Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Our information indicates that the four Turkmen Baptists were indeed detained and tortured by KNB authorities in the town of Anau in November.

Despite international protests, our information indicates the four Baptists have continued to be detained and harassed.  Three of them have been forced to sign their homes over to the state and they and their families are now homeless.

We are also concerned about the January 4 district court decision that the private home in Ashgabat where the local Pentecostal community meets is to confiscated without compensation to the owner, Pentecostal Pastor Victor Makrousov.  The decision was based on the city of Ashgabat's assertion that the house had been purchased solely for the purpose of holding illegal religious services and that reconstruction work had been done without the authorization of the city's chief architect.

We call on the Government of Turkmenistan to adhere to its OSCE and UN commitments, to put a stop to the harassment immediately, and to punish those responsible for torture.  We also call on the Government of Turkmenistan to return the confiscated property.