Hunger-Striker Gets to Resuscitation Unit

26.10.2006.

Today, on October 26, Volha Kryshneva was admitted to resuscitation unit of the regional hospital in Baraulyany, Minsk region. She has cardiac abnormalities, reports Charter’97. A 50-year-old woman has been taking part in the hunger strike in support of the New Life Church. She abstained from food for 21 days.

111 Protestants are taking part in an infinite hunger strike in defense of Minsk New Life church of the Association of the Full Gospel Communities in Belarus. 32 of them are constantly staying in the building of the church in Kavalyou St., 72, while 42 hunger strikers stay in the church at night and visit it at daytime from time to time. Besides, 37 hunger strikers are taking part in the protest in a number of cities of Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and Finland. Last night 73 persons stayed in the building of the church.

On October 25 families of the hunger strikers created a committee of defense of the participants of the strike for holding meetings with officials and discussing the situation with the church building. A meeting of relatives of the protesters with the chairman of the Committee on Religions and Nationalities Leanid Hulyaka is planned for today.

As we have informed, the hunger strike has started on October 5. Its participants demand to overturn the ruling of Minsk city executive committee on seizing the church building and a patch of land from the church. They also demand to give the building a status of a worship building. The community had bought the former cowshed from Kalinin collective farm and reconstructed it. The protesters believe that one of the proofs of the illegal character of the authorities’ actions is an insignificant price for the building offered by the authorities, about USD 10 per square meter.