PASTOR OF EVANGELICAL FAITH CHRISTIANS FINED FOR HIS ACTIVITIES

The commission for administrative offences of Maladechna city executive committee fined pastor Mikhail Balyk. He was announced guilty under Art 193 of the Code of Administrative Offences (violation of the legislation in the sphere of freedom of consciousness).
The administrative commission found him guilty for “organizing and carrying out services and other worship ceremonies every Sunday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Zhaludok, Savetskaya Street 4, with violation of the rules, established by the legislation”. That’s the way how the charge looks like. Mikhail Balyk has to pay a fine 26 600 BYR.

According to Mikhail (Tel +375 01773 76697), in the beginning of May two policemen came to the house, rented by the Church of Evangelical Faith Christians. They scheduled their visit to 1 a.m. At that moment there was a pastor of Hrodna Evangelical Christians. The policemen drew up a report about organization illegal service, although the pastor was alone in the house. In about a week, when Mikhail came to Zhaludok to visit his friend Christians, a district policeman came to the house and asked him to show his membership card. When the policeman saw, that Mikhail was “entrusted with organizing evangelical services”, and that his service was “evangelist”, he drew up a report about illegal service. Although no service was happening. Mikhail stressed that fact when signing the report.
On 20 May Mikhail Balyk was invited to the session of the administrative commission, which had to consider the police report. Although the session did not take place. They explained to Mikhail, that the reason was that the head of the commission was ill and postponed the session to 27 May. On 27 May there was no hearing again. Mikhail just received the ruling about the fine. Interesting enough, the ruling was dated 20 May.