Pastors are facing pressure, fines, and arrests in Kazakhstan, according to a June 9 report from Forum18.
On June 8, Pastor Vasily Kliver was sentenced to five days in prison for "failure to carry out court decisions" after he refused to pay a fine for leading an unregistered congregation in the city of Aktobe. Prior to his sentencing, court officials searched Pastor Kliver's home for valuables to confiscate as payment for the fine. At last report, Pastor Kliver's wife, Maria, did not know where her husband was being detained. He is due for release on June 13.
Pastor Maksim Tashenov was fined on June 9 for participating in religious activity in a different region from where his own church in the city of Aktau is registered. Pastor Tashenov was visiting a church in the southern Kyzylorda Region in March when officials barged in, brought him to a police station and held him for several hours. He has been fined 12,000 Kazakh tenge (approximately $90 CAD) and his church has been banned for three months.
Pray that pastors in Kazakhstan facing difficulty will have grace, wisdom and endurance (1 Peter 5:10). Ask God to provide for the families of pastors who are fined or imprisoned for their Christian witness.
Learn more about suffering Christians in Kazakhstan.
Current Ministry Project
VOMC has come alongside project partners to offer an English camp as an opportunity for evangelism and outreach among youth and young adults. Camp participants are invited to embrace the Good News of the Gospel through the platform of the English Camps.
Ethnicity (%) Kazakh (Qazaq) (68), Russian (19.3), Uzbek (3.2), Ukrainian (1.5), Uighur (1.5), Tatar (1.1), German (1), Other (4.4)
Religion (%) Muslim (70.2), Christian (26.2), Buddhist (0.1), 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 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 re
Since the beginning of 2021, at least 20 cases have gone to court in Kazakhstan for holding religious meetings without state permission. The fines brought against them varied from three weeks' to four months' average wages. Amendments are also pres
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
Church member prays outside Grace Church. Photo: Grace Church via Forum 18
City officials in Kazakhstan's capital of Nur-Sultan have ordered the confiscation of the Grace Presbyterian Church building, as well as the place of worship being constructed on the same site for the Agape Pentecostal Church
Pastors are facing pressure, fines, and arrests in Kazakhstan, according to a June 9 report from Forum18.
Population
