At least eight separate meetings for worship in
At least eight meetings for worship in
Other Protestant and Jehovah’s Witness congregations are among the religious communities whose meetings for worship have also been raided. Independent and ethnic minority mosques are also being targeted, and continue to be denied re-registration – and so permission to exist – if they will not join the state-backed Muslim Board (see F18News 25 January 2013 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1794).
“Terrorism”?
At least some of the raids were led or instigated by local police Departments for the Struggle against Extremism, Separatism and Terrorism. North Kazakhstan Regional Police announced the raids on three local Council of Churches Baptist congregations as a joint operation with the Regional Department of the government’s Agency of Religious Affairs (ARA). A 1 February statement on the police website announced that police, with the regional ARA Department, conducted “operational/prophylactic activity to counter manifestations of religious extremism and terrorism”.
Although the victims of the raids were unnamed in the statement, the dates and locations of raids, as well as fines imposed, matched the details of the raids and fines against Baptists. The police statement also claimed the raids were directed at “illegal missionary activity”, and “illegal migration”. It also claimed that “special emphasis was put on investigating places where religious books are traded”. Similar operations against uncensored religious literature distribution have taken place elsewhere in
What the authorities claim is “illegal missionary activity” is regularly targeted. Seven individuals – Muslim, Protestant and Jehovah’s Witness – are known to have been fined under the Code of Administrative Offences since August 2012. At least five of them were fined 100 MFIs (see F18News 22 January 2013 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1792).
Council of Churches Baptists have a policy of not paying fines imposed to punish them for exercising their freedom of religion or belief, as they do not think they should be punished for this. Their congregations refuse to register with the state in any country they operate in; all unregistered exercise of freedom of religion and belief by groups of people is illegal in
Petropavl raid and fine
Over 10 police officers raided the Council of Churches Baptist congregation in Petropavl [
Officers told congregation leader Aleksandr Pukhov that they had received an anonymous call that religious literature had been seen being unloaded from a car, and that they had to check this. “Without permission from church members, officers forced their way into the house and, despite complaints, filmed the premises and those present at the service,” Baptists stated to Forum 18.
Officers charged Pukhov, but refused to give him a copy of the charges. Only the following day – 21 January – did he manage to get it. He was accused of violating Administrative Code Article 374-1, Part 1 (“Leading, participating in, or financing an unregistered, halted, or banned social or religious organisation”), which carries a maximum punishment of 100 Minimum Financial Indicators (MFIs). This sum – currently 173,100 Tenge (6,300 Norwegian Kroner, 850 Euros or 1,150 US Dollars) – represents the equivalent of nearly two months average wages as measured nationwide by the government. Average earnings are lower outside
On 21 January Pukhov was summoned to court, but no trial took place. On 23 January he appealed to the court to close the case, but received no reply. The trial went ahead on 28 January under Judge Serikbol Sapargaliev at
“The trial lasted just 22 minutes,” local Baptists complained to Forum 18. They said Pukhov intends to appeal against the fine to the
Forum 18 asked Judge Sapargaliev on 4 February via his assistant why he fines individuals for exercising their Constitutional right to freedom of religion or belief. However, after conferring extensively with the judge, his assistant responded: “He won’t give any interview by telephone.” She then put the phone down.
Petropavl Police “didn’t raid them”?
Major Kanat Amrin, the head of North Kazakhstan Regional Police’s Department for the Struggle against Extremism, Separatism and Terrorism, told Forum 18 from Petropavl on 4 February that he is the officer who led the raid’s (Captain Mukhamedzhanov) superior. Asked why the Baptist congregation had been raided, Amrin responded: “We didn’t raid them. We have a Religion Law, which requires all religious activity to be registered. No one has the right to break the law.”
Asked why a religious congregation was subject to scrutiny by a Department for the Struggle against Extremism, Separatism and Terrorism, Major Amrin told Forum 18: “We received information.” He refused to say what the information was, or who had supplied it.
“All religious formations and communities in the Region – with registration and without – are on our records,” Major Amrin added. Asked why, he then backtracked, refusing to confirm whether or not religious communities are automatically under his Department’s scrutiny. He refused to answer any other questions and put the phone down.
As well as the police, it is known that the National Security Committee (KNB) secret police has been for some years monitoring and attempting to plant spies inside religious communities (see eg. F18News 30 January 2008 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1078).
Taiynsha raid and fine
About seven police officers, an official of the regional ARA Department, and two official witnesses raided the Council of Churches Baptist congregation meeting for Sunday worship in a private home in the town of
After the worship service finished, church members asked the raiders to show their identity documents, but only three did so: local police officer F. Yesimov, Senior Lieutenant Solonar and Abu-Bakir Karmetov of the regional ARA Department. The other officers refused to identify themselves.
Police charged church leader Aleksandr Kerker for leading an unregistered religious community, local Baptists complained to Forum 18. Like Pukhov in Petropavl, Kerker too was accused of violating Administrative Code Article 374-1, Part 1.
Reading Psalms and singing Christian hymns illegal
On 30 January, Judge Turgunbai Zhakenov of Taiynsha District Court fined Kerker 100 MFIs or 173,100 Tenge – the same fine as Pukhov – according to the verdict seen by Forum 18. It notes that police officer Yesimov stated that during the raid: “Kerker stood at the pulpit and read Psalms from the Bible, then those present sang Christian hymns.” The court ruled that Kerker violated the Religion Law, as the community refuses to seek state registration and was meeting without state permission for worship. The verdict records Kerker as denying any guilt, and rejecting state registration on religious grounds.
The verdict notes that a disc (presumably the police film of the service and the prayer house) is to be kept in the case file.
“They wouldn’t let any of us into the court,” local Baptists complained to Forum 18. They added that Kerker rejects the “illegal” verdict and will appeal to North Kazakhstan District Court. They complain this is the third time he has been fined for exercising his freedom of religion and belief (see eg. 23 June 2010 http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1459).
Taiynsha Police too “didn’t raid them”?
The duty officer at Taiynsha Police, who did not give his name, told Forum 18 on 4 February that neither police chief Abai Tastemirov nor Senior Lieutenant Solonar were present. But he defended the raid. “We didn’t raid them. All was done in accordance with the law.” Asked who was to blame for the violation of the right to freedom of religion and belief when the meeting was interrupted, the duty officer responded: “No one is guilty of that.” He then put the phone down.
Karmetov of North Kazakhstan Region ARA Department also insisted the Baptists had not been raided. “All was in accordance with the law,” he told Forum 18 from Petropavl on 4 February. “That religious community met to conduct a service. And our Religion Law bans unregistered religious activity.” He then put the phone down.
Karmetov’s superior, regional ARA Department head Nurislyam Gabdullin, refused to say why his officials had taken part in the raids in Taiynsha and elsewhere in January. “What do you mean why?” he asked Forum 18 on 4 February. “I can’t say anything by phone,” he added and put the phone down.
Kishkenekol raid and fine
As in Petropavl and Taiynsha, a Council of Churches Baptist congregation meeting for worship on 20 January in the
Officers tried to film the service, but church members asked them to stop as they were on private property. Police stopped the filming. Church leader Roman Pugachev asked the police to wait until the end of the service so as not to interrupt his congregation at worship. Police then waited.
After the service, all those present were questioned. Pugachev refused to write a statement. Like Pastors Pukhov and Kerker, an administrative case against Pugachev was then prepared under Administrative Code Article 374-1, according to court documents seen by Forum 18.
On 28 January, Judge Kanat Beisekeev of Ualikhan District Court found Pugachev guilty and fined him 100 MFIs or 173,100 Tenge – the same fine as Pastors Pukhov and Kerker – an official of the Court chancellery told Forum 18.
Pugachev then lodged an appeal to
Pugachev was fined for exercising his freedom of religion and belief three to four years ago, but that fine was overturned on appeal, Baptists told Forum 18.
Sarykol raid
In the northern Kostanai [Qostanay] Region, four police officers led by Yerlan Sharipov raided Jehovah’s Witnesses as they held a religious meeting, in a private home in the
Asked about the raid, the head of Sarykol District Police, Major Kanat Rakhmetzhanov instantly responded: “What do you mean raided? It was a police measure. Our officers acted in accordance with the law. We’re not embarrassed by what we’ve done.”
“We had reliable information that prayers were being said”
Asked whether his officers would have burst into a private home if the individuals had gathered to watch a football match on the television, to read poetry together or to drink vodka, Rakhmetzhanov responded: “It is not against the law to gather to watch football, read poetry or drink vodka. But our lads wouldn’t have gone to such a meeting for no reason. We had reliable information that prayers were being said.” Asked why meeting for religious purposes was treated differently from meeting to watch football or read poetry, he repeatedly declined to answer.
Bauer of the Akimat also categorically denied that the meeting had been raided. “No one suffered,” she claimed to Forum 18 from Sarykol on 4 February. “We didn’t violate anyone’s rights.” Asked how raiding a private home where people were meeting to exercise their right to freedom of religion and belief was not a violation of individuals’ rights, Bauer responded: “They must apply to the local authority to get permission for religious meetings.” Asked why, she replied: “The law says so and they must abide by the law.”
Told that
Asked whether, if the Jehovah’s Witnesses meet again, they will face a similar official response, Bauer repeated her assertion that only by getting state permission would they be allowed to meet.
It is as yet unknown whether the authorities will be bringing any legal charges against the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Satpaev raid
In the central
One officer immediately began filming. They refused to stop filming despite church members’ requests. When church leader Aygul Kdirniyazova asked if they had permission to film, officers said they did. But they refused to show any document authorising the filming.
Sagintaev took Pastor Kdirniyazova into an office in the church building, accompanied by the Prosecutor’s Office official and two other police officers. Again they refused to show a document authorising the raid. Pastor Kdirniyazova explained to them that she knows the law and knows she has not violated it. Sagintaev then accused her of committing an administrative offence by holding a religious service at a different address from the registered address of the community. He said the Prosecutor’s Office had asked his Department to “check up” on the community. Pastor Kdirniyazova showed the officials the church’s registration certificate and rental contract.
“She refused to write a statement as she had not violated the law,” church members told Forum 18. However, after calling her lawyer, Pastor Kdirniyazova wrote a statement insisting she had broken no law.
The officer who had filmed church members at the service then came into the room. “He was angry, telling them that church members had refused to write statements and insisting that they should all be taken to the police station,” church members told Forum 18.
Police took the names and personal details (including address and place of work) of three other church members in addition to Kdirniyazova. Sagintaev said he was going to inspect the whole building, but did not do this, taking photos instead.
At 11.30 am – an hour after they arrived – the officers left. Then the officer who had filmed the service returned, and wrote a record of an offence.
After the raid, Pastor Kdirniyazova wrote to Satpaev’s Prosecutor’s Office, complaining that the raiders had violated Administrative Code Article 375 by interrupting a religious service.
The duty officer at Satpaev police refused on 4 February to answer any of Forum 18’s questions why
It is as yet unknown whether the authorities will be bringing any legal charges against the Protestants.
Karazhal raid
In Karaganda Region, four police officers raided a Jehovah’s Witness meeting in a private home in the
At the police station the Jehovah’s Witnesses were forced to write statements about what they had been doing. They were then allowed to leave.
No one at the police was immediately available to explain why the religious meeting was raided.
“This wasn’t a raid”
Kulumbetov of the Akimat defended the raid. “This wasn’t a raid – a raid is when physical force is used,” he insisted to Forum 18 from Karazhal on 5 February. “We didn’t detain anyone – it was all done in accordance with the new Religion Law, which is based on our Constitution. Conducting a religious meeting requires a specialised, registered place. It’s not right to accuse me of anything.”
Kulumbetov refused to say how the authorities knew the Jehovah’s Witnesses were meeting in the private home. He also refused to say if the group would have been raided had they been meeting together to drink vodka, watch football on television or read poetry.
It is as yet unknown whether the authorities will be bringing any legal charges against the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Esil raid
In the northern Akmola Region, eight police officers – one of them armed with an automatic weapon – raided a Jehovah’s Witness meeting in Esil on 20 January, Jehovah’s Witnesses told Forum 18. The raid was led by Captain Yerbolat Abdrakhmanov of the Criminal Police.
“The police waited until the end of the meeting, and then demanded statements from all those present,” they told Forum 18. “They took photos of the private home and then asked those present to disperse quietly.”
The duty officer at Esil District Police told Forum 18 on 4 February that neither police chief Kuat Baltabaev nor Captain Abdrakhmanov was present. “I wasn’t there, so I can’t say what happened,” the duty officer told Forum 18.
It is as yet unknown whether the authorities will be bringing any legal charges against the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Eighth known raid
Police also raided the Sunday service in late January of a Protestant church. “They broke up the service and took the leader to the police station,” a Protestant familiar with the raid told Forum 18. “The leader was forced to write a statement, but no further action has been taken so far.”
The Protestant asked that the church’s location and name not be published, to try to avoid further state harassment.
It is as yet unknown whether the authorities will be bringing any legal charges against the Protestants.
SOURCE:
www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1798
