Friday, November 15, 2013

Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbaev

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1-2

Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbaev
In the latest move against Pastor Bakhytzhan Kashkumbaev of Astana Kazakhstan, officials have arrested the Presbyterian pastor on terrorism charges. Officials have a long-running campaign against the 66-year-old pastor stemming from his work as leader of Grace Church, a registered protestant church. He spent time in prison for “intentional inflicting of serious harm to health,” accused of serving hallucinogens during church services, and just this week, was arrested again. In the past, officials have said the church has been involved in money-laundering, fraud, espionage and distributing extremist texts.

On Oct. 8, 2013, just minutes after Kashkumbaev was freed to be transferred to house arrest, three police re-arrested the pastor. His family said the new charges were related to being a terrorist and called the charges “rubbish”. The police investigator also stripped Kashkumbaev of his lawyer.

Kashkumbaev was expected to be released to house arrest Oct. 8, 2013 after his pre-trial detention related to a criminal investigation into the matter of inflicting harm to the health of a church member was extended to Nov. 17. If convicted, the pastor of Grace Church could face a three- to seven-year prison sentence. He has already endured five months of imprisonment — including one full month spent in a psychiatric hospital while authorities scrutinized his mental faculties.

Earlier, on May 17, 2013, Pastor Kashkumbaev was arrested for possibly harming the health of one of his parishioners. The charges stemmed from allegations made in July 2011 by the mother of 34-year-old Lyazzat Almenova. Her mother asserted that prolonged influences from the church undermined her daughter’s mental state and resulted in schizophrenia. However, Almenova herself says she was erroneously diagnosed as having paranoid schizophrenia after a forced mental examination. She has spoken up publically for Pastor Kashkumbaev and stated that the charges of harming her health are unfounded.

Additionally, claims were made that a “hallucinogenic drink” was used in church services and could have caused harm to Almenova or other church members. Pastor Kashkumbaev has explained that the only drink served in the church is a red-colored tea used for communion.

On Oct. 3, 2012, the church was raided and officials seized valuables such as gold items, computers, DVDs and books that were declared to be “extremist literature.” At the request of officials, church members voluntarily underwent blood tests to demonstrate that they were not under the influence of any hallucinogens. The results of the tests were not made known to the church members.

After his arrest in May 2013, a court mandated that Pastor Kashkumbaev undergo a psychiatric assessment on Aug. 9. He was then ordered to stay at the psychiatric hospital until Sept. 17. During his time in the hospital, there were grave concerns that the pastor would be subjected to psychotropic drugs and ruled mentally incompetent.

While being held in the psychiatric facility, the pastor, who converted from Islam to Christianity in 1995, was repeatedly questioned about why he followed Jesus rather than Allah. Nearly a month went by before his transfer back to the Investigative Prison.

Now Kashkumbaev will face investigations related to both charges. In prison, he won’t be able to see his family or receive treatment for various health issues.

Sources: Voices of the Martyrs Sources, Forum 18 News Service

Satan is the father of lies.  Pray today for this pastor and his congregation as they face this persecution.


Find a list of other Christian organizations united to help in these ways and more at www.persecutedchurch.org

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