Penalties Applied for Holding Religious Ministries :: Charter'97 :: News

On December 12, 2002 the deacon of the Baptist church Alexander Miholenkov faced police administrative protocol for the alleged violation of the established order of organizing and holding religious ministries. Believers, according to the law-enforcers, had no right to hold meetings as 10-12a.m. in the place, which wasn’t designed for the purpose. The protocol was sent to the Zavodskoi district court of Minsk, after which the priest will face administrative responsibility under article 167/1 of the Administrative code, envisaging reprimand, fine or 3-15 days of imprisonment.

On January 23 the case was brought before court. Judge Nikolai Balovnev ruled to nullify it from the absence of corpus delicti.

According to the lawyer Dina Shevtsova, the reason for instituting this administrative case was the letter, forwarded back in August 2002 by the Minsk city executive committee, namely the chairman of the religious department Rabitseva into the local executive committees and police stations.

“In this letter, says Shevtsova, the Minsk city hall requires from local bodies to bring to accountability the heads of religious organizations, which hold religious meetings in the private apartments. The church “Renaissance” has been gathering in the private house ever since 1996. According to some officials, the believers can assemble at such places for common prayer or Bible studies not until they get proper permit in the local executive committee.”