I received this via email today from a lady who serves as a missionary in this area, please say a prayer for these needs:


UZBEKISTAN - CHRISTIANS ARRESTED DURING PRIVATE PRAYER MEETING

On 24 January, Midet, a local church leader, and two women were meeting together to pray for their Christian brothers and sisters at Midet's home when police officers arrived, under the pretext of other matters. The police began to search the house, despite not having a search warrant, and found several Christian books. Midet and the women were arrested and taken to the police station, where officers demanded they write a statement about their church and other Christian activities. Midet was beaten and is covered in bruises; the women were also beaten and threatened with being stripped and tortured by electric shocks. Following these threats one of the women wrote a statement admitting that they had been attending a prayer meeting at Midet's home. All three were interrogated by the Office of the Public Prosecutor.

One of the women subsequently issued a complaint that they had been threatened by the police and that their statements had been given under duress. Reports suggest that her sister, who is not a Christian, has also been interrogated by the police, as a way of putting additional pressure on the Christians.

• Pray for Midet and the two women, that the Lord Jesus will heal any physical or emotional distress suffered during their ordeal.
• Pray for all believers in Uzbekistan, that they will be allowed to worship in the privacy of their own homes without fear of harassment, arrest and persecution.