RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Harassment of Mormons in Saratov due to US sanctions on Russia

BUILDING OF CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS SEALED IN SARATOV

SOVA News and Analysis Center, 5 February 2015

 

An unscheduled inspection was conducted in the house of worship of Saratov Mormons.

 

On 2 February 2015, it was reported that late in January 2015 personnel from the procurator's office, Rostekhnadzor, and Gospozhnadzor conducted an unscheduled inspection of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

 

The inspection revealed "nonconformity of the house of worship with the standards of fire safety" (for example, the lack of an automatic system of fire extinguishing). The building was sealed and an administrative case was initiated against the religious congregation.

 

Meetings for believers are being conducted temporarily in another location, on Tarkhov Street.

 

It was there that a single antisectarian picket was conducted on 28 January. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 February 2015)

 

SARATOV MORMONS: "THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE US A PART OF THE WAR OF SANCTIONS"

Svobodnie Novosti 2 February 2015

 

Representatives of the supervisory and monitoring agencies virtually aborted the conduct in Saratova of a regional meeting of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons).  This was described for a correspondent of the news agency Svobodnye Novosti by an official representative of the religious organization, Mikhail Ganzin.

 

The source said that yesterday members of the society arrived at the provincial center from the entire region to participate in a large assembly and a discussion of a number of issues pertaining to the activity of the organization. However, on Friday and Saturday, personnel of the prosecutor's office, Rostekhnadzor, and Gospozhnadzor arrived at the building on Ordzhonikidze Street, which the church occupies, on Friday and Saturday in order to conduct an unannounced inspection.

 

On the basis of the results of the inspection, a protocol was composed for the temporary prohibition of activity in the building because of the nonconformity of the house of worship with standards of fire safety: allegedly the fire escape on the second floor was six centimeters in width and four centimeters in height short of requirements. In all, the inspectors found six cases for complaint: including the absence of an automatic system for fire extinguishing. In addition, on the basis of the results of the inspection, an order was issued for opening an administrative proceeding and filing of materials in court. Until such time, the building was sealed by representatives of Gospozhnadzor [State Fire Marshall].

 

"As a result, we are forced to conduct meetings in another location, on Tarkhov Street. It is not so spacious, but it is better than nothing. As they say, there is no shame in closeness. However, even here something strange began. At the start of our event suddenly the electricity went out, and after it ended and people began going outside, it came back on. In addition, the building where the meeting occurred had been picketed by some young person. And this is not the first such action in recent times.

 

"Although we are not in any way connected with politics, they try to involve us in it, or more precisely, involve us in the war of sanctions. But how it is so for believers who are just Russians like all the others is unclear," Ganzin noted. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 February 2014)

 


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