PENTECOSTALS FORBIDDEN TO CONDUCT SERVICES IN THEIR CHURCH IN OREL
Orlovskie Novosti, 29 May 2018
On 28 May, the Zheleznodorozhny court of Orel satisfied the plaintiff's request by the prosecutor of the district against the local religious organization Resurrection Orel Evangelical Christian Church (Pentecostals). The prosecutor's office asked the court to prohibit the local religious organization to use a building at 18 Zheleznodorozhnaia, where the church of Pentecostals is located.
The grounds for the appeal to the court was an inspection that established that the owners of the three-story building do not have a permit to put the structure into use. In addition, it had not undergone an inspection by state agencies "in the established procedure" regarding compliance with the requirements of technical regulations and construction, sanitation, and fire standards and rules, "in connection with which there is no proof of the reliability and safety of said object of capital construction and such an object cannot be used," the lawsuit of the prosecutor's office says.
The court granted the plaintiff's demand fully. In this way, after the court's decision enters into force, the Pentecostals will be forbidden to meet and to conduct worship services in the building, which they have been using as their church for more than ten years. The prohibition will be in effect until the owners of the building receive permission to put the building to use.
Problems with the prosecutor's office for the Resurrection church, which is led in Orel by national pastor Pavel Abashin, began early in 2018. At that time a surprise inspection was conducted by the prosecutor's office along with the F.S.B.
In February of this year, Abashin, who is a member of the Russian Associated Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith (ROSKhVE), sent to the head office of the organization in Moscow and asked the brothers in faith to pray for a successful outcome of the case. At that time the issue was a judicial proceeding on an administrative prosecution. "Our whole church now is in fasting and prayer, and we also ask you to join us in fervent prayer for a successful outcome of the judicial session in our favor," Bishop Pavel Abashin wrote to Moscow. "Otherwise, if the prosecutor's office wins this case, a new case will be opened against our church and we may be threatened with serious consequences and fines."
It was earlier reported that the city administration also has claims against the local Pentecostals. A few days ago it filed a lawsuit in arbitration court demanding that the local religious organization evacuate an illegally occupied parcel of land on Zheleznodorozhnaia St. In particular, the bureaucrats ask that the local religious organization be required to remove a fence from part of the parcel and also to tear down a part of a building.
Adherents of confessions that are not traditional for Russia have had problems with the law since the adoption by the State Duma of the so-called "Yarovaya Package," some of the amendments of which regulate religious activity on the territory of the country. Thus, for example, in Orel a Baptist missionary who is an American citizen, Donald Ossewaard, was held administratively accountable; after that he left Russia. In addition, at the present time a court is considering the case of a Danish citizen, Dennis Christensen, who is charged with extremism; he is an adherent of the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, which is forbidden in Russia. (tr. by PDS, posted 29 May 2018)
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