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Crimea: Baptists fined

Three of eight Baptists from Saki in western Crimea who refused to pay fines for holding a public religious meeting were, in October 2015, sentenced to 20 hours of community service each.

Forum 18 News

Five fines were imposed by Judge Irina Shevchenko without a formal court hearing. A fine of about six weeks’ average local wages has been ordered to be automatically deducted from the wages of another Baptist. Items from the homes of four others have been identified for possible seizure. Council of Churches Baptists refuse to pay fines imposed for exercising their freedom of religion or belief. ‘They didn’t pay the fines as to do so would be to admit that they did something wrong’, said a church member.