RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Black Sea resort church fined for breaking antievangelism law

PASTOR OF MISSIONARY CHURCH OF ANAPA FOUND IN VIOLATION AND FINED

by Vadim Shirokoborodov

Anapskoe Chernomore, 25 September 2020

 

During a verification of compliance with legislation on freedom of conscience and religious associations back in the summer, the Anapa inter-district prosecutor's office established that the religious group "Tree of Life Church Anapa" was conducting missionary activity without submitting the mandatory notification about the start of its activity in the directorate of the Ministry of Justice of the territory.

 

"The aforesaid actions give evidence of the dissemination of information about its religious teaching among persons who are not participants (members, adherents) of said religious association for the purposes of drawing them into membership of the religious association," the oversight agency reported.

 

On the basis of the results of the verification, the Anapa inter-district prosecutor issued an order for opening a case of an administrative violation of law against the leader of the religious association. Some time ago the court agreed with the conclusions of the prosecutor's office, finding the pastor of the church guilty and imposing on him a penalty in the form of a fine of 35,000 rubles.

 

The congregation of Evangelical Pentecostals itself is officially registered and, judging by everything, is continuing to post an announcement of its activity on the internet. Anapans and visitors to the resort are invited, as before, to Sunday services and to thematic conversations in rented premises on Grebenskaya Street, next door to sports school No. 5 and high school No. 6.  (tr. by PDS, posted 25 September 2020)

 

HEAD OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION DID NOT INFORM JUSTICE MINISTRY OF ITS EXISTENCE IN ANAPA

Kommersant, 25 September 2020

 

The head of the "Tree of Life Church Anapa" religious group was fined 35,000 rubles for the fact that he did not send to the directorate of the Ministry of Justice of Krasnodar territory notification about the start of activity, the press service of the Anapa inter-district prosecutor's office reported.

 

At the same time, as was established in the course of an inspection, the director of the organization posted on the internet invitations to citizens to attend a service. The court found this to be sufficient basis for a fine on the basis of part 4 of article 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of the R.F. (violation of legislation on freedom of conscience and freedom of religious confession and on religious associations). (tr. by PDS, posted 25 September 2020)


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