Kazakhstan: fines
Three churches in Kazakhstan have been fined by police this year, without a court hearing, for meeting for worship without state permission, it emerged in July.
Forum 18
Police acquired the power in January 2015. Prosecutors subsequently annulled one of the fines. Baptists and human rights defenders are concerned that the new state tactic of summary police fines, to punish the exercise of freedom of religion or belief, might be used more widely.
