BELARUS

After spending more than thirteen years in Soviet labor camps for his faith, Pastor Ernst Sabilo has promised that the Belarusian Evangelical Church he leads in Minsk will continue to meet for worship despite the recent liquidation of its legal status by the city court. Belarus’ restrictive 2002 religion law bans unregistered religious activity. The liquidation came a month after the same court liquidated a Calvinist church. Other religious communities which failed to gain re-registration by the deadline also remain uncertain as to the legality of their parishes. (Forum 18 News)