Recent Updates from Indonesia, Eritrea and Uzbekistan
by Staff
June 20, 2007
Indonesia:
Dr. Rebekka Zakaria (49), Eti Pangesti (45) and Ratna Bangun (40), three Christian women who were convicted of attempting to covert Muslim children to Christianity in 2005 (see www.persecution.net/news/indonesia49.html for more details), were released from the Indramayu district prison in West Java at 6:00 a.m. on June 8. They served nearly two years of their three-year sentence and were released on parole following several international advocacy campaigns on their behalf. The time of their release was secretly moved up three hours because militants stated that they were intending to gather outside the prison to protest the reduced sentences. All three women are now at home with their families.Eritrea:
Pastor Zekarias Abraham, who was arrested during a raid on the Mehrete Yesus Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Asmara last month (see www.persecution.net/news/eritrea62.html for more details), has been released from prison, according to VOMC sources. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the eighty Christians arrested and imprisoned along with Pastor Abraham may also have been released.
Uzbekistan:
Pastor Dmitry Shestakov, who was given a four year labour camp sentence for his religious activity on May 9 (see www.persecution.net/news/uzbekistan33.html for details), has been transferred to a closed labour camp in the city of Navoi to serve the rest of his sentence. According to a June 12 report from Forum 18, the harsher punishment was handed down to Shestakov during a cr iminal court trial on May 25. Authorities claim it is the result of Shestakov's misbehaviour in an open work camp. The court was told that he would not "repent for the crime he has committed."
