Babruisk: deportation of missioner from Nigeria
On 23 June the police arrested the preacher Simon Milongo after a service in Slova Nadzei Evangelic Church.
Simon Milonga, born in Nigeria, has a Russian residence permit. He is a deputy pastor in Blagodat Church in Volgograd, the evangelist website cxbe.by reports.
Simon Milongo was taken into custody after the service and guarded to a pre-trial detention facility on a charge of illegal entry in Belarus. According to the Belarusian legislation, a person with a Russian residence permit doesn’t have the right to enter Belarus. The evangelist spent three days in custody on the basis of this charge.
‘Unfortunately, the laws of our state work against us, deputy bishop of the United XBE Church in Belarus Siarhei Tsvor says. ‘Security and personal immunity against law enforcement borders can’t be guaranteed to foreigners coming to Belarus to visit worships in an evangelic church. In May this year, Novy Zapavet Church got an official warning for participation a Ukrainian citizen, pastor of a Kiev evangelic church Borys Grisenko in a church service. The ground of the warning was the fact ‘B. Grisenko didn’t have a special permit to conduct religious activity’. Besides, Minsk executive committee said about ‘possible liquidation of the religious organization or suspending its activity if similar violations are noticed in the future’. There are many such examples.’
On 26 June Simon Milongo was deported to Russia.
