BAPTIST PASTOR FINED FOR EVANGELISM IN CITY OF OREL
International Council of Churches of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, 14 April 2015
Dear brothers and sisters, Pavel Nikolaevich Pilipchuk, a minister of the church in the city of Orel (Russia) on 11 August 2014 was fined 20,000 rubles for evangelism, and on 22 December 2014 for nonpayment of the fine he was sentenced to yet another fine of 40,000 rubles (USD 680).
On 13 April 2015 Pavel Nikolaevich was summoned to the judicial bailiffs and he went to the police station with two brothers. To the question whether he acknowledges that he is guilty and will pay the fine, the brother answered in the negative.
After this he was sent to the judge. There Pavel Nikolaevich explained that he has not paid the fine because he does not consider himself guilty. Christian songs and conversations with people cannot in any way be equated to rallies, pickets, parades, or demonstrations. All the more so, since according to the constitution of the Russian federation: "Everybody is guaranteed freedom of conscience and freedom of religious confession, including the right to confess individually or jointly with others any religion. . . and freely to choose, have, and disseminate religious and other convictions. . . ." (article 28).
The magistrate judge of the No. 2 judicial district of the northern district of the city of Orel, I.A. Maltseva, ruled: "P.N. Pilipchuk did not pay . . . the fine assessed against him by the ruling . . . issued in the case of administrative violation of law defined by part 1, article 20.15 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of RF (Nonpayment of an administrative fine on time) and ruled to assign to Pavel Nikolaevich Pilipchuk an administrative penalty in the form of administrative detention for five days.
The brother was taken from the courtroom to a special holding cell.
In finding the brother guilty of committing an administrative violation of law, specified by part 2 of article 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of the RF (Organizing or conducting a public event without submitting the required notification . . .), neither the court of the first instance nor subsequent courts even took into account the fact that Pavel Nikolaevich was not present on that day at the site of conducting evangelism.
Let us pray that the
Lord will strengthen Pavel Nikolaevich and let us petition that
from him will be removed all charges and that further persecution
will cease and that Christians of the RF will be able to proclaim
the gospel freely. (tr.
by PDS, posted 1 May 2015)
For more details on this matter, see
RUSSIA: JAILED FOR
EXERCISING FREEDOM OF RELIGION OR BELIEF IN PUBLIC
by Victoria Arnold, Forum
18 News Service
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