Friday, June 12, 2009

Belarus Continues To Act Against Unregistered Churches

Forum 18 yesterday reported on the ongoing battles between the government and unregistered churches in Belarus. The Council of Churches Baptist refuses to accept registration requirements. Baptist Nikolai Poleshchuk was fined the equivalent of $745 (US) for running a Christian street library-- apparently the largest fine yet imposed for this type of violation. Another defendant received a warning from the court. Meanwhile the Belarus Supreme Court amended an earlier lower court order requiring Christian literature seized from Poleshchuk's street library destroyed. Instead it ordered that the literature be handed over to the state.