Pastor in Tajikistan faces three years in prison after appeal fails

Please remember Tajik pastor Bahrom Holmatov in your prayers. In April 2017, Pastor Holmatov was arrested and imprisoned for three years on false accusations of 'singing extremist songs in church and so inciting religious hatred'. An Open Doors letter-writing campaign has been started to encourage him while waiting for an appeal to be heard. After initially being postponed, the appeal was heard recently and, sadly, the original decision was upheld. Bahrom now faces three years in prison for nothing more than exercising his right to believe

Please remember Tajik pastor Bahrom Holmatov in your prayers.

In April 2017, Pastor Holmatov was arrested and imprisoned for three years on false accusations of 'singing extremist songs in church and so inciting religious hatred'. An Open Doors Letter-writing campaign has been started to encourage him while waiting for an appeal to be heard.

After initially being postponed, the appeal was heard recently and, sadly, the original decision was upheld. Bahrom now faces three years in prison for nothing more than exercising his right to believe. Previously, Pastor Bahrom's wife, Gulnora, shared that, although he is prepared and ready to serve the whole three years, he hopes to be released earlier.

In the meantime, he has sent us this message: "Don't worry about me, please. Just keep praying for me and my family. I knew that I could pay a price for my following Christ and my ministry - and I do it now. I am ready to go through this, I am ready to be in prison for His name my whole term. Thank you all brothers and sisters who prayed and supported me."

Please, keep praying for this courageous Christian, for his faith and for his emotional, spiritual and physical health in prison. Pray for his family - especially his wife Gulnora - who miss their husband and father. Pray for safety for all of them.

Find out more about writing to Pastor Bahrom and his family.