ISTANBUL, Turkey — Turkmenistan’s political police have launched another harsh crackdown against its Protestant Christian citizens.
At least four known believers in the capital of Ashgabad have been subjected to repeated beatings, electric shocks, partial suffocation and other forms of torture while under interrogation, prosecution and ongoing harassment.
The four Turkmen Christians were identified as Batir Nurov, 23; Babamurat Gaebov, 27; Shokhrat Piriyev, 27; and Umit Koshkarov, 25. Although Gaebov is single, the other three men are married and have children.
All are members of a Protestant house church group in Ashgabad where Piriyev is pastor.
According to accounts from several sources, the crackdown was triggered on the morning of Nov. 22 when police officers of the National Security Committee investigating a car wreck found a box of Christian videos dubbed in the Turkmen language.
During the past two years, all foreign Christians known to be involved in religious work in the country have been expelled. A Protestant church has been destroyed, and members of the Baptist faith were among those subjected to police raids and large fines.
Share with others: