Turkmenistan is listed as one of the worst offenders of religious freedom according to John Kerry, the United States Secretary of State. It is on the U.S. State Department’s “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) list for reports of people being detained, beaten, and tortured for their faith.
The country is in Central Asia and most of its inhabitants are Sunni Muslims. People are enforced by rules, fines, and regulations to keep them in line. It is difficult for people to travel out of Turkmenistan. Private worship is illegal and religious minorities are strictly apprehended by the government. It is a country where every single religious organization is under scrutiny.
“In 2013, the world witnessed the largest displacement of religious communities in recent memory,” stated the State Department’s annual report on religious freedom. “In almost every corner of the globe, millions of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and others representing a range of faiths were forced from their homes on account of their religious beliefs. … Communities are disappearing from their traditional and historic homes and dispersing across the geographic map. In conflict zones, in particular, this mass displacement has become a pernicious norm.”
According to June 2015 reports by affiliates of Open Doors, Christians in Turkmenistan are fearful of government intervention in their daily lives. Officials have the authority to cut off gas and water, as well as take away land and interfere in work places. Open Doors reports that 95,000 Christians reside in Turkmenistan, a country dominated by 5.3 million Muslims.
In a world where discrimination, hatred, and harassment is so commonplace, it is difficult to see hope arise from the darkness. Yet, the report by Kerry mentioned Pakistani Muslims who protected Christians following a church bombing. He also noted that members of the Jewish community assisted Muslim leaders in London for safe travels.
