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Turkmenistan: Five years' imprisonment for protestant pastor?

Pentecostal pastor Ilmurad Nurliev, arrested at his home in Mary in south-eastern Turkmenistan on 27 August, faces criminal charges of large-scale swindling which carry a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and confiscation of property, his wife Maya and his lawyer have told Forum 18 News Service.

Three women who had attended church meetings wrote statements that he took money from them, charges his wife and other church members deny vigorously. They say police pressured the three to write the statements and they now regret doing so. Another church member has been threatened that if she does not testify against Pastor Nurliev her husband - who is not a church member - will be sacked from his job.

Forum 18 was unable to discuss the case with officials, including police investigator Durdimurad Gazakov. Meanwhile, mystery surrounds why two imams were arrested and given long prison terms.

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TAGS: Turkmenistan imprisonment protestant pastor persecution Ilmurad Nurliev criminal charges

[08/31/2010]

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