Pastor Kholmatov’s Sentence Upheld – Aug. 2017

On Aug. 18, the Sogd Regional Court upheld the three-year prison sentence given to Pastor Bakhrom Kholmatov of Sunmin Sunbogym Church. Pastor Kholmatov was punished for “singing extremist songs in church and so inciting ‘religious hatred’”. After his arrest, he was first held in NSC secret police custody before being transferred to the Investigation Prison in Istaravshan. It is unclear whether he remains there or has been transferred to a prison camp to serve his sentence.