A court has ordered the expulsion of a pastor from the United States after he discussed religion and suggested praying for Trump. Following the meeting, a report was made to the police about the pastor.

This was reported by The Insider.

The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky City Court ruled that US citizen Paul Gione must pay a fine of 30,000 roubles and be expelled from Russia. According to the court decision published on the court’s website, he was found guilty of violating legislation governing religious associations because of religious discussions he conducted at a local Full Gospel Church on 23 May.

The document states that Gione, without the required authorisation, delivered lectures on religion to church members and also encouraged them to pray for the President of the United States.

It is reported that the court accepted as evidence an audio recording secretly made during the meeting at the Full Gospel Church and later handed over to officers of the Centre for Countering Extremism. Representatives of the religious community said that the two individuals who provided the recording appeared suspicious to them. According to their account, the pair had been invited to the gathering by a person unknown to anyone in the church.

Gione denied any wrongdoing and stated that he had attended the church at the invitation of the local pastor. During the discussion, the American explained, among other things, that it is customary in the United States to pray for political leaders and suggested that the congregation pray for the US President. He is currently being held in a temporary detention centre for foreign nationals.

According to the American pastor, he has travelled to Russia 58 times. He and his wife have adopted five girls from Russian orphanages.