A pastor who was arrested in Tajikistan has been released earlier than expected.

Pastor Bakhrom Kholmatov was sentenced to three years in prison in the country in Central Asia after being arrested and charged for "singing extremist songs in church and so inciting religious hatred," reports The Voice of the Martyrs Canada.

Kholmatov was the pastor of Sunmin Sunbogym (Full Gospel) Protestant Church, located in Khujand. The church was raided following Kholmatov's arrest.

At the time, friends, family, and church members were threatened with various punishments should they reveal any information about Kholmatov's trial, case, or imprisonment.

During his imprisonment, the pastor was moved to a prison about 350 kilometres from his home and placed in solitary confinement, World Watch Monitor reports. 

Kholmatov was arrested in April 2017 at the age of 42. On December 17, 2019, he was released from prison, three months earlier than expected.

After his release, Kholmatov thanked those who prayed for him during his imprisonment.

"All these three years, I felt your prayers. They helped me to stand, they helped my precious wife and children, and they helped the members of my church," he says.

The Voice of the Martyrs requests prayer for Kholmatov and his family during this time.