Source: www.forum18.org
Date: August 2, 2023
https://www.forum18.org/archiv
By Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18
On 26 March, the State Commission for Religious Affairs (SCRA), the
National Security Committee (NSC) secret police, and Talas police
"Department for the Struggle against Extremism and Illegal Migration"
raided St Nicholas Catholic Church in Talas, in the north-western Talas
Region, after a Sunday evening Mass was celebrated. People leaving the
state-registered Church were forced back into the the Church by officers,
some of whom were carrying weapons.
People were forced by the armed officers to remain in St Nicholas Church
for about one and a half hours until two Slovak nuns, Sister Daniela
Cincilova and Sister Eva Eliasova, signed a statement that they were
"guilty" of alleged "illegal missionary activities" and "spreading their
ideology." The SCRA then fined the nuns the maximum fine under Violations
Code Article 142, Part 4 ("Carrying out religious activity without
registration at the executive state body for religious affairs") of 7,500
Soms each. 7,500 Soms is equivalent to just over two week's average wages.
The Catholic Church has appealed againts the fines (see below).
Two foreign Protestants at a registered Protestant church were fined for
"illegal missionary activity" after a raid by state officials, a local
Protestant who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of state reprisals told
Forum 18. The raid and fines also took place around the time St Nicholas
Church in Talas was raided, and included officials from the police
"Department for the Struggle against Extremism and Illegal Migration" (see
below).
Three days after the raid on St Nicholas Church, on 29 March, the SCRA
wrote to the Catholic Apostolic Administration in Bishkek (which leads the
Church in the country) threatening that if more "violations" happen the
SCRA will "take action against the Apostolic Administration in Kyrgyzstan
for its liquidation" (see below).
SCRA Deputy Director Kanatbek Midin uuly refused to explain to Forum 18 why
his fellow-Deputy Director Zamir Kozhomberdiev threatened the Catholic
Church in writing with possible liquidation (see below).
On 11 June Interior Ministry and police "Department for the Struggle
against Extremism and Illegal Migration" officials, as well as SCRA
officials, raided the wedding rehearsal of a Hare Krishna couple, human
rights defender Erzhan Kayipov told Forum 18 on 25 July. The wedding
rehearsal was taking place in the flat of another Hare Krishna devotee. The
devotee was fined 7,500 Soms, just over two weeks average wages, and Indian
students present had their student visas cancelled (see below).
The Interior Ministry and police "Departments for the Struggle against
Extremism and Illegal Migration," the State Commission for Religious
Affairs (SCRA), and the NSC secret police have all refused to explain to
Forum 18 why the regime is violating its legally-binding international
human rights obligations (see below).
Catholic Church raided, nuns fined for reading the Bible
On 26 March, the State Commission for Religious Affairs (SCRA)
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Security Committee (NSC) secret police, and Talas police "Department for
the Struggle against Extremism and Illegal Migration" raided St Nicholas
Catholic Church in Talas, in the north-western Talas Region, after a Sunday
evening Mass was celebrated. People leaving the state-registered Church
were forced back into the the Church by officers, some of whom were
carrying weapons, Agenzia Fides reported on 29 March.
The police "Department for the Struggle against Extremism and Illegal
Migration" was previously called the "Department for the Struggle against
Extremism and Terrorism."
People were forced by the armed officers to remain in St Nicholas Church
for about one and a half hours until two Slovak nuns, Sister Daniela
Cincilova and Sister Eva Eliasova, signed a statement that they were
"guilty" of alleged "illegal missionary activities" and "spreading their
ideology." Both nuns were forced by the armed officers to sign statements
admitting "guilt" under Violations Code Article 142 ("Violating the
Religion Law") (https://www.forum18.org/archi
The SCRA then fined the nuns the maximum fine under Violations Code Article
142, Part 4 ("Carrying out religious activity without registration at the
executive state body for religious affairs") of 7,500 Soms each. 7,500 Soms
is equivalent to just over two week's average wages.
Fr Damian Wojciechowski SJ, Director of the Curia of the Apostolic
Administration, told Fides that he thought the raid and fines were the
result of ignorance on the part of local officials, as all the nuns had
done was to read out passages from the Bible at Mass. Fr Wojciechowski said
this is not illegal as Kyrgyz law requires written state permission for
foreigners to preach and to lead worship, but the nuns had not done this in
the Mass.
The Catholic Church has appealed against the fines, but as of 2 August
without success so far.
Neither Talas regional nor city police answered their phones when Forum 18
called them on 2 August.
Colonel Urmatbek Jumabekov, head of the Interior Ministry's "Department for
the Struggle against Extremism and Illegal Migration" (which controls
police departments with the same name) told Forum 18 on 2 August that he
knew of the raid, detention of worshippers, and fines. However, he refused
to discuss them as he claimed to be in a meeting and asked Forum 18 to call
back in 30 minutes. When Forum 18 called back, Colonel Jumabekov's phone
was connected to a fax machine.
An NSC secret police (https://www.forum18.org/archi
officer in the Investigations Division, who refused to give her name, would
not explain to Forum 18 on 1 August why armed officers raided a Catholic
Church, detained worshippers, and imposed an illegal fine on the nuns. The
NSC officer asked Forum 18 to call back in 20 minutes, but repeated calls
later were not answered.
SCRA Deputy Director Kanatbek Midin uuly also refused to explain on 26 July
why St Nicholas Church was raided by armed officers, worshippers were
detained, and two nuns were fined illegally by the SCRA. "We will
definitely answer all your questions," he claimed. Forum 18 e-mailed Midin
uuly on 28 July, but the SCRA had not answered the questions by the end of
the working day on 2 August.
Registered Protestant church raided, foreign Protestants fined
Two foreign Protestants at a registered Protestant church were fined for
"illegal missionary activity" after a raid by state officials, a local
Protestant who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of state reprisals told
Forum 18 on 26 July. The raid and fines also took place around the time St
Nicholas Church in Talas was raided, and included officials from the police
"Department for the Struggle against Extremism and Illegal Migration."
State registration does not remove many obstacles to exercising freedom of
religion and belief, a human rights defender commentiong to Forum 18 in
2019 that: "practically speaking, registration only gives you permission to
exist (https://www.forum18.org/archi
does not give you the freedoms one should expect."
Colonel Jumabekov of the Interior Ministry's "Department for the Struggle
against Extremism and Illegal Migration" told Forum 18 that he knew of the
raid and fines. However, he refused to discuss them as he claimed to be in
a meeting and asked Forum 18 to call back in 30 minutes. When Forum 18
called back, Colonel Jumabekov's phone was connected to a fax machine.
Catholic Church threatened with liquidation
Three days after the raid on St Nicholas Church, on 29 March, the State
Commission for Religious Affairs (SCRA)
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Apostolic Administration in Bishkek (which leads the Church in the country)
threatening that if more "violations" happen the SCRA will "take action
against the Apostolic Administration in Kyrgyzstan for its liquidation."
The letter, which Forum 18 has seen, claims that the two nuns violated the
Religion Law (https://www.forum18.org/archi
"carrying out missionary activity in Talas Parish without state
registration." It was signed by SCRA Deputy Director Zamir Kozhomberdiev,
one of two Deputy Directors.
Against international human rights law, the regime's laws state that
religious communities are illegal and cannot operate unless they have state
permission to exist (https://www.forum18.org/archi
Yet as the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) /
Council of Europe Venice Commission Guidelines on the Legal Personality of
Religious or Belief Communities
(https://www.osce.org/files/f/
permission may not be made a condition for the exercise of the freedom of
religion or belief. The freedom of religion or belief, whether manifested
alone or in community with others, in public or in private, cannot be made
subject to prior registration or other similar procedures, since it belongs
to human beings and communities as rights holders and does not depend on
official authorization."
The Catholic Church told Forum 18 in July that "we hope that we will
resolve our issues with the State Commission amicably."
SCRA Deputy Director Midin uuly insisted to Forum 18 that neither the SCRA
nor other regime agencies have threatened to close down the Catholic
Church. "That is not true, where did you get this information," he told
Forum 18 while laughing. However, he refused to explain why his
fellow-Deputy Director Kozhomberdiev threatened the Catholic Church in
writing with possible liquidation. "We will definitely answer all your
questions," Midin uuly claimed. Forum 18 e-mailed the SCRA on 28 July, but
the SCRA had not answered the questions by the end of the working day on 2
August.
Hare Krishna wedding rehearsal raided, devotee fined, students' visas
cancelled
On 11 June Interior Ministry and police "Department for the Struggle
against Extremism and Illegal Migration" officials, as well as State
Commission for Religious Affairs (SCRA)
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
wedding rehearsal of a Hare Krishna couple, human rights defender Erzhan
Kayipov told Forum 18 on 25 July. The wedding rehearsal was taking place in
the flat of another Hare Krishna devotee.
The Interior Ministry "Department for the Struggle against Extremism and
Illegal Migration" was previously the "Department for the Struggle against
Extremism and Terrorism."
After the raid, the Hare Krishna devotee whose flat the wedding rehearsal
was taking place in was fined the nuns the maximum fine under Violations
Code Article 142, Part 4 ("Carrying out religious activity without
registration at the executive state body for religious affairs")
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
is equivalent to just over two week's average wages.
Some Indian students studying at local universities were present at the
invitation of the Hare Krishna community, to teach the community
appropriate wedding dances and help devotees choose suitable costumes. The
students' student visas were cancelled, so they can be deported at any
time. The Indian Embassy has asked Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Ministry to assist
the students, but on 2 August the Embassy told Forum 18 that no reply has
been received from the Foreign Ministry.
The wedding itself took place on 25 June without any more harassment from
the regime.
Police "Department for the Struggle against Extremism and Illegal
Migration" and SCRA officials told the Hare Krishna community that both the
Indian students and the homeowner had broken the Religion Law as the Hare
Krishna community is unregistered. This means that any exercise by the
community of freedom of religion or belief is illegal
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Human rights defender Kayipov commented that this demonstrates that the
Religion Law violates both constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion
or belief and the regime's legally binding obligations under the
International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
means that there are no constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion or
belief," he pointed out.
The Hare Krishna community in Bishkek has been trying for years to gain
state registration, and in 2009 was told of a "secret instruction" to block
its registration attempts
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
2008 ordered by the secret police not to meet
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
community met the SCRA on 24 July 2023 and was told that it must fulfil the
Religion Law's requirements for 200 adult founders and other necessary
documents (https://www.forum18.org/archi
community is trying to do (see forthcoming article).
SCRA Deputy Director Midin uuly refused to explain why the wedding
rehearsal was raided, a devotee fined, and why the Indian students were
stripped of their student visas. "We will definitely answer all your
questions," he claimed. Forum 18 e-mailed the SCRA on 28 July, but the SCRA
had not answered the questions by the end of the working day on 2 August.
Colonel Jumabekov of the Interior Ministry's "Department for the Struggle
against Extremism and Illegal Migration" told Forum 18 that he knew of the
raid and fines. However, he refused to discuss them as he claimed to be in
a meeting and asked Forum 18 to call back in 30 minutes. When Forum 18
called back Colonel Jumabekov's phone was connected to a fax machine. (END)
For more background information see Forum 18's Kyrgyzstan religious freedom
survey (https://www.forum18.org/archi
More reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Kyrgyzstan
(https://www.forum18.org/Archi
Forum 18's compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments
(https://www.forum18.org/Archi
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