Pastor Imprisoned

Pastor Georgi Vyazovsky
Photo from Grace to Russia
On March 3, a Belarusian court found Pastor Georgi Vyazovsky of the Christ's Covenant Reformed Baptist Church in Minsk guilty of conducting unregistered religious activities and sentenced him to ten days in prison.  According to Georgi's son, Slava, "We expected that my father would be found guilty. What we did not expect at all is the punishment for his 'crime'. This was a real shock to all of us who were present." Fines and warnings are typically meted out for these types of offenses. According to Slava, this is the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1986 that a pastor has faced prison.  According to Forum 18, the judge gave no reason for his decision, only stating that it was not open to appeal. Church members intend to meet Vyazovsky upon his release as a show of solidarity.

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Belarus News

  • Another Church Leader Arrested
    The priest Anatol Parakhnevich is raising a communion cup.
    Father Anatol Parakhnevich
    Photo: Katolik.life
     

    On March 16th, masked security officials arrested Anatol Parakhnevich, a 65-year-old Catholic priest, at his parish in Alkovichi, Minsk Region. During the arrest, officers searched his home as well as the church building. Following the raid, both premises were sealed, with the keys being returned one week later.

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  • Priests Pardoned by the Nation's Presidential Leader
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    Father Henryk (second from left) and Father Andrei
    (second from right), along with two archbishops.
    Photo: Catholic.by

    Two Catholic priests who had been convicted and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison were pardoned and freed from a Belarusian labour camp on November 20th. State media claimed that the church leaders, who were granted clemency by President Alexander Lukashenko, had been "convicted of serious crimes against the state, as well as other crimes."

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  • KGB Declares Religious Freedom Group "Extremist"
    A church is seen between two trees.
    An Orthodox Church in Belarus.
    Photo: Pexels

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  • New Religious Restrictions Pass into Law
    President Aleksandr Lukashenko
    President Aleksandr Lukashenko
    Photo: Wikipedia / Tatarstan.ru (cc)

    On December 30th, President Aleksandr Lukashenko officially passed into law new religious regulations, finalizing a bill that had initially been introduced in September 2023. For more details, see this page. The policies are scheduled to take effect on July 5th and, while the legislation carries various new stipulations, the most significant is the requirement that all religious communities must re-register within one year of the law coming into effect.

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