Belarus has denied allegations of large-scale torture in a secret service jail for political prisoners. The statement comes after a just-released former presidential candidate and a leading activist spoke to reporters about the alleged mistreatment of inmates.

Christians, including evangelical believers, have also reported harassment from security forces.

European ambassadors to Belarus have met with the leader of New Life Church in the capital Minsk to discuss “threats” by authorities to “destroy” one of the country’s largest evangelical churches by confiscating its building, a former cowshed, church officials said in a statement obtained by BosNewsLife.

New Life Church confirmed that it received a letter from the Property Maintenance and Repair Department (PMRD) of the Moscow District of Minsk demanding that the church leaves its current complex not later than Monday, June ,1 or face forcible eviction.

In an interview, the head of PMRD’s legal department, Ludmila Bulyga, suggested that the eviction could be carried out by security forces. “They (the church) need to vacate the building and the land since it was never zoned for religious usage. The court’s ruling will be carried out by the court’s officers, who have the full right to use law-enforcing agencies,” she said.