ARKALYK, Kazakhstan — After legal residence in Kazakhstan for 15 years, marriage to a Kazakh citizen and a 2-year-old daughter, Russian citizen Leonid Pan was denied his application to renew his residence permit in mid-August because he volunteers to preach in his local Protestant church.
The local Internal Policy Department had already refused permission for him to become leader of the church. “How can the Migration Police, without having a court order, demand that Leonid leave the country?” church members asked. The secret police denied it was involved in the expulsion.
Meanwhile another Baptist in August was fined nearly five months’ official minimum wage for holding an unregistered worship service.
State restrictions on religious communities are likely to increase with the new religion law amendments, due in Parliament this fall.
Share with others: