We received a report this week that Uzbek Pastor Dmitry Shestakov was released from prison last Friday. Praise God!
VOM sources report that Pastor Shestakov was released at 3 p.m. local time on January 21. No official church representatives went to meet him--only two courageous elders from the Andijan Church.
Shestakov is the pastor of the officially registered Full Gospel Church. He was taken into custody by secret service officials on January 21, 2007, and accused of "incitement of national, racial and religious enmity" under Article 156 of Uzbekistan's penal code. He had been serving a four-year, work camp sentence.
Praise the Lord for Pastor Shestakov's release! Pray he will be reunited with his family, friends and church members. Pray the Holy Spirit will use Shestakov's faithful witness to bring many of his neighbours, friends and even persecutors to Christ (Romans 12:14, 21).
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.
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.
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
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 gr
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 fun
Tashkent, Uzbekistan Photo: Wikipedia / Atilin (c)
A Christian mother in Uzbekistan was killed by her husband on February 9th because she had recently accepted Christ. The attack happened at the Tashkent airport as she was attempting to flee the country.
Population
