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UPDATE:

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07040135.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net — E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com

Thursday, April 26, 2007

“A letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna (revised — please use this version)”

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

SMYRNA, TURKEY

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07040131.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net — E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Christian leader arrested in Uzbekistan

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

UZBEKISTAN (ANS) — Another Christian leader has been arrested in Uzbekistan as authorities continue their harassment of Christian leaders.

According to Barnabas Fund, which works to support Christian communities around the world where they are facing poverty and persecution, Pastor Salavat Serikbaev was arrested in Muynak, a city in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, in the middle of last week.
Barnabas Fund says Serikbaev stands accused of three charges “incitement to religious hatred”, “running an illegal religious organisation” and “distributing materials promoting religious extremism.”

“These are the same three charges which were brought against Pastor Dmitri (David) Shestakov earlier this year. As in David’s case, Pastor Salavat’s church was officially registered,” the Barnabas Fund reports.

David was found guilty of “incitement to religious hatred” on March 9 and is currently still in custody. He lodged an appeal against his four-year sentence on March 17.

“The Court of Appeal had a month in which to respond to the appeal and possibly order a re-trial, but David had not heard anything from the Court by April 17. David’s lawyer is currently trying to pursue the Court of Appeal to keep the legal process running. The outcome of David’s case is likely to have a bearing on Pastor Salavat’s trial, which was due to begin on April 23,” Barnabas Fund says.

• Pray that the charges against Pastor Salavat will be dropped and he will be released from custody. Pray for peace for his wife and four children as they trust in God to care for Pastor Salavat.

• Pray for David, that the Court of Appeal will begin a re-trial. Pray that the charge of incitement to religious hatred will be shown to be false.

• Pray also that the Uzbek authorities will not see Christians as a threat and will cease this persecution.

** Michael Ireland is an international British freelance journalist. A former reporter with a London newspaper, Michael is the Chief Correspondent for ASSIST News Service of Lake Forest, California. Michael immigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a US citizen in September, 1995. He is married with two children. Michael has also been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.