Two Christians fined 100 times minimum monthly wage in Kazakhstan

Pray for believers in Kazakhstan today!

The Kazakhstan government has fined two Christians for religious activity without state permission, reports Forum 18 News Service. They have been fined amounts that equal 100 times the minimum monthly wage of the region.

Members of Grace Church told Forum 18 that police and other authorities unlawfully broke into the home of Mereken Moldaziyatov to find him leading prayer and preaching to visitors.

Bazyl Zhashibekov faced trouble with the government after Kyzylorda police filmed him and his friends reading the Bible and praying in his home.

Officials were evasive to Forum 18’s questions regarding which Kazakhstan laws forbid praying and reading Scriptures together in private homes.

Church members say neither Mereken nor Bazyl are able to pay the fines. Kazakhstan law allows a verbal warning to be issued “in cases of insignificant harm,” but the judge in Bazyl’s case says that if Bazyl is “not happy with the decision, he can file an appeal.”

Bazyl did make an appeal, but he was not informed of the hearing until six days after it had taken place and was not able to make a defence.

Grace Church members told Forum 18 that they will be launching complaints against the Appeal Court’s decision.

You can read the full article here.