Thursday, March 18, 2010

Prayer for Persecuted Brethren in Uzbekistan

I saw this article yesterday about 13 Baptist believers in Uzbekistan who were arrested back on January 24, roughed up, and now have been given excessive fines.  The article reads in part:

The court verdict states that Tashkent Regional and Almalyk City Police on 24 January found the Baptists conducting "illegal teaching of religious doctrines without a special authorisation from a central religious organisation" and ordered that 30 copies of religious literature in Russian and Uzbek be confiscated, including 6 Bibles in Russian and one New Testament and Psalms in Uzbek. The literature and materials were ordered to be sent to the to the State Religious Affairs Committee in Tashkent for "religious expert" examination.

The prosecution followed a police raid on the Brislavksy's home. The congregation belongs to the Council of Churches Baptists which on principle refuses to seek state registration, fearing this would lead to interference by the state.

We can join in praying for these brethren as they face "various trials" (1 Peter 1:6).

JTR

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