Charity Worker Faces Police Death Threats in Uzbekistan

Marina Kalinkina, head of a registered charitable organisation Dustlig Kuprigi (Bridge of Friendship) has been facing harassment, a raid from the secret police, death threats, a large fine and the imprisonment of her father because of her religious beliefs, according to a July 19 report from Forum 18.

The harassment began in early June when a meeting in her home was disrupted by local police who claimed that the meeting was an illegal religious gathering.  Marina and her father, Nail Kalinkin, were taken to the police station where they were interrogated.  Nail was also beaten, threatened and insulted.  Following this incident, Marina and Nail faced daily phone calls from National Security Service (NSS) officers, including death threats.

On July 7, Marina was ordered to appear before the NSS for interrogation.  On the advice of lawyers, she did not go since there was no written summons.  On the morning of July 10, NSS officers appeared at her door, yelling at her before leaving a summons.  The next day she was interrogated for over two hours.  She was told she was participating in illegal charity work.  She was also warned that her treatment would be worse if she told international organizations about her suffering.

Marina has taken her case to the district attorney's office in Tashkent.  They refused to assist when they heard that the secret police were involved.  Marina denies the accusations that she is conducting religious activities.  She insists that the mandate of Dustlig Kuprigi is to help the elderly and poor.  When police raided their meeting in June, they were celebrating the birthday of an elderly man they had been assisting. She admits to discussing religious issues with her guests, but insists that it was a private gathering and not a religious meeting.

Pray that Marina and Nail will know God's strength as they face this continued harassment.  Pray for Christians throughout Uzbekistan who are facing persecution because of their faith in Christ.

For more information on the persecution facing Christians in Uzbekistan, click here.

Uzbekistan Information

  • Current Ministry Project

    VOMC has been working with project partners over the past couple of years to affirm and equip Christian women for continued ministry and to encourage unity among them.

    Project Fund: Equipping the Saints

  • Country Information

    Population
    31,360,836 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Uzbek (83.8), Tajik (4.8), Kazakh (2.5), Russian (2.3) Karakalpak (2.2), Tatar (1.5), other (4.4)

    Religion (%)
    Islam (88), Eastern Orthodox (9), other (3)

    Leader
    President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (2016)

    Government type
    Presidential republic; highly authoritarian

    Legal system
    Civil law system

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for Uzbekistan

    Thank you for praying on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Uzbekistan who are undergoing severe mistreatment by those governing over them. Ask the Lord to remind these persevering believers that they are truly His beloved children. As their Heavenly Father, He is the One who governs their souls and eternal destiny. May they have a heightened awareness of His abiding presence, everlasting love, help in times of trouble – and whatever else they specifically need – as conveyed through the infallible promises of His powerful Word.

Select a Region

Uzbekistan News

  • Easter Worship Services Raided
    Entry to a building; a pillar with intricate carvings is in the foreground.
    Pray for wisdom as Uzbek Christians gather.
    Photo: VOMC

    While members of the Baptist church in Karshi, Uzbekistan, were gathered for worship on Easter Sunday, April 9th, police broke open the door and forced their way inside. Using electrical prods, they incapacitated some of the attendees while others cried and prayed. Ten members, including young people, were taken to the police station where they were held in custody until mid-afternoon. The detained believers were released after records of offence were drawn up against them.

    Read more...

  • Christian Fined for Distributing Magazines
    Magazines

    This past Christmas, a neighbourhood celebration in Uzbekistan was hosted by Tatyana Akhmadiyeva, a member of a local Baptist church. At the event, she offered Christian magazines to 15 of her neighbours. Local authorities received a report about the distribution and summoned Tatyana for questioning. She was told that the publications had been imported illegally, since they had not been evaluated by the "Struggle with Extremism and Terrorism Department." As a result, the officials confiscated the magazines, which they claimed were unlawfully distributed, and fined Tatyana the equivalent of two weeks' average wages.

    Read more...

  • Registration Applications Denied
    Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tashkent - Photo: Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Evangelical_Lutheran_Church_in_Tashkent_15-12.JPG Bobyrr, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
    A Lutheran church in
    Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
    Photo: Wikipedia / Bobyrr (cc)

    Although religious communities in Uzbekistan would like to obtain official permission (to exist), as required by the state, all their applications have been blocked. Protestant churches, Shia Muslim communities, along with groups of other minority religious affiliation, have not only had their registrations denied, but now they are being subjected to subsequent fines, torture and other punishments.

    Read more...

  • Obstacles to Registration
    Prayer in the desert
    Join Uzbek believers in prayer as they seek the Lord for wisdom in these cases.

    A small number of religious communities in Uzbekistan received their registration in late 2019. However, many others are encountering major obstacles in their attempts to obtain registration, which would allow them to function legally. While Christians are one of the religious communities affected, other groups are facing similar impediments -- including bribe demands, land use permits and outright rejection. Some have chosen not to apply at all, believing they will be rejected anyway.

    Read more...

View All

Uzbekistan Videos

 
Uzbekistan: Shestakov family says thank you very much!
/component/allvideoshare/category/uzbekistan.htm
 
Uzbekistan: Why are evangelicals being persecuted?
/component/allvideoshare/category/uzbekistan.htm
 
Uzbekistan: Life Without A Husband And Father (The Shestakov Family)
/component/allvideoshare/category/uzbekistan.htm