Please would you consider adding you signature to the attached letter. The All Faiths Network has been asked to circulate the letter by the Interfaith Round Table Washington – a collection of many religions in the USA as you will see from some of the existing signatories. It concerns religious discrimination in Russia and I…
The Russian News Agency TASS reports that the vice-chair of the Federation Council’s Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, Elena Mizulina, has called for a package of draft laws aimed at combating destructive public associations and religious sects. “I propose discussing the possibility of creating a working group which would conduct work on improving…
Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia has reported that law enforcement agencies in Petrovpavlovsk-Kamchatsky broke out a window in a building where a Jehovah’s Witnesses worship service was being conducted, interrupted the service, and conducted a search. Two armed operatives in masks smashed a window in a residential building where about 100 persons were…
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the so-called “Yarovaya package” of laws which substantially toughen criminal accountability for a number of crimes and introduce new forms of violations of law, including “failure to report a crime”. The package also forbids unregistered organizations [chiefly religious groups] to engage in missionary activity, while any missionary activity by…
Forum18 reports that in latest cases in Russia against Sunni Muslims who read the works of the late Turkish theologian Said Nursi, eight individuals are known to be facing charges in separate criminal investigations in four different cities. Three of these four cases involve suspects who have previously been convicted of similar “extremism” offences within…
Forum 18 reports that from September to December 2015 at least 35 individuals and three religious organisations exercising freedom of religion or belief were prosecuted in Russia under Administrative Code Article 20.29 (“Production or mass distribution of extremist materials”). Courts imposed fines in 34 of these cases, and one Jehovah’s Witness was sentenced to a…
Russian customs officials have unlawfully seized a total of 10.5 million books and brochures intended for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia since March. The Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia say the texts, including Bibles, share a message of comfort and hope but have been classified as “extremist.” Among the seized books are nearly 4,000 copies of the…
Religious affiliation in Russia has increased considerably over the last two decades, according to a series of surveys by the Pew Research Centre. The number of Russians claiming to be religious has risen from 11{286427c60984e496d8f2e542e7d21c54ddb5734529e6fb3e21d1c17283afa115} in 1991 to 54{286427c60984e496d8f2e542e7d21c54ddb5734529e6fb3e21d1c17283afa115} in 2008. The portion of adults who said they believe in God rose from 38{286427c60984e496d8f2e542e7d21c54ddb5734529e6fb3e21d1c17283afa115} to…
Russia Religion News reports that, after months of preparatory work and a long history of repression, the Chief Directorate of the Ministry of Justice of Russia for the republic of Crimea and Sevastopol has immediately granted all 22 applications for registration submitted by local groups of Jehovah’s Witnesses. From the point of view of international…
The Russian Ministry of Justice is planning to obtain approval on a proposal that will allow them greater control over the finances of some religious institutions. The new powers will amend the law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations”, if a bill that the ministry is submitting to the State Duma is approved. Religious organizations that…
