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During their detention, police officers and representatives of the khyakimlik (local administration) pressured the Protestants to write statements saying they would no longer take part in such "illegal" religious activity. Most of them reportedly refused to write such statements.

The Turkmen government regards all activity by all Protestant churches as illegal, despite the fact that no published law specifically bans unregistered religious activity (Protestant churches are not allowed to gain registration.)

January has been a month of increased police pressure on Protestant communities, including fines on members of the Pentecostal church and the Church of Christ in Ashgabad, a raid on members of Ashgabad's Greater Grace church, the revocation of the residence permit in the Caspian port city of Turkmenbashi , the expulsion of a leading pastor of a Baptist church, and the detention of a Protestant Christian in the capital by police searching for three Protestant leaders currently in hiding.

However, there was some positive news for the beleaguered Protestant community when an appeal hearing on January 31 ruled that an earlier court ruling to confiscate Ashgabad's Pentecostal church was "flawed" and sent the case back to the lower court.

Copyright © 2001 Keston News Service

The BBC and Agence France Presse are also covering Atakov's situation.

Previous Christianity Today stories about religious persecution in Turkmenistan include:

Turkmenistan Police Evict Christians | Families punished after four men are arrested for owning Christian videos. (Dec. 21, 2000)

Turkmenistan Police Torture Four Christians | Crackdown on Protestants includes beatings, interrogations, and electric shocks. (Dec. 7, 2000)

Turkmenistan Refuses To Register Bible Society | Government confiscating Turkmen, Russian Scriptures. (March 16, 2000)

Turkmen Secret Police Deports Baptist Couple | More expulsions expected as efforts continue to stop 'illegal' religious activity. (March 15, 2000)

Turkmen Baptist Pastor Threatened with Prison | Two church members in Turkmenabad fired from jobs

Turkmenistan Deports Two Baptist Pastors | Christians arrested last week sent to Ukraine (Dec. 29, 1999)

Two Baptist Pastors Arrested by Secret Police in Turkmenistan | Crackdown on Unregistered Minority Communities Continues (Dec. 28, 1999)

Pastor Faces Thursday Trial In Turkmenistan | Baptist minister accused of teaching children religion without parental consent. (Dec. 10, 1999)

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February (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45