Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan’s constitution provides for freedom of religion, but in practice only Sunni Islam and Russian Orthodox are able to worship openly. All other forms of Islam and minority religions suffer severe repression and harassment. Participating in a house church can result in fines, loss of salary, and seizure of possessions. No public worship by these believers is permitted. Though churches are technically permitted if they register, there is no hope of receiving such permissions outside of Ashgabat, the capital city, and even there registration is extremely difficult to obtain.
Virtually every foreign believer has been deported from the country. National pastors have been beaten, fined, imprisoned and exiled. Many congregations have been threatened and told not to meet.
Prayers for persecuted Christians in Turkmenistan
Congregation Detained, Threatened
Police and a Muslim leader detained a congregation in TURKMENISTAN during their summer holiday together. Every day for the next three days, they were called back to the police station for interrogations. The believers were insulted and threatened for their faith. Finally their identity documents were returned and they were permitted to return home.
Pray that the church will be courageous and faithful. “...the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
Christian Children Mocked
School officials in TURKMENISTAN mock and shame religious minorities for their faith and encourage other children to do likewise. Parents are worried about the humiliation their children face this school year.
Pray that Christian schoolchildren will be bold in their faith and loving toward those who mock them. “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’”
Congregation Threatened
UPDATE: Police are threatening a congregation in TURKMENISTAN not to meet. Their pastor was imprisoned last year and accused of insulting Islam and Muhammad. He is still being denied medical treatment. Police recently told his congregation, “If we find out the church has been meeting, we’ll do the same to you as we did to [your pastor].”
Pray that they will be able to worship freely. “Yours is the day, Yours also the night.”
Believers Fined
Officials in TURKMENISTAN put a Christian under surveillance and told him that all religions other than Sunni Islam were condemned. When he met with approximately 20 other believers in January, police arrested everyone present. They were abused and insulted for their faith, and an Islamic leader insisted they be charged. Many were sentenced to heavy fines. Two Christian children at the gathering were later publicly insulted in front of their schools.
Children in the Persecuted Church
Normally we tend to think of the persecuted church as comprising adult believers, but children can be equally hit by persecution, and their stories can be especially heartbreaking. A surprising number of the persecution incidents that Smyrna uncovered this past month (and that will be in the March prayer guide) involve kids and teens.
Pastor Kept in Prison
UPDATE: Because of his faith, a pastor was recently removed from a list of prisoners to be given amnesty in TURKMENISTAN. His wife says that she is being followed and that the Bibles she has tried to give her husband are returned by the prison. She says her husband knows much of the Bible by heart and is praying and singing praises, despite his circumstances.
Ask God to encourage him by bringing scriptures to his memory. “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.”
Pastor Sentenced to Prison
UPDATE: A pastor in TURKMENISTAN was given a four-year prison sentence. The verdict against him stated that he had insulted Islam and Mohammed. He will likely be sent to a labor camp where prisoners have allegedly been tortured with mind-altering drugs.
Pray for his release and for comfort for him and his family. “… for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant.”
Pastor Remains in Overcrowded Prison
A pastor in TURKMENISTAN was arrested in August and at last report remains in prison. He is being denied medical treatment and is being held in a smoke-filled cell overcrowded to nearly four times its capacity. Officials often pressure non-Muslim ethnic Turkmen like him to renounce their faith. Police reportedly pressured several people to make false accusations against this pastor.
Pray that God will sustain his health and hasten his release. “Fear not, for I am with you.”
Christians Harassed by Authorities
In TURKMENISTAN in late July, authorities summoned several Christians and tried to make them agree not to return to church. The officials said they want to eradicate Christianity and claimed that Turkmenistan “is a Muslim country.”
Pray that the believers will not be intimidated by this harassment. “Death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.”
Everyday Persecution
When I think of religious persecution, I generally think of people who have been martyred or falsely put in prison. But in Turkmenistan, persecution means so much more than this. It means that church members who feed the homeless may be detained by police. It means that youth playing sports at a Church’s conference may be taken in to the police station for fingerprinting while their computer files of hymns are confiscated. It means that Christian women who gather in a home for a birthday party may face an “anti-terror” raid.