Christian Human Rights Activists Arrested in Belarus Crackdown

Fourteen Christian human rights activists have been detained and campaign literature has been confiscated by police and KGB agents during an annual Catholic festival earlier this month in Belarus. The Christian activists were released later the same day.

The following day, however, six leaders of the Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD) Party, all Protestant Christians, were detained in Minsk alongside other activists working on the campaign to amend the 2002 law on religion . They were also released without charge eighteen hours later, explains Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).

The first set of activists, representing different Christian denominations in Belarus, were arrested in Budslaw as they collected signatures for two separate petitions. The first was in support of Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, which is in danger of being sold by the government to be converted into a hotel. The second called for changes to the 2002 law on religion to bring it into line with the Belarusian Constitution.

The second arrest of the BCD leaders and activists took place during and after a violent police raid on a private apartment in Minsk. Documents, computers, printers, scanners and religious literature were confiscated.

In addition to Siargey Lukanin, the co-chairman of the BCD, Alaksiej Shein, was also arrested. Shein, who met with CSW only two weeks ago in Brussels, expressed his concern that during two days Christians had faced especially severe opposition from the authorities in addition to existing pressure.

According to Shein, the police raid and the confiscation of documents and other materials were illegal as no warrant or other protocol had been issued. These actions were used to intimidate and put pressure on civil activists.

The detention of the activists working on the petition occurred at a Catholic festival and was witnessed by the other participants. Although they were released later the same day, one of the campaign coordinators, Siargey Lukanin, a lawyer and the active member of New Life Church in Minsk, now faces charges of distributing printing materials without a permit. As he was arrested in the raid in Minsk, his case will be followed up there.

Sergey Lukanin expressed his concern that security agents have become so fearful of any opposition that they now go so far as to prevent believers from defending their rights through non-political actions such as a petition.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide's Advocacy Director, Tina Lambert, said: "We are deeply concerned at the increasing harassment, detentions and arrests of Christian civil activists in Belarus.

"We urge the Belarusian government to respond to the petition on the 2002 religious law by bringing the law into line with the Belarusian Constitution and international standards on religious freedom. We also stand together with believers campaigning for the return of the Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church to Belarusian Catholics to be used as a place of worship."