Pastor Zaur Balaev was released from prison on the 19th of March.

“We won – it’s a great joy to be free,” Balaev told Forum 18 hours after his release as he traveled the six-hour journey back to his home village of Aliabad in Azerbaijan’s remote north-west. “We’re all waiting for him,” one of his church members told Forum 18.

Ilya Zenchenko, head of the Baptist Union, welcomed the release. “We thank God and those who prayed and supported Zaur,” he told Forum 18. “But there is a lot more work still to be done to defend religious freedom in Azerbaijan.”

Balaev was pardoned under a March 18 decree from Aliev – published on the presidential website - which pardoned 58 prisoners and reduced the sentence of one other. Forum 18 reported that former US President Jimmy Carter was amongst those who appealed for Balaev’s release, writing to President Aliev on Feb. 15.

Balaev was arrested in May 2007 and sentenced in Aug. on charges of using violence against state representatives, an accusation church members denied to Forum 18. After his appeal failed in Oct., Balaev was transferred to a prison in the capital Baku.

Pray for other prisoners of conscience who are jailed simply because they have faith in Christ.