Belarus city bans local Passover celebration

MINSK, Belarus — The local Hasidic Jewish community was denied permission to hold its April 12 Passover celebration at a state-owned Palace for Children and Youth in Minsk, Belarus. The city administration said that a religious event could not be permitted at a venue frequented by children. The Hasidic community then planned to join the celebration at a Jewish veteran’s club but that too was banned. A scaled-down celebration went ahead at a synagogue cafeteria. The community was similarly unable to obtain official permission for its Purim celebrations in March.

Belarus’ highly restrictive 2002 religion law requires all religious events taking place outside designated places of worship to obtain official permission as stipulated by the 2003 demonstrations law, with fines or imprisonment for those defying the restrictions.