Source: www.forum18.org
Date: October 14, 2025
https://www.forum18.org/archiv
By Mushfig Bayram, Forum 18, and Felix Corley, Forum 18
The prison authorities transferred 65-year-old jailed True and Free Reform
Adventist Pastor Pavel Shreider to the medical unit of Prison No. 31 near
Bishkek on 25 September after the family raised concerns about his health.
"As also seen from the official medical examination paper, he has developed
encephalopathy, which is brain damage, and which has affected his general
health," his family complained. The transfer has delayed hearings of his
appeal at Bishkek City Court against his 3-year jail term.
The prison authorities had held Pastor Shreider at Prison No. 21 in Bishkek
for 10 months following his November 2024 arrest. "He has been examined
multiple times by doctors at Institution No. 21, and diagnosed with
traumatic brain injury" which has resulted in "cognitive impairment", Major
Azat Kudaybergenov, Chief of Prison No. 21, wrote to the family on 22
September 2025 in a letter seen by Forum 18 (see below).
"Several factors" may have contributed to Pastor Shreider's condition, his
family told Forum 18. "Firstly, he is of an older age. The prison regime is
not conducive for his body movement or exercise and his blood circulation
is bad. Secondly, he probably has stress every day because of his arrest.
And lastly and maybe most importantly, he was beaten by the police officers
when he was arrested and given blows to his head" (see below).
No one has ever been prosecuted for the torture of Pastor Shreider or three
other church members detained at the same time in November 2024. Officials
who participated in the arrest and investigation of Pastor Shreider earlier
denied to Forum 18 that they had tortured the church members (see below).
On 23 July, five United Nations Special Rapporteurs – including Nazila
Ghanea, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief – wrote to
the regime with their concerns about the "arrests, detentions and alleged
torture" of members of the True and Free Reform Adventist Church, as well
as the subsequent criminal prosecution of Pastor Shreider. They also noted
the 19 March 2025 court ruling banning the Church as "extremist" (see
below).
"Serious allegations of torture and ill-treatment have been made with
regard to Mr. Schreider and the other male members of the congregation
during their detention," the Special Rapporteurs told the regime. "It is
reported that the male and female members of the group witnessed [NSC
secret police] officers striking the heads and bodies of the seven male
members of the group, including Mr. Schreider, Mr. [Yuri] Pauls, Mr. Igor
Tsoi, Mr. Peter Petkau, all of whom reported ill-treatment in detention. It
is reported that Mr. Schreider and Mr. Tsoi were additionally subjected to
strangulation with cellophane bags and the use of tasers" (see below).
The Special Rapporteurs asked the regime for comments on their actions
against the True and Free Adventists and about Pastor Shreider's current
state of health. They also asked how Pastor Shreider's prosecution and the
court-imposed ban on the Church are "compatible with the international
human rights obligations". They also asked what measures had been taken to
"investigate the credible accusations" of torture against the four Church
members (see below).
The regime responded with a brief reply in Russian on 20 September,
according to the UN Special Procedures communication website (see below).
National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations Deputy
Director Kanatbek Midin uuly did not answer his phone each time Forum 18
called, He did not respond to written questions about the regime's moves
against the True and Free Reform Adventists (see below).
The regime has jailed others for exercising freedom of religion or belief
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
Muslim prisoner of conscience Asadullo Madraimov has been jailed since
October 2023 for criticising the authorities for closing Kara-Suu
District's Al-Sarakhsi Mosque. He is now due for release in February 2026.
Another member of the community, Mamirzhan Tashmatov, was freed from prison
in May 2024. In July 2023, a court jailed Protestant Aytbek Tynaliyev for 6
months for allegedly "inciting religious enmity" for social media posts
sharing his faith.
True and Free Reform Seventh-day Adventist Church
The True and Free Reform Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kyrgyzstan is part
of a reform movement within Adventism that emerged during the Soviet
period. (It is separate from the Seventh-day Adventist Church, with its
headquarters in the United States.) One of its leaders, prisoner of
conscience Vladimir Shelkov, died in a Soviet labour camp in 1980
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
The Church – which is led by Pastor Pavel Shreider - chooses not to seek
state registration. Exercising freedom of religion or belief without state
registration is illegal and punishable
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
The Church can no longer meet for worship because of the ban. It previously
met in its place of worship in the village of Lenin in Alamudun District of
Chuy Region, just north of Bishkek.
The regime has previously banned Ahmadi Muslims, and cancelled the state
registration or a Falun Gong association. It opened a criminal case against
Jehovah's Witnesses in 2019 (which appears not to have been closed). It
raided the Bishkek congregation of the Council of Churches during a harvest
festival worship meeting in September 2025 and police summarily fined two
congregation leaders (https://www.forum18.org/archi
Bishkek's Sverdlov District Court is due to hear their appeal on 17
October.
National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations Deputy
Director Kanatbek Midin uuly did not answer his phone on 9 and 10 October.
He did not respond to written questions sent on 10 October about the
regime's moves against the True and Free Reform Adventists.
Regime crushes True and Free Reform Adventist Church
The National Security Committee (NSC) secret police arrested the head of
the True and Free Adventist Church, Pavel Davidovich Shreider (born 10
January 1960), in Bishkek in November 2024. Officers searched his home and
those of about 10 other church members
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
thousands of books, including Bibles, as well as cash and mobile phones.
The NSC secret police later returned the 2,196 books they confiscated
during the November 2024 raids. The NSC handed back about 80 per cent of
the books in spring 2025. It returned the rest in September, one individual
told Forum 18 on 14 October.
After their arrest, NSC secret police officers tortured Pastor Shreider and
another detained church member Igor Tsoy during interrogations. "I was
given blows on my head, chest and given kicks in my spine from behind by
five officers," Pastor Shreider wrote in a November 2024 complaint to the
National Centre for the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Bishkek. Officers "hit me with an iron
pipe to force me to confess that I committed crimes".
NSC secret police officers used a stun gun to try to coerce Tsoy to write a
statement against Pastor Shreider, causing multiple injuries. However, Tsoy
refused to do so.
The National Centre for the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman
or Degrading Treatment or Punishment claimed that the torture cannot be
corroborated. Officials who participated in the arrest and investigation of
Pastor Shreider denied that officers tortured Pastor Shreider and church
member Tsoy (https://www.forum18.org/archi
Church members complained in writing to the United Nations in Geneva in
December 2024 about the raids on their community, the detentions and
torture, church members told Forum 18.
Court bans True and Free Reform Adventists as "extremist"
On 19 March, Alamudin District Court in Chuy Region banned the True and
Free Reform Adventist Church
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
religious organisation. The civil case had been brought by Chuy Region
Prosecutor's Office with the close involvement of the NSC secret police.
On 4 August, Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court in Bishkek rejected the appeal
against the ban (https://www.forum18.org/archi
whole process took 20 minutes when the Judges decided to go into their
chamber for discussion and they came out in a couple of minutes and
announced that they upheld the previous decision," Church members told
Forum 18. The Supreme Court upheld the ban permanently, and there is no
possibility of challenging it in Kyrgyzstan.
In September, church members lodged a further appeal to the United Nations
Human Rights Committee in Geneva, church members told Forum 18.
Arrested Pastor Shreider transferred to prison medical unit because of
brain damage
From his arrest in November 2024, Pastor Pavel Shreider was held for 10
months (https://www.forum18.org/archi
secret police supervision at Prison No. 21 in Bishkek.
On 12 September, Vera Shreider, Pastor Shreider's daughter, appealed to
Prison No. 21 over the state of health of her father. She asked for her
father to be given appropriate medical care. "As also seen from the
official medical examination paper, he has developed encephalopathy, which
is brain damage, and which has affected his general health," his family
complained. "We already saw him very weak during the 9 September appeal
hearing in the court room, and in writing demanded the prison authorities
to transfer him to the medical unit for treatment. They only transferred
him more than two weeks later."
Major Azat Kudaybergenov, Chief of Prison No. 21, responded to Vera
Shreider on 22 September. "He has been examined multiple times by doctors
at Institution No. 21, and diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with
cephalic syndrome. Stage 2 cerebrovascular insufficiency of mixed origin,
with cognitive impairment," Major Kudaybergenov wrote, in a letter seen by
Forum 18.
"The necessary examinations and treatment have been prescribed," Major
Kudaybergenov claimed. "He is currently under the supervision of medical
staff at Institution No. 21. He is scheduled for inpatient treatment at the
medical unit of correctional facility No. 31."
The family told Forum 18 that they believe that "several factors" may have
contributed to Pastor Shreider's condition. "Firstly, he is of an older
age. The prison regime is not conducive for his body movement or exercise
and his blood circulation is bad. Secondly, he probably has stress every
day because of his arrest. And lastly and maybe most importantly, he was
beaten by the police officers when he was arrested and given blows to his
head."
On 25 September, the prison authorities transferred Pastor Shreider to the
medical unit of Prison No. 31. The strict-regime prison – which is headed
by Zhumadil Ybyshov - is located some 20 kms (12 miles) north east of
Bishkek, close to the border with Kazakhstan. Although Pastor Shreider is
serving a general-regime labour camp sentence, the authorities took him to
the strict-regime camp because it is the only one with an appropriate
medical unit.
Pastor Shreider's family were last able to see him in person in Prison No.
31 on 26 September, when he looked weak. They have since been able to
travel to the labour camp, but only to talk with doctors.
On 14 October, the prison authorities began the process of transferring
Pastor Shreider back to Prison No. 21 in Bishkek. But the state of his
health prevented this, his family told Forum 18. They say the authorities
expect to be able to transfer him back there in a week or so.
Officials at Prison No. 21 and Prison No. 31 did not answer the phone
between 10 and 14 October.
The address of Prison No. 31 where Pastor Shreider is currently held:
Chuy oblusu
Alamudun raionu
Moldovanovka aiyly
Molodezhnaya kach. 2a/1
No. 31 Tuzatuu Mekemesi
Shreider's appeal postponed to 21 October
On 10 July 2025, nearly three months after his criminal trial began,
Bishkek's Birinchi May (Pervomaisky) District Court convicted Pastor Pavel
Shreider (https://www.forum18.org/archi
of "incitement of racial, ethnic, national, religious, or regional enmity".
Judge Ubaydulla Satimkulov jailed the 65-year-old Pastor for three years in
a general regime labour camp. The Judge ordered his deportation to Russia
at his own cost at the end of the prison term.
Pastor Shreider's defence lawyer Akmat Alagushev lodged an appeal against
his conviction and jail term to Bishkek City Court on 7 August. The Court
assigned the case to Judge Kymbat Arkharova. Hearings began in early
September.
Bishkek City Court was scheduled to resume hearing Pastor Shreider's appeal
in late September. But because he was transferred to the medical unit, the
Court postponed the appeal to 7 October, his family told Forum 18. "But on
that day, according to the Court officials, the internet connection with
the medical unit did not work. Since [Shreider] cannot participate in the
hearing in person the Court decided to reschedule the hearing to 14
October."
On 14 October, when officials were still preparing to transfer Shreider to
Prison No. 21, Bishkek City Court claimed that the internet connection to
Prison No. 31 "could not be established", Pastor Shreider's family told
Forum 18. The appeal hearing was once again rescheduled to 21 October.
Bishkek City Court and Judge Arkharova did not answer the phone on 14
October.
UN Special Rapporteurs' concern over Adventists' torture, arrests,
prosecution
On 23 July, five United Nations Special Rapporteurs – including Nazila
Ghanea, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief – wrote to
the regime (AL KGZ 4/2025
(https://spcommreports.ohchr.o
about the "arrests, detentions and alleged torture" of members of the True
and Free Reform Adventist Church, as well as the subsequent criminal
prosecution of Pastor Pavel Shreider.
The Special Rapporteurs also noted the 19 March 2025 court ruling banning
the True and Free Reform Adventist Church as "extremist".
"While we do not wish to prejudge the accuracy of these allegations, we
wish to express our serious concerns regarding the arrest, detention and
prosecution of Mr. Pavel Schreider, along with the alleged use of torture
and other ill-treatment against Messrs. Pavel Schreider, Igor Tsoi, Sergei
Sharvan, and Yuri Pauls," the Special Rapporteurs wrote. They pointed out
that "If the above allegations would prove to be accurate, they would be in
contravention" of various articles of the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights
(https://www.ohchr.org/en/inst
(ICCPR).
"Serious allegations of torture and ill-treatment have been made with
regard to Mr. Schreider and the other male members of the congregation
during their detention," the Special Rapporteurs told the regime. "It is
reported that the male and female members of the group witnessed SNCS
officers striking the heads and bodies of the seven male members of the
group, including Mr. Schreider, Mr. Pauls, Mr. Igor Tsoi, Mr. Peter Petkau,
all of whom reported ill-treatment in detention. It is reported that Mr.
Schreider and Mr. Tsoi were additionally subjected to strangulation with
cellophane bags and the use of tasers."
The Special Rapporteurs note that requests by Pastor Shreider's lawyer for
an investigation into the secret police's use of torture against him were
sent from one agency to another with no result. "This means that the
pre-investigative check, which by law should be conducted on such
allegations, and the criminal investigation itself, was not conducted," the
Special Rapporteurs complain.
The Special Rapporteurs asked the regime for further information or
comments on their actions against the True and Free Adventists and about
Pastor Shreider's current state of health. They also asked how Pastor
Shreider's prosecution and the court-imposed ban on the Church are
"compatible with the international human rights obligations", including
under the ICCPR. They also asked what measures had been taken to
"investigate the credible accusations" of torture against the four Church
members.
Regime's brief response to UN Special Rapporteurs
The regime responded with a brief reply in Russian on 20 September,
according to the UN Special Procedures communication website. (END)
More reports on freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Kyrgyzstan
(https://www.forum18.org/archi
For more background, see Forum 18's Kyrgyzstan religious freedom survey
(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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