In Russia’s Kamchatka region, US citizen and pastor Paul Gione was fined 30,000 rubles and ordered deported from the country. The decision became known from rulings by the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City Court, which reviewed the defense’s appeals. The outlet Sibir.Realii drew attention to the documents.
According to the case materials, on May 30 a deputy head of the regional Interior Ministry police department ordered Gione’s deportation under an administrative charge of conducting missionary activity in violation of legislation on freedom of religion. Law enforcement said that on the evening of May 23 he had held religious talks at the Full Gospel Church.
The ruling says the pastor spoke about Jesus Christ, discussed the importance of religion and doctrine, and said that people should pray, including for the president of the United States. He was also accused of displaying religious materials in the presence of more than 15 people not affiliated with any religious organization.
In court, Gione did not admit guilt and said through an interpreter that this was already his 58th trip to Russia. He added that he and his wife had adopted five girls from Russian orphanages and had repeatedly brought them to the country to show them places connected with their origins.
The pastor said he is fond of Kamchatka and has many friends there. He said he previously owned an apartment in the region, later sold it, but continued staying there when visiting Russia. Gione also said he had several opportunities to meet with the tourism minister and the governor of Kamchatka, who had asked him to speak about his faith.
According to the pastor, he and his wife attended the church at a friend’s invitation, and at the request of the church leader he shared with parishioners his love for God. He insisted that he was not campaigning or proselytizing and had brought no religious literature with him. After the conversation, the church watched a fragment of a series that half of those present had already seen; Gione also suggested that those gathered pray for the US president.
The protocol, according to the court documents, was drawn up on the basis of a report by the head of Kamchatka’s Center “E”. One ruling says that on May 23 two men walking through the city passed by the church, noticed a group of young people going inside, followed them in, and one of them recorded Gione’s words on a voice recorder; the recording was later transferred to a disc and added to the case file.
Gione’s wife was also fined and ordered deported, though under a different article concerning violation of entry rules. She was allowed to leave Russia on her own because she had a return ticket for June 5. The pastor’s lawyer said he was not given the same option, even though he also had a ticket. The court initially overturned the Interior Ministry’s decision because of procedural violations, but after reconsideration upheld it. According to the rulings, Gione is now being held at the regional Interior Ministry’s temporary detention center for foreign nationals, where he is to remain until August 27.