Officials have brought administrative charges against two churches in Kazakhstan in recent weeks, according to an April 23 report from Forum 18.
On April 21, the city of Atyrau's Prosecutor's Office brought charges against the Salem Church for holding "illegal" meetings under Article 374 part 1 of the Administrative Code, which punishes unregistered church activity. The charges are a response to a group of Russian-speaking church members meeting regularly in a private home instead of the church's registered address. The church's leader, however, stated that the Administrative Code allows such groups to meet in a member's private home, so long as important religious ceremonies - such as baptisms and weddings - are not conducted.
Also in Atyrau, local authorities have asked the New Life Church to re-register since their old registration did not indicate a legal address. Since the church does not currently have a building, re-registering will be difficult as Kazakhstan's amended Religion Law demands that a church indicates a legal address. Church members fear that they will be subject to penalty because authorities will now consider their church activity "illegal."
Pray for wisdom for these churches and their leaders as they face pressure and opposition from authorities (James 1:5). Pray that the Word of God will continue to spread throughout Kazakhstan.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in Kazakhstan, go to the Kazakhstan Country Report.
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