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“New Life” church is being evicted

2012 2012-11-28T18:51:57+0300 1970-01-01T03:00:00+0300 en https://spring96.org./files/images/sources/haladouka-novae-zhyccio.jpg The Human Rights Center “Viasna” The Human Rights Center “Viasna”
The Human Rights Center “Viasna”
2006, an action to protect the "New Life" church. Photo by newlife.by

2006, an action to protect the "New Life" church. Photo by newlife.by

The court ruling of the Supreme Economical Court was received by the believers on 27 November. According to it they must vacate the building by 5 November.

The church lawyer Siarhei Lukanin explains that the reason for the eviction was the alleged misuse of the land on which the church stands.

In 2002 the believers bought a former cowshed in the Minsk outskirts and repaired it for their own money. The problems started 7 years ago, but are especially acute now.

“In 2005 the Minsk City Executive Committee deprived us of the plot of land by its decision. It was stated that the building would be forcibly bought from us. We went through 30 trials, defending our right to property. Pitifully enough, we lost all of them,” says the lawyer.

In 2006 the believers had to start struggling for the church by means of a hunger-strike, which they kept for 23 days.

After this the church pastor was invited to the Presidential Administration for a talk with the then deputy-head of the administration Alej Praliaskouski. Lukashenka asked the believers to stop the hunger-strike in order to solve the case within the legal framework. However, the case was passed to the Supreme Economical Court for a new consideration.

In 2008 the Minsk City Executive Committee proposed the believers to issue another plot for the construction of the church – in Sharanhovich Street. However, the believers refused, saying that the verdict on their case hasn't been delivered yet. Moreover, taking into account the need of a parking and drive-ins, they would be able to put there a wagon which would seat only 50 people, whereas the present church can seat one thousand visitors.

In 2009 the Supreme Economical Court ruled that “New Life” was violating the law.

According to the court ruling, received on 27 November 2012, the church has a week to vacate the building. Today the believers hold an assembly to make decisions about their further actions for the protection of the church. According to Mr. Lukanin, they are not going to give the temple away.

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