ASHGABAD, Turkmenistan — In two separate incidents in February, Turkmenistan state officials moved to stop Protestants exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief.
On Feb. 26, the pastor of Mary’s Baptist Church — an officially recognized branch of the registered Baptist Church in Ashgabad —was questioned by the Ministry of State Security (MSS) secret police.
The MSS officers questioned the pastor for about 90 minutes.
On Feb. 20, members of the Greater Grace Church congregations in Ashgabad and Mary visited the town of Tejen to talk to local people about their faith. One church member from Mary offered religious literature to a man who was an officer of the State Service for Security Protection of Healthy Society (the former Anti-Drugs Police) in civilian clothes. The church member and three others were held for questioning until 10 p.m. Officers seized their religious literature, phones and money.
At the same time, police officers detained several members of the Ashgabad congregation and took them to the police station for questioning. Each church member was fined $140 before being released.
(F18)
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