In the Oryol region, three Baptists were fined for illegal missionary work

In March 2017, in the Oryol region, three Baptists were were fined for handing out the newspaper Do You Believe You?". The believers appealed this decision.  

In April 2017, it became known about another verdict in the case about illegal missionary work.

In December 2016 Baptists Andrey Novikov, Alexander Bychkov and Alexander Khramugin handed out the newspapers Do You Believe? in two villages of Uritsky district of the Orel region, after which they were detained by the police. detainees taken to the department, took an explanatory note and released.

On March 7, 2017, a protocol was drawn up against believers administrative offense for hours. 4 Article. 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (implementation missionary activity in violation of the requirements of the legislation on freedom conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations). The violation was it is seen that the believers were distributing the newspaper, “without having documents for it, confirming their authority to carry out missionary activities.

On March 10, the Uritsky District Court of the Oryol Region recognized three believers guilty under Part 4 of Art. 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses and sentenced them to a fine 5 thousand rubles each.

In the case file, there is a reference to the testimony of two women from the village of Ozerovo, who reported that “unknown men gave them Christian newspapers and invited to worship, ”although this village A. Novikov, A. Bychkov and A. Khramugin did not attend.

The believers appealed to the Oryol Regional Court with a complaint, where indicated that the fact that they conduct missionary activities on behalf of a religious organization was not confirmed, false witnesses were involved in the investigation, and the report on an administrative offense was drawn up three months later, and not At once.

The case of A. Bychkov is to be considered by the Oryol Regional Court April 14, A. Novikova - April 17, and A. Khramugin - April 28.

Sources

• Message from the International Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches. 2017. April 12.