Appeal Fails to Halt Seizures

New Life Curch - Photo: Ivan Kryukov
New Life Church property in Almaty
Photo: Ivan Kryukov (cc)

On September 17th, a court in the city of Almaty upheld an earlier decision to seize two buildings owned by the New Life Protestant Church. The facilities were being used for worship, as well as a means of support for those suffering from drug and alcohol dependency.

The seizure follows the arrests and convictions of the church's three pastors. In November of last year, they were sentenced to terms of up to five years for allegedly "causing psychological harm" and having involvement in illegal associations (read more). As part of the court ruling, the properties belonging to the church were also confiscated.

Since the seized church properties were not owned by the accused pastors, and as the church had no legal representation in court when the ruling was made, the church intends to file a complaint. In addition, there are plans to appeal the conviction of the pastors, which will have a bearing on the outcome concerning the church properties.

In a separate incident, the Grace Church in Nur-Sultan went to court to challenge the legalities relating to the confiscation of their property, as the government had seized it to make room for a kindergarten (see this page). However, on September 7th, the judge rejected their lawsuit. The church was given one month to file an appeal. For more on the difficulties facing Kazakh Christians, go to our country report.

Pray that the courts will recognize the positive impact these churches have had on their communities and thus rule equitably. Ask the Lord to grant wisdom to the leaders of both churches as they work their way through the legal mazes before them. May the Lord be their "refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," also ministering in this manner to their families and congregation members (Psalm 46:1). As they await God's vindication, may they seize every opportunity they are given to share their faith with others.

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  • Country Information

    Population
    19,543,464 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Kazakh (Qazaq) (69.6), Russian (17.9), Uzbek (3.3), Uighur (1.5), Ukrainian (1.3), Tatar (1), Other (5.3) (2022 est.)

    Religion (%)
    Muslim (70.2), Christian (26.2), Other (0.2), Atheist (2.8), Unspecified (0.5)

    Leader
    President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (2019)

    Government type
    Presidential republic

    Legal system the theory and practice of the Russian Federation
    Civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and b

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Kazakhstan

    Pray that authorities will cease their harassment of unregistered church communities. Until then, pray believers will effectively minister the gospel despite opposition.

    Pray for endurance for those believers facing these challenges.

    Pray for the adage “To be a Kazakh is to be a Muslim” to be broken; pray for freedom from historic spiritual bondages and prejudices.

Kazakhstan News

  • Multiple Raids of Unregistered Gatherings
    Two people are studying Bibles while sitting at a mosaic style tabletop. No faces can be seen.
    A Bible study in Kazakhstan
    Photo: VOMC

    Police in the Shu district of southern Kazakhstan raided four worship gatherings during the months of March and April, resulting in a total of seven fines being laid. During the raids, officers filmed those who were present and demanded that they provide written statements explaining the reasons for their gatherings. These raids affected the worship activities of three unregistered Protestant churches.

  • Banking Access Blocked for Church
    Panoramic view of Talgar
    Talgar, Kazakhstan
    Photo: Wikipedia / Makvlad (cc)

    For the past five years, the New Life Pentecostal Church has encountered repeated problems while trying to gain access to banking services – to the point of the recurring situation being described as "incomprehensible." With no access, the church administration has had difficulties paying necessary taxes, along with numerous other challenges.

  • Civil Suits Used in Religious Opposition
    Balance scales and gavel representing justice, with Kazakh money (called Tenge) under the gavel's block

    As a recent spate of civil suits have been launched against religious groups in Kazakhstan, some human rights experts are suspecting that state officials may be instigating the legal action, or at least providing support. If accurate, this would be a new way for the Kazakhstan government to take action against the religious minority groups they oppose.

  • Parliament Debates New Religious Restrictions
    Kazakhstan Senate - Photo: Wikipedia / SenateKZ
    Kazakhstan Senate
    Photo: Wikipedia / SenateKZ (cc)

    On October 6th, amendments to Kazakhstan's religious laws were approved by the Parliament and then passed on to the Senate. The legislation added new restrictions to religious events conducted outside a building of worship owned by a registered religious organization. Already, any religious community not in receipt of an official state registration is presently being banned, and the process of obtaining such registration has proven to be very difficult. Under the new amendments, any activity taking place at a different location from that of the registered place of worship will require approval at least ten business days in advance, along with a detailed explanation of what the event is to entail. The approval of these religious events rests with local officials who could withhold permission for many reasons.