Photo: VOM Korea
In January, Ms. Park Tae-Yeon was planning to return to her home country of South Korea after compassionately ministering to children for many years in eastern Russia as a missionary. However, one week before her scheduled departure, Ms. Park was detained by Russian authorities and charged with immigration-related offences. (See more information on her arrest.)
On October 8th, the 70-year-old believer was sentenced to a total of five years and eight months in a general-regime correctional colony. (A Russian co-defendant, Zinaida Ustinova, received a six-year suspended sentence with five years' probation.) The court also ruled that the number of months Ms. Park had already spent at a detention centre for foreign nationals would not be credited towards her sentence. When delivering the court's verdict, an appointed judicial representative only cited the formal charges; not the reasoning behind the sentencing. Hopefully, the official written judgement, which was expected to arrive within days of the hearing, will provide a proper explanation.
The court's harsh sentencing has been described as "extraordinary" for an immigration violation. During an interview with Mission Network News, Dr. Eric Foley of VOM Korea stated, "If there was an immigration violation…normally the person would simply be kicked out of the country, especially if they had a plane ticket in their hand and were 70 years old." Considering that Ms. Park was questioned during the trial about her faith, as well as the ministry organization that she had been serving, Dr. Foley suspects that other factors may have contributed to the prosecution.
Although an appeal to a higher court has been planned, the detained believer will remain in custody pending the outcome. If the initial sentence is upheld, Ms. Park would likely be transferred to a women's correctional colony in Zaozernoye, a village near the city of Khabarovsk, where the missionary had been working with Child Evangelism Fellowship. Incidentally, this organization was added to the Russian government's list of "undesirable" organizations this past July.
- Pray that the planned appeal will be successful, allowing for Ms. Park's due release from imprisonment and safe return to her home country as originally intended.
- While this believer awaits a hopeful favourable outcome to the future appeal hearing, may she remain deeply aware of the Lord's comforting presence – strengthening, encouraging and sustaining her daily with His perfect peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
- Despite the Russian government's efforts to intensify restrictions against religious organizations, pray that those serving in Christian ministries will faithfully proclaim the "Good News of the Gospel" with courage, wisdom and perseverance.
