Kyrgyzstan Court Fines Members of Banned Adventist Church

Authorities in Kyrgyzstan have concluded a series of legal proceedings against members of the True and Free Reform Seventh-day Adventist Church, a pacifist group distinct from the global denomination. Following the deportation of their leader, Pastor Pavel Shreider, in April 2026, five church members were held in pre-trial detention for several months. Prosecutors had sought prison sentences of up to seven years on charges of extremism, but the Birinchi May District Court ultimately issued fines equivalent to one or two weeks of average wages.

The legal pressure follows a 2025 Supreme Court ruling that permanently banned the church as an extremist organization for refusing to seek state registration. While the court’s decision to release the members with fines frustrated lead investigator Adilet Asanbayev, who expressed a preference for incarceration, the congregation remains under scrutiny. Following the ban, the church was forced to close its meeting hall in the village of Lenin. Authorities have since alleged that members continue to hold unauthorized worship services in private homes, leading to ongoing monitoring by the National Security Committee and police.