Russian Court Rules to Deport Rabbi over Visa-Entry Violation

Rabbi of the Rostov Synagogue, Yelyashiv Kaplun, was deported from Russia for the violation of the passport and visa regime. The Rabbi left for Tel Aviv from the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, according to the decision of the Rostov's court.

Judge Galina Abramova said that the court of Rostov-on-Don found Rabbi Kaplun guilty according to clause 18,8 of the Administrative Violation Code of the Russian Federation: the rabbi refused to leave Russia after his visa expiry. The Rabbi was also fined in the sum of eight minimum wages.

Kaplun stated that he did not plead guilty during the trial. He claimed that he was incapable of settling the visa problem, because he was a rabbi. As he said, it should have been done by the religious society, which invited him to come to Rostov-on-Don. However, as the judge clarified, an invitation like that does not stipulate that a Russian organization is supposed to register a foreign citizen and obtain a visa for him.

Kaplun served in the Rostov Synagogue for about seven years. He came to the Russian city from New York. He is married and has four under age children.