Embassy of God Ukrainian Pastor Deported from Russia

The Ukrainian founder of the Embassy of God's Moscow community, Pastor Oleksandr Dziuba, was turned back from the Russian capital's Sheremetyevo Airport on 3 February 2008, reports RISU. Portal-Credo reports that he was barred despite the fact he held a valid Russian residency permit. His passport was returned to him but the pastor did not receive any documentation confirming deportation. Pastor Dziuba believes he was barred for religious reasons.

According to the pastor, involvement of the Church in the Orange revolution is the reason behind the Russian authorities’ mistrust of the Embassy of God Church. In the run-up to Russia's 2 March presidential election, the Ukrainian-based church said to be involved in the Orange Revolution has twice been the object of attention by the Russian authorities.

According to the source, FSB security service officers broke up an Embassy of God Bible School graduation ceremony in the Volga city of Tolyatti on Sunday 20 January. Bishop Anatolii Bilonozhko of the Embassy of God noted that the majority of FSB officers’ questions were about “connections with the Orange Revolution.”

However, in a commentary posted on Portal-Credo, an FSB representative denied FSB’s involvement in this event or connection to the fact that pastor Oleksandr Dziuba was not admitted to the territory of Russia.

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[02/20/2008]

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