Supreme Economic Court deprives Protestants of their church

The Supreme Economic Court ruled that the parish of Minsk Protestant Church New Life must leave its building.

In 2002 the believers bought a cow-shed at the outskirts of Minsk and reconstructed it into a temple at their own expense. In 2005 Minsk authorities prohibited any divine services there and in 2006 decided to take the building away from the owners, for which about $17 000 was put on the church account as compensation. According to the ruling of Minsk authorities, the believers were to have left the building by 9 October 2006.

Instead, the believers started a 23-day hunger-strike of protest. As a result the case was passed to the Supreme Economic Court that abolished the earlier rulings for the evictions of the believers. The trial has lasted till recently.