High School Official Released from Prison

Yuri Pak Photo: VOM USA
Yuri Pak
Photo: VOM USA

Yuri Pak was released from prison on June 17th. Yuri, a teacher, dean of a high school and local church leader was sentenced to two years in prison, after being convicted of making a false emergency services call. The accusations began in April 2015, when someone used Yuri's mobile phone to make a prank phone call to Kazakhstan's emergency services. (A previous report may be reviewed here.)

Authorities were quick to charge Yuri with making a bomb threat during that call and arrested him. Yet, during trial, the "evidence" against him was a two-minute-long recording of a man who was obviously drunk and using rough prison jargon. Expert witnesses testified that the caller's voice did not match Yuri's. Additionally, the caller makes reference to having spent ten years in prison and being angry at police. Yuri had not been in prison.

As a testimony to his character, Yuri's students came to his trial to support him. His pastor also wrote a letter of support and various local news stations reported on the spurious trial. Yet, even with all that support, he was sentenced to two years in prison, apparently in retaliation against his involvement in a Christian church.

While Yuri was in prison, many people wrote letters of support to him through VOM's website: www.prisoneralert.com. Yuri's wife Olga, responded by expressing her gratitude: "Our family is extremely grateful to each one of you for your prayers...words of encouragement and faith. (They) helped us to go through this difficult trial without losing our faith and courage. We believe that your labour is not in vain before the Lord."

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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.

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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.

    Read more...

  • 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.

    Read more...

  • 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.

    Read more...

  • 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.

    Read more...

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Kazakhstan Videos

 
Kazakhstan: New laws oppress Christianity
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