Grace church pastor in for psychiatric check in Almaty

Bakhytzhan Kashkumbayev, Pastor of protestant Grace Church in Astana, accused of inflicting severe harm to the health of one of the church’s members, will have to undergo a psychiatric check in Almaty, his lawyer Riza Nurbayeva told Tengrinews.kz. According to her, on July 18, prior to appointment of the psychiatric check, Bakhytzhan Kashkumbayev wrote a statement that he was declaring a hunger strike as a sign of protest. Results of the test will be available in one month. The criminal case against the 67-y.o. pastor was initiated in October 2012 after severe damage was caused to mental health of Lyazzat Almenova, one of the members of the congregation of Grace mission. After one of the church gatherings the 34-y.o. member of the church from Astana was taken to a psychiatric hospital and was diagnosed with “paranoid schizophrenia with high suicidal risk”. Astana police raided the church and found that the pastor of Grace church offered a red-colored drink causing hallucinations during his services. The Medicines Research Center defined that the drink contained a phenolic substance and hallucinogens causing euphoria and relaxation. Relatives of Lyazzat Almenova were the ones who applied to police over the incident, while the church member herself denies that any damage was caused to her health.