Turkmenistan

Key Facts:

Leader:
Pres. Berdymukhamedov
Population:
5 million (3% Christian)
Majority Religion:
Islam
Type of Government:
Authoritarian president

The government controls the population, particularly watching Christians. The president claims the loyalty of the people. Registered churches have some freedom, but the government interferes heavily. Homes are sometimes raided for Bibles and Christians are taken to police stations for interrogation. Some are beaten, others fined. Believers may lose their jobs and be expelled from their hometown. The Church here is very young: the first Turkmen believers date from the 1990s.

Prayer

• Pray that Christians would overcome divisions and remain united as the body of Christ.
• Uphold the new believers who have been interrogated and face further harassment.
• Pray for the distribution of Christian literature, as the import of Turkmen and Russian Bibles is closely monitored.