Baptist Seminary “Liquidated” in Kazakhstan

ICC Note: A small seminary attached to a Baptist congregation in Almaty, Kazakhstan was “upset” at being subjected to court-ordered liquidation on February 23, Forum 18 News Service reports. According to a seminary representative, the Baptist church had tried, but was unable to register the seminary under Kazakhstan’s 2011 Religion Law. The seminary hopes to continue its activity with registration under the umbrella of a registered regional religious organization.
By Felix Corley
3/1/2013 Kazakhstan (Forum 18 News Service) – A small seminary attached to a Baptist congregation in Almaty was “upset” at being subjected to court-ordered liquidation, one Protestant familiar with the liquidation told Forum 18 on 23 February.
On 9 January, Judge Alibek Bilispaev of Almaty’s Specialised Inter-District Economic Court upheld the Regional Justice Department suit to liquidate Almaty Baptist Seminary, according to the verdict seen by Forum 18.
The Seminary’s representative told the court it recognised that under the 2011 Religion Law its parent religious organisation had been unable to register a religious education establishment. It had therefore not applied for re-registration and had “liquidated itself”, according to the record of the hearing seen by Forum 18.
Asked in court by Prosecutor’s Office official A. Tilepova why the Seminary objected to being liquidated on court orders, the Seminary representative responded: “It would show our dishonesty.”
The Protestant told Forum 18 the Seminary is seeking to continue its activity with registration under the umbrella of a registered regional religious organisation.
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