BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

27/04/2006

Concerns in Belarus over arrests of Christians

A COALITION of European Christians has expressed "grave concern" at the arrest and imprisonment of two Christian leaders in Belarus in separate cases last month. The European Religious Liberty Forum, made up of lawyers, journalists and human rights activists from across Europe, expressed concern at a recent meeting of the arrests and sentencing of Pastor Georgi Vladimirovich Vyazovsky and of Sergey Shavtsov, a human rights lawyer, in separate cases in Minsk, Belarus, in March.

Both men were sentenced to 10 days' imprisonment, but the Forum has criticised the fact that the arrests came as a result of existing legislation. The said: "This legislation restricts the right to free expression of religious convictions and the holding of religious ceremonies and is in breach of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to which Belarus became a party in 1992." Pastor Vyazovsky was charged with holding regular religious meetings in his private home without permission from the local authorities. However, the Forum said that no public orders had been violated and no complaints were received. Local officials arrived unannounced to one such gathering, which had attracted about 30 people. Sergey Shavtsov, a human rights lawyer, was arrested on March 24, and jailed for organising a religious event, an interdenominational conference, without government permission. On the last day of the conference three policemen and one KGB officer broke into the conference because, according to them, the event was an offence under Belarusian legislation.

After locking the group inside the conference hall for an hour, the police took two of the pastors present to the police station. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, part of the European Religious Liberty Forum, said Mr Shavtsov decided to take responsibility for the organisation and was promptly taken to an administrative court where, after 20 minutes he was sentenced to 10 days detention. Mr Shavtsov, who has for several years been handling cases concerning freedom of speech and religious freedom, was brought to the prison directly from the courtroom. Tina Lambert, Advocacy Director for CSW, said: "The cases of Pastor Vyazovsky and Mr Shavtsov clearly demonstrate that religious freedom is restricted in Belarus in patent violation of its own constitution and international standards. CSW, with the other members of the European Religious Liberty Forum, appeals to the Government of Belarus to redress this serious situation."

Source:

http://www.churchnewspaper.com/news.php?read=on&number_key=5817&title=Concerns%20in%20Belarus%20over%20arrests%20of%20Christians