A Protestant arrested in Minsk, confused with “a Pole”

• 12.02.2010, 9:12

A lawyer of “New Life” church was arrested in Independence Avenue in Minsk for evangelisation.

It has been informed by the press-service of the organizing committee for creation of the Belarusian Christian Democracy.

Syarhei Lukanin was preaching the Gospel to the young people. Policemen thought he was “a Pole who was staging an anti-state meeting,” the Christian said.

As said by Lukanin, at about 7.30 p.m. he, his wife and his two friends from “New Life” church he came near McDonalds restaurant, produced a Bible and started evangelisation which was heard by young people strolling in the centre of Minsk.

In about 20 minutes policemen came near Lukanin and “rudely asked who he was and what he was doing”. Lukanin said his name and explained that he is spreading the Gospel. In a few minutes a car with riot policemen arrived and Lukanin was taken to the police department of Tsentralny district.

The believer spent about an hour behind the bars and he also started to talk to hard drinkers there.

During interrogation an officer on duty demanded explanations from Lukanin, as street evangelism is allegedly prohibited by law. Lukanin stated that “the Bible is the main law for him”.

The lawyer of the New Life church was released without a report being drawn up.

We remind that a conflict has sparkled between Belarus and Poland, as activists of the Union of Poles in Belarus non-recognized by Belarusian authorities are persecuted in our country. The Polish Houses build at the expense of Polish government are confiscated from the dissenting Union of Poles, and activists are subjected to arrests and trials.