Evangelist from Nigeria arrested in Babruisk

Preacher Simon Milongo arrested by militia after a service in Slovo Nadezhdy Church on June 23.

Simon Milonga, born in Nigeria, has a Russian residence permit. He is a deputy pastor in Blagodat Church in Volgograd, the evangelist website cxbe.by reports.

Simon Milongo was taken into custody after the service and guarded to a pre-trial detention facility on a charge of illegal entry in Belarus. According to the Belarusian legislation, a person with a Russian residence permit, doesn’t have a right to enter Belarus. The evangelist spent three days in custody on the basis of this charge.

“Unfortunately, laws of our state work against us, deputy bishop of the United XBE Church in Belarus Syarhei Tsvor says. “Security and personal immunity against law enforcement borders can’t be guaranteed to foreigners coming to Belarus to visit worships in an evangelic church. Moreover, only evangelic believers face this, it was repeatedly confirmed in real life. In May this year, Novy Zavet Church got an official warning for participation a Ukrainian citizen, pastor of a Kiev evangelic church Boris Grisenko in a church service. The ground of the warning was the fact “B. Grisenko didn’t have a special permit to conduct religious activity”. Besides, the Minsk executive committee said about “possible liquidation of the religious organization or suspending its activity if similar violations are noticed in the future”. There are many such examples.”

Evangelist Simon Milongo was deported to Russia escorted by militia officers on June 26.