Pavel Seviarynets: Believers will never kneel before a dictator

The authorities are afraid of the people living accordingly to Christian principles.

This is how Pavel Seviarynets explains the repressive character of the “Law on religions in the Republic of Belarus”.

“The law is actually draconian! It was created and is being used not even to annihilate dissent, but not to let anything develop that cannot be controlled by the state. And it is not only about Protestants. Pressure is being put on the Catholic church as well, there were cases of searches in Orthodox churches, priests were deported, divine services forbidden”, - the civic activist and politician noted in an interview to the charter97.org webs-site.

The politician emphasized that the authorities are provoking an open conflict instead of releasing the tension in the society and assisting the development of creative elements. Pavel Seviarynets believes that this is the result of the situation that in the eyes of the authorities religious institutions are a moral and spiritual alternative

“In 2008 the BChD collected more than 50000 signatures for amending the “Law on religions”. This campaign was supported by the representative of almost all the confessions that exist in Belarus. Specific amendments were suggested, the intention of which was to give the representatives of all the religious communities an opportunity to help the state to deal with the problems of the disabled, poor and others”, - the civic activist noted.

According to Pavel Seviarynets, the state cannot currently deal with the problems fully without the help of church.

“The state sees a big danger in believers. People, who kneel down before God and live according to the principle “You shall not murder”, “You shall not lie”, will not kneel down before the authorities that lie, steal and kill”, - the politician concluded.

We would remind that recently a Norwegian human rights organization Forum 18 has produced a report on the limitation of the freedom of speech in Belarus.