost service of a Pentecostal Church in the capital Minsk, local Christians and rights investigators said.
Pentecostal believers raided on Pentecost Sunday in Belarus church
Ten state officials raided the Pentecost service of John the Baptist Pentecostal Church in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, yesterday (May 27). Pastor Antoni Bokun was arrested, held overnight at a police station and fined 20 times the minimum monthly wage today (May 28) for holding an “unsanctioned mass meeting.”
Uzbekistan Protestant sentenced for “teaching religion”
A Pentecostal Christian in Uzbekistan faced a difficult Sunday, May 13, after receiving a two-year suspended prison sentence in Nukus, the capital of the Karakalpakstan autonomous republic in north-western Uzbekistan, on charges of teaching religion illegally, human rights watchers and local Christians confirmed.
Uzbekistan Pastor “Forced” To Withdraw Appeal Against Labor Camp Sentence
Authorities in Uzbekistan have forced evangelical Pastor Dmitri (David) Shestakov to withdraw an appeal against his sentence to four years labor camp, Protestant and other sources following the case said Thursday, May 3.
Uzbekistan Pastor Appeals Against Labor Camp Sentence; Journalist Jailed
A court in Uzbekistan on Tuesday, May 1, began hearing evangelical Pastor Dmitri (David) Shestakov’s appeal against his sentence to four-years in one of Uzbekistan’s open labor camps on controversial “religious extremism charges,” Christians close to the case said.
Uzbekistan Detains Evangelical Pastor; Jails Activist
An evangelical pastor remained detained in Uzbekistan Friday, April 27, after he was reportedly arrested in Muynak a city in Uzbekistan’s troubled region of Karakalpakstan, while an activist was sentenced to six years in jail.
Uzbekistan Pastor Appeals Against Labor Camp Sentence
Protestant pastor Dmitry Shestakov has appealed against the four-year sentence to one of Uzbekistan’s open labor camps which was imposed by authorities in retaliation for his Christian work, investigators and local Christians close to the case said Friday, March 23.
Uzbekistan: Pastor Condemned to Four Years in Uzbek Gulag
An Uzbek criminal court has sentenced Christian pastor Dmitry Shestakov to four years in a prison colony for alleged “illegal†religious activities.
Uzbekistan Sentences Prominent Protestant Pastor Shestakov To Four Years In Exile
Prominent Protestant pastor Dmitry Shestakov was sentenced Friday, March 9, to four years’ exile within Uzbekistan for his evangelistic activities, Christian rights watchers observing the trial said.
Uzbekistan: Police Seek Missing Pastors of ‘Unregistered’ Churches
Salavat Serikbayev, 32, and Makset Djabbarbergenov, 26, did not make their court date on Monday (February 26) in the regional capital of Nukus to face charges of leading an unregistered religious meeting. The pastors declined to make public the reason for their absence from court.
Uzbekistan: Officials Admit Arrest of Protestant Pastor
Uzbekista’s religious authorities admitted publicly for the first time this week that an Uzbek Christian pastor was arrested last month in the eastern city of Andijan and now faces criminal charges.
Uzbekistan “Harshening Crackdown” On Religious Freedom And Media, groups say
A major Christian rights group expressed concern Wednesday, February 7, about Uzbekistan’s “harshening crackdown on religious freedom.”
Uzbekistan Pastor Remains Jailed; Family in Hiding
An evangelical pastor remained behind bars in Uzbekistan Monday, February 5, more than two weeks after he was detained by secret police on charges of “incitement to hatred on national, racial or religious grounds.”
Azerbaijan Launches Crackdown On Growing Church Movement Of Ex-Muslims
Authorities in Azerbaijan have launched a crackdown on a church movement of ex-Muslims which grew from 40 to 18,000 members since the former Soviet republic gained independence in 1991, an organization supporting the reportedly persecuted Christian converts said Thursday, February 1.
Uzbekistan: Secret Police Arrest Andijan Pastor
Uzbek secret police arrested a Protestant pastor from his church in Andijan last weekend, seven months after a regional prosecutor had accused him of committing high treason.
Uzbekistan Secret Police Detains Protestant Pastor
Uzbekistan’s secret police detained Protestant Pastor Dmitry Shestakov at his church in the city of Andijan last weekend, after a regional prosecutor had accused him of “committing high treason,” a Christian news agency reported Thursday, January 25.
Russia Missionaries Fear Soviet-Era Persecution Under New Law
Missionaries and church leaders warned Thursday, August 11, that Russia’s new law on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) could lead to persecution of devoted Christians “reminiscent of the Soviet era.”
Uzbekistan Government “Attacking” Evangelical Christians; Churches Raided, Bibles Burnt
Evangelical Christians in Uzbekistan faced another tense day Wednesday, December 6, amid an ongoing media campaign against them, police raids in churches and reports that Bibles and other literature are burnt by authorities.