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Press
KAZAKHSTAN’S KRISHNAS CRY FOUL AFTER HOMES BULLDOZED
Outside the shell of what was once a neat Kazakh village house, Radek Gaynanov gestures at a pile of rubble. "That used to be our bedroom," he says. Debris from the demolished ground floor spills onto the snowy lawn.
KAZAKHSTAN: More Hare Krishna home demolitions planned?
After the fining and forcing out from Kazakhstan of a Baptist for taking part in an "illegal" bible study, the Hare Krishna community is preparing to face another court hearing – due on 25 December – Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Asked whether he expects the next five Hare Krishna homes to be bulldozed after 25 December, a senior state religious affairs official told Forum 18 that "we don't know what the court will decide, but I don't expect so." Previous state assurances given to the Hare Krishna community have been broken. Maksim Varfolomeyev of the Hare Krishna community told Forum 18 that the court hearing is "unlikely to be over all in one day, but it's just a matter of time. Our previous experience shows that the decision will not be in our favour," he commented. A state-appointed Commission today (22 December) presented what Krishna devotees describe as a "totally false" version of events, for use as a press release. Human rights activists, who observed the Commission's work, were devastating in their criticism of the way it operated.
Concern over Kazakh religious row
From one angle it looks as if an earthquake has hit the village. From another, it is obvious that whatever the disaster, it picked its victims carefully.
KAZAKHSTAN: New threat to de-register partially demolished Hare Krishna community
In a new threat from Kazakhstan to the Hare Krishna commune it has partially demolished, moves appear to be underway to de-register the community Forum 18 News Service has learnt. During an "unofficial" visit to the commune by four regional religious affairs officials following orders from the capital Astana, highly intrusive questions were asked in an attempt to persuade the community to seek re-registration – even though there is no legal basis for this official demand. The commune's demolition has caused worldwide protests, even sparking a video montage of footage of the demolition and apparent remarks of the fictional character Borat.
U.S. Embassy urges Kazakh authorities to end harassment of Hare Krishna
The United States on Thursday urged Kazakhstan's authorities to end what it called an "aggressive" campaign against the country's tiny Hare Krishna community.
US Embassy expressed concern regarding Krishna houses demolition
Kazakhstan Today - The USA Embassy in Kazakhstan expressed concern regarding demolishing of Krishna houses in Karasay region of Almaty oblast, the agency reports.
U.S. Urges Kazakhs To Stop Harassing Hare Krishna
The United States has urged Kazakh authorities to end what it describes as an "aggressive" campaign against Hare Krishna followers.
Borat’s nation seeks leading role in Europe
An audacious attempt by Borat’s home country to win the chairmanship of an international body that champions free elections and human rights has left Britain and America in a real-life dispute with much of Europe.
A video on the demolition of Krishna community and comments by Borat appeared on the Internet
A video on the demolition of Krishna community near Almaty and comments by the fictional Kazakh reporter Borat Sagdiyev appeared on the Internet, Kazakhstan Today reports.
Hare Krishna Protest Kazakh Eviction In Front Of Embassy
Dozens Hare Krishna followers demonstrated in front of the Kazakh Embassy in Prague today to protest the destruction of a Hare Krishna farming community near the Kazakh capital, Almaty.