On the morning of April 28, police returned from a Sunday service at the Council of Baptist Church in the village of Shu. Immediately after raiding the church, police raided another Protestant church in the village, the Children of God, which was in the middle of a Sunday service.
Police who arrived at the church Baptist church said they received a call from a neighbor about the service being held. The local Baptist noted: “No neighbor called, which became clear after speaking with the neighbors later.”
“Two officials walked into the prayer hall and listened
To the entire first sermon and half of the service,” the church member said. “Others spoke to church members.” The officials Lead Generation Telemarketing asked those present to write statements explaining why they were present at the worship meeting.
An official told church members, “We have nothing against you,” a church member from Shudi told Forum 18. “He almost apologized, saying it was an order from the Ministry of Religious Affairs.”
The next day, the police imposed summary
Fines on three church members who had written statements under. Article 489, Part 10 of the Administrative. Code, which imposes fines for “participation in unregistered, suspended or. Banned religious groups or social organizations.” The fine amounted to 184,600 tenge, 50 microfinance institutions, each (about one month’s average salary) (halved if paid within seven days).
Two of the three church members fined were Valhalla Civic Auditorium brothers Mikhail Boiprav and Andrey Boiprav (sons of the church leader), according to a criminal record seen by Forum 18, both completed by police officer Saken Kurmanbekov. Mikhail Boiprav noted in his fine record: “I do not agree with the criminal record because it contradicts the religious law.”
“Church members do not understand the reason
For the fine and it has not been explained to them,” church members complained.
On May 3, every time Forum 18 called, Inspector Kurmanbekov did not answer the phone.
On April 30, police questioned the village’s 77-year-old church leader, Pastor Andrei Boiprav, in the courtyard of his home. “Despite his poor health, which was confirmed by the results and conclusions of the medical examination,” church members complained that the situation posed a “threat to his life and health” and to the continued exercise of the church members’ right to freedom of religion or belief.
The police prepared a criminal record against Boyprav. “They accused him of illegal preaching activities, even though the meeting was held in the prayer house with only community members present.” He refused to sign the criminal record. The case does not appear to have reached the Shu District Court yet.