I offer documentation in summary form of the trend in states of the former Soviet Union which profess freedom of religion and at the same t+m actively oppose it in practice in the three jurisdictions of Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. In the free email newsletter from the Norway-based Forum 18, the preponderance of cases of religious persecution is often those directed against readers of the works of Muslim theology Said Nursi of Turkey. He threatens the dictatorial policies against a growing and vital Islamic educational source.
— Politicarp, refWrite Frontpage politics columnist
Forum 18 free email newsletter and webs+t.
FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
http://www.forum18.org/
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one's belief or religion
The right to join together and express one's belief
— materials here posted by Politicarp
KAZAKHSTAN: "THE CHURCH WILL BE CLOSED DOWN ANYWAY"
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1708
Kazakhstan continues to use land use regulations as a means to prevent
religious communities and their members exercising freedom of religion or
belief, Forum 18 News Service notes. In one of several recent examples, in
Taldykorgan the authorities have with this tactic forced a Methodist church
to "voluntarily" close and fined the wife of the Church's Pastor. Pastor
Valery Kim told Forum 18 that the Church paid for an announcement in
newspapers that it was liquidating itself. "We do not want more punishment
from the authorities", he noted. Zhumagul Alimbekov, Head of Almaty
Region's Agency of Religious Affairs (ARA) Department told Forum 18 that
"the Church will be closed down anyway, unless they can collect 50
signatures for re-registration". Asked why Kazakhstan, whose government
loudly boasts of its alleged religious tolerance, obstructs people
exercising the internationally recognised right to freedom of religion or
belief, Alimbekov claimed: "We are a law-governed state, we must obey the
law". Religious communities also note that "expert analyses" by the ARA are
obstructing communities gaining state registration and so permission to
exist.
RUSSIA: POLICE RAID AND CHARGE "PEOPLE IN STRANGE CLOTHES"
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1707
Police in Russia on 22 May raided a lecture for Izhevsk's Hare Krishna
community, Forum 18 News Service has learned. "They were conducting a
public event of the Hare Krishna Society - such events must be approved,"
police Captain Larisa Ignatyeva told Forum 18. A local Hare Krishna leader
is now facing charges under Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code
("Violation of the established procedure for organising or conducting a
gathering, meeting, demonstration, procession, or picket"). Captain
Ignatyeva told Forum 18 that the raid - involving herself - took place
after local residents "with small children" had complained to the police
that they had seen "people in strange clothes" in the Polyclinic. Asked if
the Hare Krishna devotees had disturbed the work of the Clinic or caused
any disruption or harm to any Clinic users, she said they had not.
Jehovah's Witnesses regularly face raids followed by cases under Article
20.2, some of which are thrown out, but normally only after stress and
preparation time for those who should never be brought to court in the
first place. A controversial draft Law, introduced after protests at the
election of President Vladimir Putin, may massively increase the currently
small Article 20.2 fines.
TURKMENISTAN: PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE FREED, BUT REMAINS UNDER RESTRICTIONS
http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1706
Jehovah's Witness prisoner of conscience Vladimir Nuryllayev was freed from
Ovadan-Depe Prison in Turkmenistan on 17 May, Forum 18 News Service has
learned. However, he remains under restrictions, having to report to police
up to three times a week. Nuryllayev was freed under amnesty, having been
originally arrested in November 2011 and in January 2012 sentenced to four
years imprisonment. Another Jehovah's Witness prisoner of conscience Sunet
Japbarov - a conscientious objector to compulsory military service - has
been freed from labour camp at the end of his 18-month sentence. Their
release leaves six known Jehovah's Witness prisoners of conscience, five of
them conscientious objectors and one - Aibek Salayev - sentenced like
Nuryllayev on charges of "spreading pornography". There are also an unknown
number of Muslim prisoners of conscience also jailed for exercising their
freedom of religion or belief. Another conscientious objector,
Ashgabad-based Juma Nazarov, was arrested on 10 May and faces criminal
charges.
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