Photo via klintcy.ru

Charges against Baptist pastor in Russian town dropped

On 5 August, the court in the southwestern city of Klintsy (near Bryansk) ruled that the Baptist meeting of 28 bike riders in red T-shirts at the city square on 12 July did not constitute a public meeting after all, reports Department for External Church Relations. All charges against the person primarily responsible, Baptist pastor Evgeny Voronin, were dropped. He had been charged with holding a public meeting without prior police registration. The bikers had gathered at the square during a week of evangelistic meetings for a photo session; they had also sung and passed out leaflets.

The court ruling could not of course restore the health of Baptist deacon Vladimir Skovpen, a once-leading, Soviet-era cyclist. His collarbone had been broken in a work accident last February and was rebroken during rough handling by the police at Klintsy town square on 12 July. Following an additional operation, he was visited by city officials in the hospital on 30 July and is now continuing his convalesence at home. Skovpen has pressed charges against the responsible police officers – a verdict is still pending. The 50-year-old deacon has every intention to be back on the saddle in 2009.

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[08/28/2008]

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