Dmitry Shestakov - Prisoner Profile
- Kaleo Church
- Jul 1, 2007
- Series: World Community Stories
PRISONER NAME: Pastor Dmitry Shestakov
LOCATION: Uzbekistan
ARRESTED: February 2007
SENTENCE: 4 Years Hard Labor
SUPPORTED BY: Point Loma Missional Community
On January 21, 2007, Pastor Dmitry Shestakov was arrested in a raid on his Full Gospel Church in Andijan, Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan’s Religious Affairs Committee claims Shestakov, an evangelical pastor affiliated with the registered Full Gospel Church, is not an authorized leader of any officially-recognized religious organization in Uzbekistan. They describe him as an “impostor” leading an underground group identified as “Charismatic Pentecostals” engaged in proselytizing under Shestakov’s leadership.
In the run up to Shestakov's trial, the Uzbek authorities stepped up their attacks on him through the state-run media. On 12 February, the government agency Press-uz.info quoted unnamed officials at the Religious Affairs Committee's press service describing international coverage of his case as "not objective and inaccurate". They questioned Shestakov's position as a pastor. "Earlier he abused alcohol and was dependent on drugs and now he presents himself as pastor David," the officials claimed. The Religious Affairs Committee insists that law enforcement agencies have discovered an illegal religious organization of "Charismatic Pentecostals" in Andijan, which for several years has been carrying out missionary and proselytizing activity among the population and which turned out to be run by Shestakov. The officials admit that Shestakov was warned in 1997 and 2004 for his "illegal" religious activity.
Sergei Nechitailo, president of the Full Gospel church in Uzbekistan, offered his support to Shestakov. "It is true that Shestakov has not been a member of our community," Nechitailo told Forum 18 on 13 February, "because he belongs to the charismatic tendency in Pentecostalism. But this doesn't mean we don't consider him to be a genuine believer. We are praying that Dmitry will be freed!"
During the trial Shestakov was not assisted by his defense lawyer, who had taken ill, but by a state lawyer who made only minimal efforts for his defense. National media repeatedly reported the pastor and his followers to be drug and alcohol addicts as well as religious fanatics. Shestakov was charged with leading an illegal religious group, inciting religious hatred and distributing extremist propaganda material, crimes punishable by five to 10 years in prison. His “Charismatic Pentecostal” group was compared to groups of Islamic extremists and held to be a “threat to national security”.
On March 9th 2007 pastor Dmitry Shestakov was sentenced to four years' exile in an open work camp within Uzbekistan for his religious activity. Shestakov maintained his innocence throughout the trial. During his final speech, he told the court that despite the tears of his wife and children he forgives those who have taken action against him. Shestakov's friends have stated that there were numerous irregularities in the trial, including: an expert analysis of his sermons being illegally conducted by an
Andijan University professor; forgery of documents by the Prosecutor's Office; false prosecution claims of religious services being conducted in a property not belonging to a registered religious organization; and Pastor Shestakov being illegally charged under a Criminal Code article that was not in force when the criminal case against Shestakov was launched.
The eight-page verdict, of which Forum 18 has seen the text, stated that Pastor Shestakov had to be deprived of his freedom "given the absence of the possibility of re-educating him without isolation from society." It also declares it "necessary" for 12 videotapes, seven CDs, two audiotapes and one copy of an Uzbek-language translation of a book "Jesus: More than a Prophet" – confiscated as "material evidence" to be destroyed.
Pastor Dmitry Shestakov appealed against the four-year sentence through his personal lawyer. He remained in Prison No. 1 in Andijan until the hearing where he was banned from kneeling to pray, had his copy of the New Testament confiscated and was offered the Koran to read instead.
The one month time limit for the court to hear his appeal passed without any contact with him and with out a court hearing. Suddenly on May 1st officials in Uzbekistan claimed Pastor Dmitry Shestakov "voluntarily" renounced his right to an appeal and, because of poor health, begged to be transferred immediately to his place of punishment. Since no contact with him was possible his lawyer and friends believe that he was forced to renounce his appeal.
He was then sent to the open work camp (a lighter version of Soviet Gulags). The day after he arrived he was given a five-day term in the camp isolation cell for "violation of the internal regulations". And on 14 May, the day after he was freed, he was given ten days in the isolation cells on the same accusation.
On May 25th the sentencing court changed its sentence and ordered Pastor Dmitry Shestakovto to serve the remainder of his sentence at the closed ordinary regime labor camp UYa 64/29, known as the “red zone” in the central Uzbek town of Navoi [Nawoiy]. A “red zone” is normally where convicted former law enforcement personnel are imprisoned.
"The authorities claim he misbehaved in the open work camp and that's why they ordered his transfer to a harsher camp," one Protestant who preferred not to be identified for fear of reprisals told Forum 18 News Service on 12 June. "We believe this was deliberately set up."
The verdict said Shestakov had taken part in educational events at the camp "but failed to draw the conclusions for himself". It said he also failed to take part in his brigade's social activities. "Cunning by nature, he does not keep his promises," the verdict alleged. "He does not repent for the crime he has committed." It is not known if he has been transferred yet. This transfer may make it impossible for his family to visit him.
NOTE – Thank you to all those who last December sent letters and prayed for our sisters who were prisoners in Indonesia. Thanks to the Lord they have been released 6 months early. Upon their release they thanked God for showing them His glory around the world by having so many letters of encouragement sent to them.
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