Protestants allowed pitching tents in Minsk suburbs (Photo) :: Charter'97 :: News

Believers of the protestant unity “Church of Jesus Christ” protected their summer camp in the Valozhin area where around a hundred of children are having a rest. The local authorities demanded closing-down of the camp if all the required formalities were not completed. They asked for enlisting all those who were going to have a rest in the camp, for getting the permission of the regional administration and the Committee for Religion Affairs for setting up the summer camp.

Pastor of the Church of Jesus Christ Baris Charnaglaz informed the Radio Svaboda that the family summer camp organized by the believers near the Aksakauschina village of the Valozhin district is to be open until 15 June.

Baris Charnaglaz told that the believers managed to make a compromise with the local authorities which intended to close down the camp.

10 July head of the ideological department of the Valozhin executive committee Aleg Bobrik with two committee staff members (they were accompanied by two persons in civic attire who refused to introduce themselves) attended the family summer camp

They asked for enlisting all those who were going to have a rest in the camp as well as for submitting the written permission of the Minsk regional administration and the Committee for Religion Affairs for setting up the tent camp.

Deputy Chairman of the district executive committee Piotr Bibik explained to the Radio Svaboda that the actions of the head of the ideological department were not politically motivated.

“If it is the religious organization than it is necessary to have the permission of the higher authority on setting up the camp. But it isn’t available with them. There is no list of the camp participants either. The most important thing is that if it is anyway associated with the religion that the consent of the department for the religion affairs is required”.

This summer camp has been set up for many years .This year we have gathered all the necessary papers. The officials intended to close down the camp by all possible means. But all our papers are in order. The authorities acknowledged that and allowed us to complete the camp season. That is a sort of the family rest with cultural programs, sport events as well as free hours for the family to wander about the forest, to have a swim in the river. But the believers may also spend some time for prayers”, the Church pastor Baris Charnaglaz says.

Baris Charnaglaz considers that the law is directed at total monitoring of the minors. For example, the parents’ permission for their children to have a rest abroad is not enough for the authorities. They demand the submission of the educational establishment permission.