In Turkmenistan, Baptists' Bibles are confiscated and they are required to sign statements renouncing attendance at meetings
Palace of Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan
Authorities in Turkmenistan continue to inspect Protestant prayer meetings in various parts of the country, reports Forum 18. One such inspection was led by former Supreme Mufti Rovshen Allaberdyev, who is currently the imam of the Dashoguz region and head of the regional Council for Religious Affairs. During the raid, Allaberdyev and the officials accompanying him confiscated Christian books, including Bibles. All the Christians gathered for the meeting — 22 people — were taken to the local administration building, where they were interrogated and required to sign a statement that they would not attend church in the future.
“Some signed and are now afraid to attend services, especially the new people,” a member of the community told Forum 18. “They told us it is illegal to meet without state registration. We answered that we had already applied for registration and are waiting for a response.” During an inspection in another region, the police accused a pastor of violating regional law by praying at a birthday celebration.
Two Protestant communities that are being persecuted by the authorities — the Baptist community “The Way of Faith” in the northern city of Dashoguz and the Pentecostal community “Peace to the World” in the south-eastern city of Mary — are among the religious organizations that have been vainly trying to obtain state registration for many years. The pastor of one of these communities is on the extensive list of citizens banned from leaving the country.
During the latest inspection of a Sunday service of the Baptist community “The Way of Faith” on December 20, 2009, the authorities confiscated about 100 Christian books. In January 2010, members of the community met with Allaberdyev and other officials in an attempt to resolve the issue and get the confiscated literature back. In response to their requests to at least return personal Bibles, two of them were returned.
However, the Baptists failed to convince the authorities that they have the right to peacefully conduct worship services, because this very right is stated in the international human rights obligations that Turkmenistan has signed — even after they reminded the officials that their application for state registration is under review. “We are not hiding,” one community member told Forum 18. “We are acting openly.”
Harassment, denial of state registration, bans on leaving the country for prominent believers, continued confiscation and censorship of religious literature, and the imprisonment of Jehovah’s Witnesses who refuse military service on religious grounds are taking place at a time when Turkmenistan is politely assuring the UN Human Rights Committee that citizens and residents of the country live in an atmosphere of freedom of religion, assembly, and movement.
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