Protestant Church in Kazakhstan Faces Persecution via New Legislation

Pastor Nurulbek Jagalsbayev of the Protestant Church in the Caspian Sea port of Atyrau is facing administrative punishment for leading the church without registration. The news comes despite the fact that under current laws, religious organisations do not require registration to work, Forum 18 reports.

Kazakhstan is currently debating over the new amendments laws concerning national security. However, as reported previously, these amendments strongly influence the religious and non-governmental groups working within the country.

If the drafts of the new amendments pass through the process unchanged, religious groups and NGOs will have to be registered in order to work legally in the country.

Even though the amendments haven't passed the parliamentary process yet and thus are not in force yet, authorities in the country are already behaving as if the law is valid. The above mentioned case regarding the Protestant Church pastor reveals evidence of this according to Forum 18, who says that he faces charges of breaking laws that are not valid yet.

Aleksandr Klyushev, of the Association of Religious Organisations of Kazakhstan said that actions taken against the Protestant Church have increased since the draft of the law was discussed in parliament.

The laws will restrict the rights of believers, since participation in the activities of unregistered religious organisations will be fined 50 times higher than the average monthly wage. In addition, an organisation will be fined 100 times higher that amount.

Klyushev said to Forum 18, that these amendments are to be considered by the Senate working group on 2nd June, by the Senate legislative committee 3rd June and then by the full Parliament on 11th and 16th June.