E/CN.4/2005/61/Add.1 Page 68 Government, and to gain permission before receiving foreign support such as funding and religious literature. 264. On 30 November 2003, the police reportedly raided a Baptist service in Balkanabad and brought everyone present to a police station. The members of the congregation were accused of breaking the new religion law by worshipping without State registration, and 12 members were subsequently given fines of US$ 75 each. One woman was reportedly threatened that her children would be taken from her and put in a children’s home. Those summoned and fined on 23 December 2003 were Boris Grishin, Olga Vasilieva, Marina Chukileva and Lyudmila Tabalenkova. On 2 January 2004, it was the turn of Tatyana Kosenchuk, Mariya Vilkova, Maksim Grishin, Yury Kippa and Vitaly Konovalov. The final group, which included Tariel Ramazanov, Nikolai Matsenko and Albina Matsenko, was fined on 4 January 2004. 265. It was further reported that the State Security Ministry (MSS) had closed down a Sunni mosque for not putting the Ruhnama (Book of the Soul), President Saparmurat Niyazov's spiritual writings, on the same stand as the Koran during Friday prayers to be filmed for TV. Mosque leaders allegedly refused to do this as it would contradict Islamic teachings. The MSS reportedly interrogated the mosque leader, banned him from attending the mosque or to hold a position at another mosque, and closed down the mosque and put locks on the doors. 266. On 21 December 2003, Turkmen secret police allegedly raided a Shi’ah mosque in the city of Türkmenbashy (formerly Krasnovodsk) to break up a commemoration for the late President Heidar Aliev of Azerbaijan. It was reported that the Government had de facto banned Shia’h Islamic practice. Hundreds of Muslims from Turkmenistan's ethnic Azeri minority had reportedly gathered at the mosque at lunchtime intending to share the sadak, the traditional prayers and communal meal led by the imam, to mark the seventh day after the death of Mr. Aliev, who died on 12 December in the United States. 267. On 10 June 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent a communication to the Government of Turkmenistan regarding information received about the following cases: (a) Aleksandr Zorin, a Jehovah's Witness, was allegedly summoned to the Gengeshi (the State body controlling religious affairs) on 10 March 2004 to be interviewed by seven persons. During the discussion, Mr. Zorin was reportedly told that if he did not abandon his “disgraceful religion”, the Gengeshi would contact his workplace and have him dismissed. In the evening of 12 March 2004, Mr. Zorin was informed that he had been dismissed. The Gengeshi had allegedly written to his workplace, describing him as a “terrible man and a sectarian”. Because of Mr. Zorin, his whole work would be fired if he did not agree to the dismissal; (b) On 12 April 2004, police reportedly confiscated the belongings of members of a Baptist church in Ashgabad for conducting an “unauthorized” service in a private apartment. It was reported that the belongings of one Baptist family, including personal items, were confiscated and officials threatened to confiscate the