wfn.org | Adventists report Continuing religious discrimination

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Januar 20, 2002
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

Adventist Evicted by Government for
Religious Meetings

London, U.K. In continuing religious discrimination,
Turkmenistan authorities evicted a Seventh-day
Adventist woman from her flat for holding religious
meetings, according to Keston News Service (KNS).

Marina Ismakayeva is now homeless after an eviction
order issued by the Turkmenabad city court Dec. 21
on the grounds that an unregistered community of
Adventists had been meeting in Ismakayeva's flat.

This is the latest in a series of crackdowns on
religious minorities in the country. Six Seventh-day
Adventists were arrested while meeting in the
apartment Nov. 16, 2001, and in November 1999 the
only Adventist Church in Turkmenistan was destroyed.

During the past year authorities in Turkmenistan have
threatened to seize the property of any citizens who
hold religious meetings in their homes.

"It doesn't stop," said John Graz, director of public
affairs and religious liberty for the Adventist world
church. "It's still going on and the government keeps
doing worse things."

On December 26, 2001, Jan Paulsen, Adventist world
church president, had asked Adventists around the
world to remember in prayer those persecuted,
especially those in Turkmenistan. "We are deeply
concerned over the continuing situation in Turkmenistan.
Such reports are very distressing and as yet our
communications with the authorities have not brought
any response," said Paulsen.

"Turkmenistan is a typical example of a country which
has lost all reference toward human rights," said Graz.
"Destroying the only church of a small religious group
that presents no threat to the government, persecuting
a pastor, harassing church members in their daily lives,
evicting a woman from her apartment on Christmas Day
just because they were supposed to have a meeting, this
is all a demonstration that Turkmenistan has lost all
reference to human dignity."