In a shocking crackdown on religious freedom, Kyrgyzstan has banned a Christian church and jailed its pastor on baseless extremism charges. The True and Free Adventist Church was declared “extremist” by a near-empty courtroom, with only a judge, prosecutor, and secret police officer present. This secretive trial denied basic fairness, as church members weren’t even notified until after the ruling.
Pastor Pavel Shreider, 65, faces seven years in prison for “inciting hatred” simply because his congregation practices their faith. The government claims his sermons criticized Islam, but experts call these charges “absurd” and “unscientific.” It’s clear this is about silencing Christians who refuse to bow to state control.
Authorities have targeted this church since 2022, desperately searching for excuses to shut it down. They seized religious books and twisted property disputes into false criminal cases. This isn’t law enforcement—it’s a witch hunt against Bible-believing citizens.
Kyrgyzstan’s new “religion law” makes things worse, banning all unregistered worship and crushing small faith groups. Door-to-door evangelism is now illegal, stranding those who want to share hope with neighbors. The government claims this stops extremism, but it’s really about controlling every aspect of citizens’ lives.
The court’s “evidence” included reports by secret police experts who never met church members. One judge absurdly claimed preaching Christian truth “exalts their religion above others.” Since when is practicing your faith a crime? This is pure tyranny disguised as justice.
This persecution echoes Soviet-era tactics, where Christians were jailed for refusing to renounce their beliefs. Pastor Shreider’s church comes from a tradition of resistance—their leader died in a labor camp under communist rule. Now history repeats as dictators fear the power of unregistered churches.
While Kyrgyzstan claims to support religious freedom, its actions prove otherwise. The police state criminalizes peaceful worship, weaponizes courts, and labels scripture “extremist.” True extremists aren’t pastors preaching love—they’re governments crushing fundamental rights.
America must confront this assault on conscience. When foreign leaders jail pastors and outlaw churches, it’s a warning sign for all freedom-loving people. Religious liberty is under fire worldwide, and silence now invites more oppression. The time to defend persecuted Christians is before the knock comes at your own door.
