Russia Uses the Law to Restrict Religious Freedom
ICC Note: Russian authorities are using administrative codes about missionary activities and land use policies to restrict freedom of religion. Two administrative codes prohibit ‘missionary’ activity which means talking about one’s faith in public could garner extensive fines and arrests. Land use policies can make worshipping in any location other than a state-approved religious institution illegal.
04/19/2018 Russia (Forum 18) – Russian religious believers and communities continue to face prosecution for publicly exercising freedom of religion and belief. Forum 18 found 156 such prosecutions in 2017 and prosecutions have continued in 2018.
Almost any expression of freedom of religion and belief outside the place of worship of a state-recognised community may lead to fines, unless individuals or communities follow legal requirements that are unclear and which the authorities apply inconsistently. This imposes a large burden on individuals and organisations in fines, legal costs, and bureaucratic hurdles – particularly for smaller religious communities.
The authorities use two Administrative Code articles to restrict the exercise of freedom of religion and belief to easily regulated and monitored spaces (such as places of worship), and to limited numbers of people (such as existing members of religious communities).
The main instruments now used are the July 2016 “anti-missionary” legal changes, Administrative Code Article 5.26, Parts 4 (“Russians conducting missionary activity”), and 5 (“Foreigners conducting missionary activity”).
In 2017, Forum 18 found 143 prosecutions under this Article, as against 13 under Administrative Code Article 20.2 (“Violation of the established procedure for organising or conducting a gathering, meeting, demonstration, procession or picket”). Article 20.2 was the previous main Administrative Code article used to restrict freedom of religion and belief in public (see below).
…
[Full Story]For interviews with Amy Penn, ICC’s Central Asia Correspondent, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected].