{"id":66875,"date":"2024-02-13T21:51:54","date_gmt":"2024-02-13T18:51:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/?post_type=articles&p=66875"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"priests-urge-believers-to-go-to-the-polls-christians-rights-group","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/66875\/","title":{"rendered":"Priests urge believers to go to the polls \u2013 Christians rights group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\n Ihar Hieniec, chair of the I\u016dje District Executive Committee, meets with local clergy.\n <\/div>\n \n
\n (ivyenews.by)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

February 13, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic priests in the Hrodna region are actively urging parishioners to vote in the elections for the House of Representatives and the local councils, the Christian Vision (Chry\u015bcijanskaja Vizija) group said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having analyzed state media articles, the group pointed to campaigning by Eastern Orthodox priests Hieorhij Savicki (Astraviec), Mika\u0142aj Uciaka\u0142ka (Astraviec district), Anatol Razanovi\u010d (Smarho\u0144) and Kiry\u0142 Bli\u017aniuk (Hrodna district), as well as Catholic rector Juryj Biehanski (Lida district).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is reported that on January 31, I\u016dje District Executive Committee Chair Ihar Hieniec held a meeting with the local clergy and proclaimed that \u201cwe are all citizens of our country and must fulfill our civic duty \u2013 go to the polling stations on election day or on early voting days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian Vision pointed out that campaigning of priests contradicts the official line against church involvement in politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus will hold the elections on February 25. The All-Belarusian People’s Assembly, a national political body that approves the main domestic and foreign policy directions, will convene soon afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All candidates for the lower house of the Belarusian National Assembly support Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government organized the campaign after suppressing opposition parties, independent media and NGOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the 2020 presidential election, Archbishop Arciemij openly denounced police brutality and the overall atmosphere of lawlessness \u2013 the only Belarusian Orthodox Church leader to do so. In June 2021, he was dismissed \u201cfor health reasons.\u201d He later told journalists that the dismissal was political.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The former archbishop died in the dark hours of April 22, aged 70. He is buried in Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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