A Lithuanian citizen and Old Believer priest has been detained in the village of Kukliany in the Pastavy district of Belarus.
“He was conducting a service when the police arrived and arrested him,” a source, who preferred to remain anonymous due to security reasons, told LRT.lt.
The priest, identified as M. R., was detained during Pentecost services while visiting Belarus to participate in local community events.
The detention is reportedly linked to allegations of document forgery during an attempt to register a religious community.
He is suspected of lacking the required paperwork, as the community is not officially registered in Belarus, according to a local Telegram news channel that initially reported the arrest.
The Foreign Ministry said that the Lithuanian embassy in Belarus has been informed of the detention, but cannot disclose the individual’s identity.
Jevgenijus Grigorjevas, a representative of the Lithuanian Old Believer Church, said M. R. is well known within the community and was previously associated with the Perelozai parish, noting that his activities have also drawn attention in Lithuania.
Belarusian authorities have not yet released official information on the detention.
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