Didrikh Leven from the village of Zaporoshje has long been harassed for his work in a church. In November 2006 and January 2009, he was convicted of leading an unregistered congregation and received warnings. After a visit by the head of administration and the district police on 11.09.09, he was fined 100 times the minimum wage, totaling DKK 4246.
Didrikh will not pay, as the congregation is not and will not be a legal person, but appealed it instead. The head of administration strongly defended the persecution of Leven: "It's not persecution - they just have to register" When told that the congregation sees no need for registration and that the constitution and international human rights treaties do not limit freedom of belief to those with state registration, the response was: "But registration does not harm their rights."
However, throughout 2009, believers from different communities have experienced raids, fines and imprisonments.
