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Pastor Zaur Balaev, who was arrested during a house church raid in Aliabad in late May (click here for more details) was sentenced to two years in prison on August 8, according to an August 9 report from Forum18. Balaev was accused of holding "illegal meetings under the guise of religious activity" but was sentenced under Article 315, Part 1 for allegedly reacting violently against the police during the raid. The accusations against him have changed since his arrest. The authorities first claimed that he set a dog on police but have since claimed that he attacked five policemen and damaged a car door. During the trial, some witnesses admitted that they had not witnessed Balaev's alleged assault on the police and some reported that police had pressured them into testifying against him.
Pray for Pastor Balaev who suffers from a congenital heart condition and has been experiencing kidney pain. He has been reportedly beaten by authorities and is being denied family visits.
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