Monday, September 22, 2008

Russia: Unregistered Baptists feel under pressure from state

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/russia.unregistered.baptists.feel.under.pressure.from.state/21475.htm

[Christianity Today UK] 22 Sep 2008--Baptist communities in different corners of Russia have experienced state harassment in recent months, Forum 18 News Service has learned.

This has included interrogation by the state security service FSB, defamatory state television coverage, a warning for home worship, and a fine for preaching in public, says the news agency.

The congregations concerned all belong to the Baptist Council of Churches, which broke away from the Soviet-recognised Baptist Union in 1961 in protest at regulations preventing missionary activity and religious instruction to children. Its communities refuse on principle to register with the authorities in post-Soviet countries.

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