“Our church is not officially registered by the State; nevertheless, we meet regularly. Once in 2017, we were forbidden from meeting and praying in our house. However, since then, the government members have changed, and we decided to relaunch the reunions in 2020. Until last weekend, we did not have any problem with the authorities, ” said a local pastor and community leader.

Last weekend the police interrupted the meeting and invaded the house. They asked one of the deacons to show them the legal documents of the installation of the church and his passport. He was taken to the police station, and the church leaders were accused of holding illegal religious meetings in their house. The police initiated proceedings against the Christians.

“Thank God, we have friends in the government, and a colonel helped us. They shut down the proceedings against us and fined us 250 US dollars. The deacon was released, but he was warned not to hold religious events in our house”, added the pastor.

There is a law in the country according to which Christians cannot assemble without official permission. Usually, applications to meet are rejected despite prosucing every document required. During the last eleven years, no new church has been approved.

Source: Portas Abertas