Illegal prosecutions and punishments in Uzbekistan

Sergei Kozin has been fined 80 times the minimum monthly wage after a police raid on a group of Baptists in Sergeli District near Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in July, reports Forum 18 News Service.

The case was brought forward even though it was beyond the legal time limit to bring charges. Baptists stated that the case was fabricated, with the alleged witness not producing the required identity documents. The judge in the case had noted the lack of evidence and legal documents produced by police.

In another case, after being summoned to a police station for questioning on October 16, two schoolgirls stopped coming to a church. The police threatened them that "they will be in police records and thrown out of school."

The next month, five officials raided a home in Fergana without a search warrant on November 19. When the wife of the occupant refused the officials entry, they pushed her out of the way and confiscated about 100 Christian books, DVDs and a computer.

You can help by praying!

• Please pray for Christians in Uzbekistan who are continually targeted by authorities. 
• Pray the Lord will give believers wisdom when dealing with those who oppose their Christian activities. 
• Pray the Church will continue to grow in spite of restrictions.

For more on the persecuted Church in Uzbekistan, visit our Uzbekistan Country Report.