Photo: USCIRF
In November 2024, national security police in Kyrgyzstan arrested Pastor Pavel Shreider and placed him in detention. At the time of the church leader's arrest, authorities also raided his home, along with the residences of several other Christians. In the process, thousands of books and Bibles were confiscated, along with cash and cell phones.
The indictment against Pastor Pavel alleges that he, along with other unidentified accomplices, had "conceived of inciting religious hatred in order to undermine the integrity and security of the state." It went on to claim that he had "illegally organized a religious cell, based on the principles of Protestant Christianity, in which he exerted a manipulative influence on church members, as well as through religious literature that is negatively aggressive in nature towards other religions."
After a three-month trial, the 65-year-old pastor was sentenced to serve for three years in a labour camp. Upon the completion of his sentence, the Christian leader is scheduled to be deported to Russia. Although Pastor Pavel was born in Kyrgyzstan during the time it was part of the Soviet Union, he had lived in Russia for many years before returning to his homeland with his family in 2013. Denying all the charges against him, he and his lawyer are presently preparing to appeal the verdict.
Kyrgyzstan enforces strict laws governing all forms of religious activity within the country. In March 2025, Pastor Pavel's church was banned after being labelled as "extremist." This action followed the introduction of newly revised legislation in February 2025, which significantly tightened the requirements for religious organizations. More information about Christian persecution in this Central Asian nation is available at our country profile.
- Pray on behalf of Pastor Pavel and his family, asking the Lord to provide them peace, strength and protection, as well as the ability to maintain an unwavering trust in Him.
- Pray that the court decision will ultimately be overturned, and that all the charges against the accused pastor would subsequently be dropped.
- Remember to pray for the many other faithful believers in Kyrgyzstan who, like Pastor Pavel, are resiliently sharing the "Good News" of the Gospel amid a politically hostile environment.
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