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Believers in Moldova light religious candles and pray that their priests will survive the new court cases by the government

CHISINAU (Tiraspol Times) - All of the priests who participated in a so-called "Cross Road march" in Moldova earlier this month are now facing legal action for having marched to protest against the government's latest crackdown on religious freedom.

Moldovan authorities summoned five priests to court for violating a rule which requires a written permit before a march can be held.

" - [But] I consider that the event we staged was legal because the law on religions does not contain stipulations that would indicate the necessity of an authorization for such marches,” said one of the five priests, Iulian Budescu, who heads the church in the village of Manta, which is located in Moldova's Cahul district.

According to Chisinau-based news agency Reporter MD, Budescu said that the priest have been called to the Cahul Police Department. The police said that they organized the event illegally and filed administrative charges against them. The Manta priest also said that all of the priests who participated in the demonstration will now be summoned for court appearances.

" - Undoubtedly, it is an order from the senior authorities who try to intimidate us into not carrying out our religious activity in Moldova," the priest said.

No religious freedom

The "Cross Road march" was held in Moldova on 8 January 2008 in protest at the expulsion of four priests and a nun holding Romanian citizenship from Moldova. The Moldovan authorities accused them of violating the regime of staying in Moldova. They said that the priests and the nun do not have work permits from the central authorities and authorizations from the local authorities allowing them to work in parishes.

In response, some 400 parishioners went on a "Cross Road march" from Giurgiulesti to the Rosu village in Cahul district, walking over 40 kilometers. They protested that there was no religious freedom left in Moldova anymore.

A Moldovan mayor, Alexandru Besliu, had allowed the organizing the event. He is the mayor of Vadul lui Isac, in Moldova, and he will now also be prosecuted, the pro-government police force informed.

The latest legal action against protesters follows several weeks of intimidation and threats against priests throughout the country.

Hundreds of Moldovan priests have already been visited in their homes by secret police, and interrogated about their religion. In some cases, money were offered if they would renounce their church.

" - Starting in December, most of the priests were visited at home or in their churches by police and secret police," said Bishop Petru Paduraru, head of the Bessarabian Metropolitan, one of Moldova's top Orthodox Churches, to which 20 percent of Moldova's Orthodox believers belong. (With information from Reporter MD)

See also:
» Moldova expels four priests and a nun in religious persecution [1]