The Central District Court of Sochi decided to expel Vladislav Klots, a minister of the local Roman Catholic parish of the Apostles Thaddeus and Simon, from Russia because of preaching without a permit. The court's decision was noticed by the publication Kavkaz.Realii.
According to the court's decision, the priest was to be placed in a temporary detention center for foreign citizens before being deported. He was also ordered to pay a fine of 30 thousand rubles.
The court found Klots guilty of carrying out missionary activities in violation of the law (Part 5 of Article 5.26 of the Administrative Code). The decision was made on September 26, and on October 1 it was upheld on appeal.
The priest admitted guilt and said that he had lost a document confirming his right to conduct sermons in Sochi. His defense attorney insisted that there was no crime.
85-year-old Wladyslaw Klots is a Polish citizen. In Russia, he served in Catholic parishes since October 1996. During this time, he served as a priest in Samara, Rostov-on-Don, Moscow, Adler and Sochi.