A suspended Orthodox priest from Kazakhstan was arrested earlier this year and held in solitary confinement. He is accused of crimes, presumably because of his critical stance toward the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Local media are now reporting that he has been forcibly admitted to a psychiatric facility.
The independent Orthodox priest, Yakov Vorontsov, was arrested in the middle of the night on February 13th on drug-related charges. His ten-day pre-trial detention was subsequently extended by the Almaty court until the end of May. According to reports published on KazTAG, the authorities have now taken the further step of forcibly admitting the priest to a psychiatric facility in Aktas.
No consideration whatsoever was given to the arguments put forward by his defence team, nor to the fact that his appeal against the charges is still pending. Vorontsov and his supporters have consistently denied the allegations. It is reported that his criticism of the Russian Orthodox Church and its support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a key reason for his arrest.
“He has been denied any form of direct contact; no phone calls and no visits.”
Solitary confinement
“From the moment of his arrest, Yakov has been held in complete isolation from the outside world, including his family,” journalist Natalya Boiko—who knows him well—told Forum 18 earlier this month. “He has been denied any form of direct contact; no phone calls and no visits. His family is extremely concerned. We share their concerns because everything indicates that he is being deliberately held in isolation.”
Priest Yakov is a fervent critic of Russia’s renewed war against Ukraine. According to him, the invasion “has nothing to do with Christianity.” The Moscow Patriarchate supports the war in Ukraine. “This is exactly why Yakov wanted to break away and raised this issue, and that is why he is now being punished,” Natalya concludes. Since August 2023, Vorontsov has been suspended as a priest by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Freedom under pressure
Attorney Galym Nurpeisov confirmed the transfer and said that a complaint is being prepared for the prosecutor’s office. The specialised psychiatric hospital is located in Aktas in the Almaty region and is the largest facility offering compulsory treatment.
According to a human rights organisation, the transfer breached a number of legal provisions, including two conditions required for such placement. First, there must be a confirmed mental health condition, and second, the individual must pose a threat to themselves or others. However, the Kazakh International Bureau for Human Rights has serious doubts about the validity of the diagnosis and whether there is evidence that Vorontsov posed a threat.
For a long time, Kazakhstan seemed to be one of the more tolerant countries in Central Asia in terms of religious freedom. Recently, however, there have been repeated incidents indicating that freedom of religion and belief, alongside other fundamental rights, is under pressure in this country.
Kazakhstan is ranked 45th in the World Watch List.
Prayer points
- Please pray for the detained priest Yakov Vorontsov. Pray for peace and inner calm despite the injustice he faces.
- Pray for justice for this priest. Pray for his speedy release and acquittal.
- Pray for protection for Yakov during his detention.
- Ask the Lord God to use the Russian Orthodox Church as a righteous instrument in His Kingdom, as a safe haven where people may come to know Jesus Christ.
- Pray for freedom of speech, conscience, and religion in Kazakhstan.
