Pastor Ordered to Leave Turkmenistan
by Staff
December 14, 2007
Forum 18 is reporting that Baptist pastor Vyacheslav Kalataevsky who was freed from detention in early November after eight months in prison (see www.persecution.net/news/turkmenistan22.html) has been denied permission to remain in his native town of Turkmenbashi. According to a December 4 report, Kalataevsky's application for a visa to remain with his wife and family has been rejected by the Migration Service and he will have to leave the country. Kalataevsky is a Ukrainian citizen but was born in Turkmenbashi. His parents and brother also live there.
He is due to leave o n a flight to Moscow on December 11. Officials have refused to explain the reason for denying the visa. "But of course it is linked to my activity as a believer," he told Forum 18. "Everything that has happened to me since 2001 is related to that." His small independent Baptist congregation has no other pastor.
Pray for the Kalataevsky family during this difficult time. Pray for the church in Turkmenbashi as they will be without their pastor. Pray that some way may be found to allow Pastor Vyacheslav to return to his family and congregation.
For more information on this case and the persecution facing Christians in Turkmenistan, go to www.persecution.net/country/turkmenistan.htm.
