DASHOGUZ, Turkmenistan — Police and other unidentified officials who raided the home of a Baptist family in the northern Turkmenistan city of Dashoguz, dragged the father of the family, 77-year-old Begjan Shirmedov, from the house by his collar and beat the hands of his 68-year-old wife until they bled. About 15 church members were questioned and religious literature seized.
The raid came two weeks after a raid on another Protestant meeting in the city, with fines on three participants. One of those fined — Oleg Piyashev — was revisiting his homeland from Russia. A Russian and Turkmen citizen, he was banned from leaving Turkmenistan at Ashgabad airport Sept. 23. The Russian Embassy said it is awaiting an explanation from the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.
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