Kazakh pastor faces new charges

Kazakhstan (MNN) ― A Kazakh pastor has been rearrested on new charges after already being in prison for 5 months. Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbaev was arrested in May for "inflicting damages" on one of his parishioners through his sermons. 

Kashkumbaev spent about a month in a psychiatric clinic during his pretrial detention. The court in Astana recently ruled that he could be transferred to house arrest due to his poor health. On October 8, police rearrested Kashkumbaev on new charges, just moments after he was released from the detention center in Astana.

As Mission Network News posted in June, Wade Kusack with Russian Ministries says Kashkumbaev was accused of serving hallucinogens in a "red drink." He says, "The 'red drink' that was confiscated from the church was just red tea to serve as non-alcoholic communion."

Along with original charges, other charges include exerting psychological influence over the congregation. During the first court hearing, police showed a video of prayers and singing that was made during one of the services.

Kashkumbaev's lawyer, Nrulan Beisekeev, stated the new charges on Kashkumbaev were related to alleged extremism. 

As a Christian converted from Islam, Kashkumbaev and his supporters insist that the charges against him are politically motivated. Because of Kazakhstan's new religious law, Kusack and other Christians in Kazakhstan believe he was arrested and rearrested as punishment from law enforcement officials who consider themselves Muslim. 

Kashkumbaev poses a threat to Muslims because he says everyone should be able to practice their own religion freely. 

According to the Open Doors 2013 World Watch List, Kazakhstan is #48 out of the 50 ranking countries where Christian persecution is most severe. Pray for the permanent release of Pastor Kashkumbaev.

Anti-extremist program may hurt Christians

Sergey Rakhuba with the Kazak Ambassador to the USA.

Kazakhstan (MNN) ― Kazakhstan is again raising eye-brows. According to a report from Forum 18 News, the government would like to implement what they're calling a new State Program to Counter Religious Extremism and Terrorism for 2013-2017.

If adopted in its current form, all places of worship would require security systems and require the teaching of what the government calls "traditional religions."

President of Russian Ministries Sergey Rakhuba met with the Kazak Ambassador to the United States last week. "I was very much optimistic having a chance to openly discuss these issues, but when it comes from the reports from the ground like this, it shows there is a lot more that is to come."

Rakhuba is referring to additional restrictions to religious freedom for evangelical Christians. He believes the new program will put more pressure on evangelical churches and will create more difficulties for their work, but won't stop it. "That's why we are always trying to be proactive and finding ways we can continue to be effective in spite of all these difficulties. That's why School Without Walls perfectly fits this reality."

That program doesn't require registration or a permanent facility. "We provide non-formal training to these young potential leaders," says Rakhuba, "who live in the reality of the difficulties and continue leading their congregations and offering new outreach initiatives."

Although their summer camp ministry may be affected, "now we have to be more creative, so we're not just calling them Bible camps. We will do some other initiatives." Sport camps and other youth ministries will be used to share Christ this summer.

Russia Ministries needs your help to send 5,000 kids across the former Soviet Union to camp. How much does it cost? "$50. That helps us to send one child to summer camp for one week. That also includes a children's Bible or other Christian literature."

U.S. pastor pleads guilty in Russia

Pastor Thomas Kang takes a plea deal in Russia, now free.

Russia (MNN) ― American Pastor Thomas Kang felt compelled to plead guilty to charges in court just outside of Moscow.

On Tuesday, April 2, a hearing was held on the case of Pastor Kang. He and his lawyer decided to plead guilty in order to soften the punishment for the crime.

Wade Kusack, Russian Ministries Project Manager for Religious Freedom Issues in Eurasia, says, "He agreed to plead guilty and received six months in prison and 90,000 rubles, or $3,000, in penalties." Following that, Pastor Kang was released because he had already served seven months in jail.

Kusack says Pastor Kang didn't have a choice. "He accepted the offer from the prosecutor [to] plead guilty and be free. He was separated from his family for almost seven months. It was almost impossible for him to prove the truth." (Click here for more details.)
Kusack says, "We believe that the case was fabricated by the local authorities, that the pastor gave a 'bribe' under pressure from the police officer and had been abetted by his assistant. He believes this was a test by authorities to put pressure on religious minorities. I am afraid they will practice such a situation in the future on other minorities in the future.

The following is the statement by the Russian Guild of Experts on Religion and Law:

Increasingly in Russia, prosecutorial agencies take action against the faithful, against Christian missionaries, and these actions are not, formally, prosecution initiated on the basis of their religious beliefs. Essentially, representatives of various faiths are provoked, and said provocations result in criminal, or other action.

Kusack says, "In this regard, the Guild of Experts on Religion and Law calls on the Investigative Committee of Russia, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, and the general public to take note of the case of the Protestant Pastor Thomas Kang, a U.S. citizen, who, as a result of obvious provocation, is under investigation for bribery."

The case isn't completely over. Kusack says authorities took personal belongings from him. "There are many things that just disappeared from his apartment: jewelry, 28,000 rubles, and more things. The lawyer has initiated a case against the police officers who searched his apartment."

Kusack also says Pastor Kang will have another issue facing him. "There's a good chance that Pastor will be deported from Russia because of his so-called 'criminal' past. I don't know what will happen."

Actions such as this, which are clearly targeted at believers who are persona non grata (an unwelcome persons), as well as at active preachers who are unable to defend themselves, will inflict damage on Russia's international reputation as a Christian country. Kusack says, "What transpired with Pastor Kang is a case of blatant persecution on the basis of religion, aided by criminal provocation. There is no doubt that the actions against Pastor Kang were taken with the aim of stamping out the Christian community which he created, and developing a means of expelling him from Russia."

Kusack continues, "We hope that, both within Russia and abroad, the public will respond vigorously to such blatant violations of the rights of believers to religious freedom and freedom to practice their beliefs, which are more and more frequently being threatened under various pretexts on the territory of Russia."

The conference topic: Religious freedom

Turkey

Turkey (MNN) ― The past couple of months have been filled with reports of pastors being thrown in jail, churches being shut down, and Christians being persecuted for their beliefs. Kazakhstan, for example, just passed a new law that will affect over 500 different churches. "If they don't reach the number of membership of more then 50, they have to be liquidated within this year," says Sergey Rakhuba of Russian Ministries.

With religious freedom in mind, a conference is being held in Turkey, where over 50 organizations are coming together. Their goal? They are "concentrating on the evangelical church and helping evangelicals fight for their freedom--especially in those countries where Christianity is under pressure," according to Rakhuba.
This year, the conference is focusing on the area of Eurasia, which is made up of countries from the former Soviet Union. Says Rakhuba, "There are lots of issues today with sharp rise of religious freedom issues and persecution specifically in the countries of Central Asia."

Russian Ministries is "spearheading the initiatives" in terms of religious freedom. They are creating an awareness of the problem, educating pastors, and showing them how to lead their congregation in this situation.

"We are equipping the Evangelical church in those countries to fight for their freedom, to value their freedom, to educate their congregations about freedom, how to be careful with freedom. We believe that freedom is a gift of God we have to be careful with it, but at the same time everyone has a right to it," explains Rakhuba.

"Going to this consultation we will be presenting all these cases that represent Eurasia, Eurasian territories, and specifically evangelical churches that experience pressure, experience persecution," explains Rakhuba. "We will developing some policies and will be developing some letters that we will be sending to some of those oppressive governments, just making a statement on behalf of the entire evangelical global community in support of those who are persecuted."

Prayer is vital to the work that Russian Ministries and the 50 other organizations are going to be doing in Turkey. "I would greatly appreciate the evangelical family...to pray that God would give us guidance, God would give us wisdom."

Rakhuba also asks that you "continue praying for the evangelical church, that God would equip the church to not just survive but to be productive, be progressive in those situations, and continue reaching their communities with the Gospel. "

U.S. pastor in jail in Russia

Pastor Kang (a U.S. Citizen) has been
 jailed in Russia since September.

Russia (MNN) ― Russian Ministries is advocating for the release of U.S. citizen Pastor Thomas Kang. Russian Ministries Project Manager for Religious Freedom Issues in Eurasia Wade Kusack says Pastor Kang "has been held for more than five months already in custody on an attempted bribery charge. The bribe was a $30 donation he provided in conjunction with a fine he willfully paid."

On September 28, 2012, Pastor Kang and his assistant, Ekaterina, answered a summons from the Office of the Federal Migration Service regarding a builder working on Kang's house, an Uzbek whose work visa had recently expired. While there, Pastor Kang was accused of unspecified illegal actions himself and threatened with punishments not in accordance with the law.

After hours of meaningless questioning, it became clear to Pastor Kang from San Diego, CA that they were simply trying to extort a bribe--an all-too-common practice. He declared his intention to leave, paid the fine for employing the Uzbek worker, and added a 1,000 ruble bill ($30 USD) "open giving of thanks" to help the police in their work.

Immediately, the officer he was speaking to called in other officers who were waiting outside and arrested Pastor Kang on a charge of attempted bribery.

Ekaterina, who is in fragile health, was detained overnight without food or water while they continued to question her about vague accusations of wrongdoing. She was released the next day, but Pastor Kang was sent to a detention center.

Kusack says it's suspicious that this questioning and arrest came the day before Pastor Kang--a well-respected member of the community and former military chaplain--was due to open "House of Joy." He says the house was for "low income families, for military families to spend vacations, and for religious groups to hold church retreats. [On] the same day that this house was to officially open, he was arrested and has now been in prison five months waiting for his trial."

The ironic thing? Kuzack says, "A court paper stated that they cannot release him even before trial because of the severity of his crime."

Kusack, along with two of Pastor Kang's children, are in Washington, D.C. to advocate on Pastor Kang's behalf. Says Kusack, "We visited the Russian Embassy, the U.S. Department of State; we're going to participate in a congressional briefing on this issue, and we're going to meet specialists from the Helsinki Committee."

In the meantime, U.S. Embassy officials are committing to attend his court hearings and any other proceedings, while trying to secure his release.

Beverly Chan is Pastor Kang's daughter. "It's a hard thing to deal with, and sometimes I feel a little hopeless or helpless. But I'm reminded that God will provide us with strength, and....we need to have compassion with the people who are keeping him there."

Kusak says this is another example of more loss of religious freedom in Russia. "We can observe increased persecution of all minorities, especially of protestant churches in Russia. And unfortunately this case is just one more example of local police and local authorities that can do anything they want against protestant minorities. They just go unpunished."

More than four months have passed, and investigators still have not produced the legally mandated report of the search to Pastor Kang. He is still being held at the detention center. Russian Ministries is committed to raising awareness about Pastor Kang's plight and advocating for his release.

Religious freedom policies forthcoming following briefing

President of Russian Ministries
Sergey Rakhuba addresses briefing in Washington, D.C..

USA (MNN) ― Christians from all over the former Soviet Union were in Washington, D.C. Wednesday for a briefing on Religious Freedom issues in that part of the world. It was hosted by Russian Ministries and their partnering organizations.

President of Russian Ministries Sergey Rakhuba says 90 people attended: more than anticipated. "It shows that a lot more people--many different leaders, even people from the State Departmen--are very much interested in discussing the issue of religious freedom in the former Soviet Union."

Some of the leading evangelical Christians in the region made presentations. "We brought some experts from Russia and Belarus, and we read some reports from Uzbekistan about all the freedoms that have been stripped from people there," says Rakhuba.

It's like going back to the days of the cold war, he says. "Evangelical churches are not allowed to do anything outside of their homes, even inside their homes. If they gather together for prayer meetings they are punished and are penalized. Many pastors have already been thrown into prison there."

While it's reminiscent of the days of communism, Rakhuba says, "This is a new wave of persecution that's based on radical Islamism, on nationalism, and even mainline churches like the Orthodox church...is the reason for persecution of local believers in Russia and Ukraine or other Slavic countries."

The information presented will help create a policy guide for Christians in the region to help fight laws that are meant to fight terrorism. "Based on those laws, evangelical Christians--for their most humble actions--are punished just for having prayer in their own home. So, we'd like to create some policies and to encourage governments to change it."

Rakhuba is hoping politicians will use the policies to help press for those changes so the Gospel can be shared freely.

Persecution follows demolition of Moscow Protestant church

A group of unidentified people vandalized and demolished the
Holy Trinity Evangelical church in Moscow. (Image courtesy of RMI)

Russia (MNN) ― Earlier this week, Russian Christians were uncertain what thedestruction of the Holy Trinity Church would mean for religious freedom in the former Soviet Union nation.

"It was the first time since the Lenin-Stalin revolution where a church was vandalized and destroyed," said Wade Kusack with Russian Ministries. In light of recent events, it appears dawn is breaking over a dark horizon in Russia and the future looks oppressive.

"It's a signal," Kusack said. "This is a clear sign for all other groups who hate Protestants all over Russia."

The Holy Trinity Church congregation still met with their pastor on Sunday, worshipping God near the ruins of their former church. Two days later, government officials held the pastor in police custody for three hours, interrogating him about the "illegal meeting" he held with church members.

"Illegal meetings are prohibited by law and may be punished by up to four years in prison or huge fines, up to $15,000," reported Kusack. "He was [also] threatened."

Police used intimidation tactics, telling the pastor that if believers met again, more people would be arrested and he could face prison-time. The officials used a recent law as the basis of their threats, which states that no "open-air meetings" may be held without the government's permission.

"They think the property doesn't belong to the church anymore," explained Kusack. "The building's destroyed, and [in their view] the church cannot gather over there any longer. They just kicked [Christians] out.

"They kicked them into the street and said, 'We don't know you, we don't like you.'"

How do Russian Christians react?

"They stated that they will go and worship regardless," Kusack said. "We will see what is going to happen next Sunday.

"Authorities have no regrets about what happened, and I think they'll be more harsh with Christians."

Ask God to protect believers facing threats and persecution.

According to Kusack, the Holy Trinity Church situation sums up the government's new stance toward churches throughout Russia. Authorities demand that churches leave certain areas, but when they try to relocate, officials deny their applications.

"They're trying to push churches far away from big cities like Moscow," Kusack stated.

The church is trying to find justice through the Russian courts by appealing their case, Kusack said, but he isn't optimistic about the results. Pray for the persecutors of Russian Christians, and pray for Russian authorities. Above all else, pray for peace in Russia.

"Right now, the situation is getting worse and worse, and tensions are rising in the society," said Kusack. "Russia needs peace right now."

In the two-year School Without Walls program, young people learn to deepen their own faith and share it with their neighbors. For less than $50 each month, you can support a young person in this program and help them point their fallen nation to Christ. Click here to help.

Church liquidated in Azerbaijan

Mission Network News: Azerbaijan (MNN) ― Religious freedom in Azerbaijan took another hit as an established evangelical church was liquidated. According to Forum 18 news, a court in Baku has ruled to liquidate the Greater Grace Protestant Church.

Russian Ministries provides pastoral training and runs School without Walls training in that Central Asia nation. Project Manager for Russian Ministries, Wade Kusack, is concerned. "This is the first attempt of the government of Azerbaijan to openly attack and liquidate a Christian church. This is very scary situation."'

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