Moldova--Christian Persecution in Moldova

Europe: Moldova Country Report Last Updated: May 2003 Code: A-3 (Click here for a code description.)
	(Click here for a list of ICC articles on Moldova.) List of Articles Last Updated: October 25, 1999

Religious Atmosphere: 66.4% of this country's people belong to the Orthodox Church with the majority being held by the Romanian Orthodox. There is also a large (27.7%) segment of the population that in non-religious. There are also small (<2%) populations of Protestants, Catholics, and Jews.

• No organized extremist groups have been cited for incidents of persecution in this country. However, some priests and members of local Orthodox churches have been known to harass evangelical efforts by Protestant groups.

Government:

• The constitution, instituted in 1994, provides for the protection of religious freedom for all people in Moldova. Religious cults are explicitly mentioned and are guaranteed autonomy and support of the Moldovian government. Their only constitutional restriction involves a prohibition against inciting hatred and enmity.
     
• Religious groups are required to register with the government. Those that refuse to do so, may not purchase land or construct church buildings or seminaries.
     
• The region of Transdniester broke away from Moldova 1991. It is not currently under the control of the central government of Moldova and has its own elected officials. However, it is not officially recognized.

• Ongoing - The government refuses to register two groups, the True-Orthodox Moldova and the Bessarabian Orthodox Church, on the grounds that they are schismatic movements within an already registered faith. They claim the right to do this under Section 15 of the Law on Cults.
     
• April 20, 2003 - Three Baptists were again detained and interrogated in Bendery, Transdniester for operating a street library. Again, all of the books were confiscated without explanation. Other Christian churches in Transdniester have complained of similar harassment. (F-18 News)
     
• March 30, 2003 - Police in Bendery, Transdniester closed down a Christian street library and confiscated all of the books. Three Baptist believers running the library were interrogated and asked about the internal life of their church. The men were told that they did not have a license to operate the library although it was unclear what law required them to obtain a license. (F-18 News)
     
• March 2002 - The European Court of Human Rights ruled that Moldova was violating its commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights by refusing to register the Bessarabian Church. The Moldovan government now has no choice but to register the church or face consequences from the Council of Europe. However, the registration of the Bessarabian Church will require some changes in Moldovan law and thus might take a quite awhile to enact. (Keston)
     
• December 7, 2001 - Dmitri Hanil, a Methodist minister living in the region of Transdniester, was threatened by a captain of the National Security Forces. Hanil was told he must stop his activities immediately because he was "an agent of a foreign secret service" agency. The United Methodist Church, which has two churches in the region, has been refused registration with the Transdniester authorities without reasonable cause since 1997. Pastor Hanil was told that the state is Orthodox and no "sectarians" are allowed. (Keston)
     
• November 8, 2001 - Vasili Timoshchuk, pastor of the Baptist Church in Tiraspol (see October 6, 2001 below) was told his church would be destroyed by December 25, 2001 if he did not quit using it for religious purposes. The church, built in Timoshchuk's front yard, was condemned by the State Building Inspectorate because the area was zoned for residential use only. The Baptist church refuses to register with the government on the grounds that they do not want government interference in their church. (Keston)
     
• October 6, 2001 - An evangelical meeting in Nezavertailovka, in Transdniester, was closed down by police. The Baptist Church of Tiraspol, which had organized the event, claimed an Orthodox priest was with the police, urging them to take action against the Baptists. Police claimed the group did not have permission to carry out the meetings and it was not registered with the government. A few weeks later the church's pastor and another man who was teaching at the tent meeting were fined 50 Transdniestran rubles each. (Keston)
  
• June, 1999 — A mob of some 700 villagers and seven Orthodox priests attacked and destroyed a registered Baptist Church in the village of Geo Mengir as retribution for proselytizing.

Prisoners: There is no evidence that prisoners are being held for their beliefs at this time.

• Pray for the Christians of Moldova that they may continue to be protected from harm and that the Christian message may be heard and received by all.
• Please keep us informed of any replies or results you may receive! Contact ICC by email at icc@persecution.org.

POSTED:  May 8, 2003

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