Friday 9th March 2007

Christian pastor in Uzbekistan sentenced to four years – prayer needed

Dmitri (David) Shestakov has been found guilty of “incitement to religious hatred” and has been sentenced to four years’ deportation to a prison colony. The judge in Uzbekistan made the verbal announcement today, which is to be followed with a written decision in a day or two. After that Pastor David will have ten days to appeal. Please continue praying for him. Pray that the Lord will intervene in the situation and that this faithful and courageous Christian will be allowed to go free. Thank Him that the most serious charge levelled against David – running an illegal religious organisation – was dropped. David had hoped that a third charge of “distributing materials promoting religious extremism” would also have been dropped as part of an amnesty in judicial processes to celebrate 15 years of Uzbek independence; however it appears that in the end this did not happen.

Pray that the current wave of persecution against Christians in Uzbekistan will cease and that they will be allowed to worship together and share their faith without harassment or punishment from the authorities. As in so many countries where Christians are persecuted, many different kinds of charges are made against Christians in Uzbekistan, when clearly all that they are doing is to live as Christians and follow the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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