Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK321
2006-03-23 15:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

Ten Days in Jail for Reading the Bible

Tags:  PGOV PHUM BO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0021
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSK #0321/01 0821549
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 231549Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4081
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1012
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000321 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/15
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: Ten Days in Jail for Reading the Bible

C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000321

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/09/15
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: Ten Days in Jail for Reading the Bible


1. (C) Summary: On March 14, Poloff met with head of the
Christ Convenant Reformed Baptist Church who had just
served 10 days in jail for holding an unsanctioned
religious service in his private residence. This is the
first time in 20 years that a person has been jailed for
holding religious worship in Belarus. In order to avoid
further persecution by the GOB, Vyazorsky plans to employ
"Soviet-era tactics," including varying the times of
meetings as well as locking the doors to the church once
the services begin. End Summary

Religious Worship Leads to Imprisonment
--------------


2. (U) On March 3, a Partyzanski (Minsk region) court
sentenced pastor Georgi Viazovsky of the Christ Convenant
Reformed Baptist Church to 10 days in jail for holding
religious services in his home on February 5. According to
the Oslo-based religious freedom group Forum 18, this is
the first time the authorities have sentenced a pastor to
jail in Belarus for holding an unsanctioned religious
service in 20 years.


3. (C) Irina Zhikhar, a member of the church who was
present at the February 5 services, told Emboff that the
pastor was conducting services at his residence when a
person - who introduced himself as a representative from
the Minsk City Executive Committee - entered with camera
and started taking photographs. Irina said that a local
sheriff who counted the worshippers as they left the
residence accompanied the representative. Irina reported
that when the pastor asked for an explanation, the
representative said that the pastor would receive an
official warning for holding an unsanctioned religious
service.


4. (C) On March 14, Pastor Vyazorsky told Poloff that this
was his second warning for holding an unsanctioned service.
According to Vyazorsky, police and one city official came
to his church in November 2005 to observe the services.
Shortly after, Vyazorsky received an official warning for
holding an unsanctioned religious meeting.


5. (C) Pastor Vyazorsky told Poloff that the Christ
Convenant Reformed Baptist Church was first registered in
Belarus in 1994, but failed to be re-registered under the
2002 religious laws in 2004 because the pastor refused to
provide authorities with a list of church members and
refused to limit church activities to Minsk. Christ
Convenant Reformed Baptist Church bought a small private
house in 1997 and refurbished it to make it into a place of
worship. The congregation meets approximately four times
per week for services, bible study and choir practice. The
church also publishes a booklet through the help of the
London Reformed Baptist Metropolitan Tabernacle Church.

The Trial
--------------


6. (C) Before the hearing began, the judge spoke with the
local sheriff from the February 5 services and a
representative from the city council for 20 minutes and 10
minutes, respectively, behind closed doors.


7. (C) At the trial, Pastor Vyazorsky attempted to defend
his actions and the actions of the church. He informed the
court that Article 3 of the 2002 religious law, which
defines a religious service, states that a religious
service includes the practice of rituals. The pastor
claimed that since they were only reading the bible and not
performing rituals or sacraments, their meeting was not a
religious service as defined by the law. Therefore, the
authorities were not correct to warn the pastor for holding
a religious service. Numerous congregation members as well
as the heads of several other Protestant communities
attended the hearing to show support for the pastor. The
judge deliberated for two hours before sentencing Vyazorsky
to ten days in prison.

The Jail
--------------


8. (C) Upon the conclusion of the trial, Vyazorsky was
transferred immediately to the prison. He told Poloff that
all the officers and officials at the prison were shocked
and outraged that someone could be sentenced to prison for
holding religious services. Vyazorsky remained in an
unventilated prison with 13 other people for 10 days. His
family was not allowed to visit him and he had no contact
with the outside world. The prison guards did, however,
provide a bible for him to read, although it was written in
English.

Future of the Church
--------------


9. (C) Vyazorsky told Poloff that he does not plan to
close his church. As a precaution, however, he will revert
to "Soviet-era practices", including varying the times of
meetings as well as locking the doors to the church once
the services begin.

KROL