Police disrupt Protestant baptism ceremony

The pastor of Blagodat church, who was conducting the ceremony, was presented charges.

As BelaPAN news agency learnt from executive secretary of the organising committee to create Belarusian Christian Democracy party Dzianis Sadouski, who saw the incident, some tens of believers and the pastor were going to conduct baptism on the beach of Smaliavichy Reservoir. Besides them, there were five people who came to sunbathe.

A police officer approached the believers at noon. He asked a few questions and charged the pastor of violating article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences (violating the order of organising or holding mass events). He also wanted to take the pastor to a police station. The believers began to change their clothes to leave the site without conducting the ceremony.

The policeman called his colleagues. Three police officers came. According to Sadouski, they probably were police chiefs. They talked to the pastor and allowed performing baptism, but asked the believers to hold the ceremony outside the central beach.

The believers moved to another place 500 metres from the central beach and continued the ceremony. The police were watching from a distance.

“The only thing that remains unclear is the charge against the pastor,” Sadouski said.