Pastor Zaur Balaev Update

Forum 18 reports

Baptist Pastor Zaur Balaev was yesterday (8 August) sentenced to two years in jail, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. The Pastor from Aliabad in northern Azerbaijan was convicted of using violence against a state representative, and was also accused of holding “illegal meetings under the guise of religious activity without concrete authority and without state registration,” attracting young people to worship services and playing loud music at services.

This is a genuine travesty of justice. Our protests were evidently unavailing.  Pray for the pastor and his family.