Turkmensitan: Lebap Region raids, confiscations, fines and public vilification
Two members of a Protestant community in a village in the eastern Lebap Region were fined more than two months average local wages after police were informed that a church member was reading Christian literature at work, Protestants reported to Forum 18 News Service. State religious affairs officials (including state-appointed imams) and police raided several local Christians' homes, confiscating Bibles and other literature. "They said the Bible was printed in Kiev in Ukraine, and therefore reading it was banned," Protestants told Forum 18. The Judge told one of the fined church members: "If you want to know about God, read the Koran." In another village of Lebap Region, local elders wrote to Turkmenistan's President complaining that a Protestant leader is "very dangerous to society." Local Protestants have faced public vilification at residents' meetings. State religious affairs officials refused to comment.
Source: Forum 18
Turkmen First Graders to Receive 200 Thousand Lenowo Netbooks
Turkmen first graders beginning their studies this September will receive 193.244 Lenovo IdeaPadS120 netbooks, reported Turkmenistan's Minister of Education, Gulshat Mammediva, at a governmental meeting.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
Another Prisoners Amnesty Announced in Turkmenistan
President Berdymuhamedov signed a decree “On pardoning of prisoners in honor of the Day of Revival, Unity and Poetry of Magtymguly,” which led to the release of 926 prisoners from serving their main term in prison and from any additional punishment, such as mandatory residence in a particular area.
Source: Turkmenistan.ru
Sign up for Eurasianet's free weekly newsletter. Support Eurasianet: Help keep our journalism open to all, and influenced by none.