Protestant pastor loses appeal against hefty fine :: Charter'97 :: News

A judge of the Minsk City Court on Tuesday threw out an appeal filed by a Protestant minister against a hefty fine imposed on him over a religious service.

Antony Bokun, the pastor of a Minsk-based Protestant community called St. John the Forerunner, was fined 620,000 rubels ($290) on May 28 for "holding an unauthorized mass event." The penalty was imposed over a religious service that Mr. Bokun led in his home the day before. He was grabbed by police midway through the service.

In his appeal, the Protestant minister said that the rules requiring congregations to obtain permission for holding a religious service at residential premises ran counter to the constitution and international law, and may not be applied.

In an interview with BelaPAN, Mr. Bokun said that he had expected the judge to reject his appeal. "At the same time, if the Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations started to be applied in full, thousands believers would appear in the dock," he added.

Mr. Bokun announced plans to take the case to a higher court.

Six days after receiving the fine, the Protestant minister was once again arrested during a prayer in his home. He was sentenced to a three-day jail sentence the following day.