The New Generation Evangelical Christian Church, founded and led by Alexei Ledyaev for several years, has been known for its active involvement in public activities, such as protests against pride, and its proximity to politics, such as supporting various Ainars Slesers. led parties and giving tributes to both the politician himself and his associates. Recently, however, the “New Generation” has been reported to have reported violations by the police of non-compliance with the epidemiological requirements for the control of Covid-19. Several administrative penalties were imposed on the church in the spring, but now the police regularly find that the “New Generation” is not following the order to declare a state of emergency.
As the Ministry of Justice has explained to the churches, worship services with visitors are not allowed until November 15. Only individual visitors or persons from the same household may be present at the place of religious activity. However, in the last week of October, the State Police even recorded a gathering at the New Generation Church in Šampēteri twice – about 50 on Wednesday and about 150 on Sunday – and imposed administrative penalties.
During the service on Sunday, October 31, it was clear from Ledyaev’s sermon that they would not stop gathering. “Our convictions and our destiny do not depend on what happens on earth. Our destiny and our future depend on what happens in heaven. That is why we proclaim the reality of the kingdom of God.
And against that background, Pavluts is like a miserable midget with a microphone threatening his people. God will shame all who threaten! ” preached to the congregation Ledyaev.
On the evening of November 3, the “de facto” made sure that people really gather at the church building on Irlavas Street in Riga during the “New Generation” Wednesday service. Shortly after the start, the State Police also arrived, which had recorded another unauthorized gathering. According to the “de facto” observation, at least 30 visitors gathered in the upstairs hall, in addition to the church leader, his assistants, musicians and technical staff. Several members of the congregation were apparently at risk for Covid-19 due to their honorable years.
Aigars Bitāns, one of the pastors of the “New Generation”, who also acts as a simultaneous interpreter of Ledjaev’s sermons, claimed that there were no violations: “We do not organize public events and do not invite anyone to the event, but individual visits are allowed. And in the days when the service is recorded live, people who want to worship God also come individually and visit our church without breaking any rules. ” Asked whether 35 or even 140 people can come “individually”, Bitāns answers in the affirmative: “If the building allows.”
This was the third time in a week for the representatives of the Riga Zemgale district of the Riga Regional Office of the State Police at the “New Generation”, and once again a protocol of administrative violation was drawn up. It has been explained to the church on several occasions that its interpretation of the government order is incorrect, but “we have no reception from the” New Generation “side and there is no cooperation,” admits Nikolai Popov, the deputy chief of police of the district order.
Popov confirms that one person or one family could come to listen to the “individual” service by applying to the pastor. “But they don’t have any list, they couldn’t put it on, and they explained that they don’t have such a list. This means that the flow of people is out of control. Given that, well, today Wednesday, there were quite a few people, but still some 20-25 people, not counting the employees working here, were still found. Because I don’t think there were 25 people from the same household, ”says a police officer.
This time, Ledyaev had to stop the sermon sooner, because he did not fit in at the initial time given by the police, by which everyone had to disperse. This deeply angered the leaders of the New Generation, and he called on the scene to condemn the police: “You and I are being denied the right to come to church and serve God. What, what household? What are we threatening? Please name what laws! It’s a shame! This is the grossest offense you are doing now! We put you in God’s hands.
Let us raise our hands to all and ask these law enforcement officers to fall into God’s hands! (..) Father, arise and defend thy people! ”
On the same Wednesday, even before the commencement of the service, the Prosecutor General Juris Stukāns, in response to the State Police’s public complaints about the “New Generation”, had already ordered to start an inspection on the compliance of the Ledyaev-led church with regulatory requirements. After that, Stukāns could apply to the court for the termination of the “New Generation”.
The Prosecutor General’s Office Prosecutor Uvis Kozlovskis from the Coordination Department for the Implementation of the Functions of the Prosecutor’s Office is currently conducting an investigation and is awaiting further information from the police. ‘The law on religious organizations prohibits breaches of the law on the basis of religious beliefs – in any case, breaches of the law are prohibited, and the basis for terminating the activities of this religious organization by a court decision, ”explains prosecutor Kozlovskis.
The Prosecutor admits that this examination of the case could indeed lead to the following action by the Prosecutor General in court: [draudzes “Jaunā paaudze”] officials have already been warned and prosecuted several times. This does not prevent them from continuing these violations. Of course, the prosecutor’s arsenal also includes a prosecutor’s warning, but will it be an adequate remedy at this point, given that, despite a number of penalties and existing warnings, these violations continue. “
In a telephone conversation, Ledyaev indicated “de facto” that the prosecutor’s office would have caught real criminals better, but described the investigation as “very serious” and linked it to next year’s Saeima elections.
The leader of the “new generation” also complained that the restrictions in worship were too difficult to understand, because they could easily tell whether they were allowed or not.
Unlike, for example, concerts or performances, everyone could take part in the services, even without a Covid-19 certificate. However, the Ministry of Justice is now considering the possibility of allowing services to be held only under the green regime. Namely, they could be visited by those vaccinated against Covid-19 or those who became ill with it, while the rest of the churches would be open only during individual visits. In the case of the “new generation”, this could significantly limit the number of people attending the service, because although Ledyaev claims that they are not against vaccines, but of free choice, in his public statements he attributes immunosuppression to Covid-19 vaccines.
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