RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Jehovah's Witnesses under attack

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES PERCEIVE A CAMPAIGN TO BAN THEIR ORGANIZATION
Portal-credo.ru, 19 October 2009

The program "Open Confession. Investigation," aired on 9 October on NTV channel, was wholly devoted to the "Jehovah's Witnesses" religious organization, the press service of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reported.

The press service considers this broadcast to be part of an informational campaign being rolled out in recent days with a goal to prohibit Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia.  "The authors of the program called adherents of a religion that is practiced by more than 7 million people throughout the world, of whom around 160,000 are Russians, brutal murderers." The Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization has official registration in the Russian federation. "This broadcast arouses in the public a hostile attitude toward Jehovah's Witnesses based on their religious identity and facilitates the instigation of religious intolerance, in violation of article 4 of the law of the Russian federation "On means of mass communication," the press service of the Administrative Center maintains.

"This is not the first case when opponents of religious freedom have cynically speculated on human grief and descended to falsehood for conducting a propaganda campaign against Jehovah's Witnesses," a press release of the press service said. "In order to assemble scandalous information, NTV journalists resorted to fabrication, manipulation of facts, provocations, and disruption of worship services." Representatives of the Administrative Center of JW in Russia think that such practice enables the infringement of one of the most important human rights, established both by the constitution of Russia and by international treaties ratified by it: the right of freedom to confess one's own religion.

Vasily Kalin, president of the Directing Committee of the religious organization, "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia," said of the position of Jehovah's Witness with regard to this broadcast:  "In advance of the review by the Supreme Court of the Russian federation of the case finding publications of the Jehovah's Witnesses to be extremist, we view this program as an attempt to put pressure on the court. Jehovah's Witnesses will use judicial measures in order to defend their reputation and to put an end to the dissemination of slanderous information."

Previously, the Rostov provincial court banned the activity of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Taganrog and a court in Gorno-Altai found 18 items of the Jehovah's Witnesses to be extremist literature. Outside St. Petersburg, 68 members of this religious organization were arrested after a meeting. Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses is also occurring in a number of other regions of Russia. (tr. by PDS, posted 23 October 2009)

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Problems with proposed changes in law affecting evangelism

PROTESTANT LEADERS DISCUSS MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AMENDMENTS WITH SERGEI POPOV
by Elena Semenova, exclusive for www.cef.ru
Slavic Legal Center, 22 October 2009

On 20 October 2009 the chairman of the Committee on Affairs of Religious and Public Organizations of the Russian State Duma, Sergei Popov, received evangelical clergy who are studying at the Russian Academy of State Service (RAGS) of the presidential administration of the Russian federation.

Sergei Alexandrovich described for the students the activity of the committee and answered their numerous questions. The majority of them pertained to the draft law "On introducing amendments into the federal law 'On freedom of conscience and religious association' and the Code of the Russian federation on administrative violations of law."

Sergei Popov acknowledged that protestants today are one of the fastest growing and developing confessions in Russia. In number of registered religious organizations, protestants occupy second place in the country, and in some regions, first place.

"Despite the great quantity of congregations, our society now lacks objective information about protestants," Sergei Alexandrovich noted. "In many regions the massive social work the evangelical churches are doing remains unnoticed. Sometimes I myself must describe for some representatives of government the social actions and basic doctrines of protestants.

The RAGS students expressed concern that with the adoption of the amendments to the law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" pertaining to evangelistic activity, it will become somewhat more complicated for both evangelical Christians and representatives of other confessions to provide information about themselves outside of churches.

"I think that the law regulating evangelistic activity is needed," Sergei Popov answered, "but I have a number of reservations about this draft law as it is being discussed now. It is necessary to work out conceptual questions:  to give a precise definition to the term 'evangelism,' to prescribe who has the right to engage in this activity, where, how foreign citizens can participate in evangelism, and the like. It is possible that in some matters the law will become harsher for religious associations, but on the whole there is no need to fight against these amendments; they will be discussed further.

The participants in the meeting expressed disagreement with several points of the draft law. In particular, the draft practically forbids churches to provide aid to homeless and abandoned children. Minors would be able to participate in the ministries of the churches only with the consent of parents or other legal representatives. But where can one find parents or guardians of a child who is living on the street? According to Sergei Poppov, if this amendment were adopted, then believers would be able to help homeless children only by sending them to an orphanage and adopting them or creating guardianship for them.

There also was discussion regarding the point prohibiting evangelistic activity "accompanied by offer of material, social, or other benefit." All meeting participants agreed with the proposition that "it is impossible to buy faith." However, in the doctrines of many confessions, faith should be accompanied by works of charity. In practice, this spiritual principle can easily clash with this point of the draft law.

Sergei Alexandrovich explained that in the event of the adoption of these amendments, believers would be able to feed the hungry and help the needy and give them gifts only on the territory of their own church buildings. Then, of course, it would be necessary to provide all the necessary conditions for this in keeping with the requirements of a sanitary and epidemiological station and to provide transportation of the needy people to the church, and so forth. Without doubt, this will create additional difficulties for believing people who are engaged in charity, but it seems there would not be any other way to perform their good deeds.

It is just not clear for whom or from what the authors of this amendment want protection: vulnerable citizens from going to the church providing them aid or the church from hypocritical parishioners who attend services for the sake of their own material benefit?

At the end of the meeting, Sergei Popov called the RAGS students' attention to the fact that before the adoption of serious amendments to laws pertaining to religious associations, representatives of the State Duma will meet with clergy of various confessions in order to listen to and to take account of their opinions in the making of decisions. In connection with this, there remains the hope that the draft law, which is so disturbing to representatives of all confessions, will be seriously revised and adopted in a form that is acceptable to all.  (tr. by PDS, posted 23 October 2009)

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---

Coordinated campaign of harassment of Pentecostals

APPEAL OF LOCAL CHURCHES AND CONGREGATIONS OF "EXODUS" SOUTHERN DIOCESAN ADMINISTRATION OF RUSSIAN ASSOCIATED UNION OF CHRISTIANS OF EVANGELICAL FAITH (PENTECOSTALS)

To D.A. Medvedev, president of Russian federation
To Prosecutor General of Russian federation

In the name of 36 local "Exodus" churches and congregations which are members of the Southern Diocesan Administration of the Russian Associated Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) we ask you to hold responsible the persons who are guilty of violating the constitutional rights of a number of citizens of the Russian federation, parishioners and members of local religious organizations of "Exodus" churches of Christians of Evangelical Faith.

Thus, in the period of time from 20 September 2009 to the present, parishioners and members of the officially registered religious organizations of "Exodus" local churches of Christians of Evangelical faith in the cities of Taganrog, Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Novoshakhtinsk, Novocherkassk, Shakhty, and Donetska, of Rostov province, and the city of St. Petersburg have been called on their personal cell phones, persons identifying themselves as police officers have visited their residences and asked various questions about the private lives of these citizens, their confessional adherence and their membership in the local "Exodus" church. People identifying themselves as agents of the Directorate of Internal Affairs in the above-mentioned cities have expressed a detailed interest in the religious life of citizens and the internal structures of local "Exodus" churches they attend. Questions have been posed about their personal income and the amounts of their contributions made to the above-mentioned churches. They are interested in the hierarchical and administrative and economic structure of local "Exodus" churches and they have asked about their spheres of activity. At the same time, they have not concealed their own negative attitude toward these religious organizations and they have insulted parishioners, calling them "sectarians." They have also asked questions about the addictions of their children to drugs and alcohol, since many parishioners have children who have turned to ministers of the church for help in deliverance from drug and alcohol dependency. They are interested in other aspects of the private and religious life of parishioners and members of the "Exodus" church. And all this is being done on a private basis and cannot be considered to be official investigative actions.

Thus, on 10 October 2009, two young people approached a parishioner of the local "Exodus" organization of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of St. Petersburg, T.A. Bakanova, in the park next to her apartment and they identified themselves as police officers and began asking questions about the "Exodus" religious organization of which she is a member. To Tatiana Alexandrovna Bakanova's question of who these persons were, one of the young people produced proof of being a police officer. Because of her anxiety, T.A. Bakanova did not remember the officer's surname, but she remembers that his name was Alexander Alexandrovich. The police officers began questioning Bakanova regarding the church she attends, about the beliefs and number of parishioners, as well as about her son who is undergoing a course of social and spiritual rehabilitation from drug addiction. When Bakanova said that her son was being treated at the "Exodus" church, they asked her why she did not turn to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra of RPTsMP for help. The police officers put psychological pressure on T.A. Bakanov so that she was forced to sign a declaration aoubt whose basis and contents she was not informed.

On 15 September 2009 the pastor of the local "Exodus" religious organization of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky of Rostov province, Vladislav Protopopov, was summoned to the Department of Criminal Investigation of the Directorate of Internal Affairs of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, where he was forced to answer questions regarding the activity of the church in which he serves. Yury Ivanenko, agent of the Department of Criminal Investigation, was interested in the elements of the doctrine of the church, the amount of contributions, and the number and names of parishioners and members of the church. To the question of what was the basis for summoning the pastor, the police officer reported that he was acting on the authorization of the prosecutor of Rostov province. However, a request to see the order or separate authorization was denied Protopopov, which in itself casts doubt on the legality of the investigation being conducted or the basis for the pastor's summons to the Directorate of Internal Affairs of Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, and it gives reason to suppose that the investigation in general was not based on any document and is nothing more than the personal instruction of a highly placed interested official or group of people.

Similar summons have occurred in the cities of Shakhty, Donetsk, Novoshakhtinsk, and Taganrog.

Thus, on 11 October 2009 the pastor of the local "Exodus" religious organization of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of the city of Donetsk, Rostov province, Yury Puldy, was summoned to the Department of Criminal Investigation of the Donetsk Directorate of Internal Affairs, where Agent Pavel Shumilo asked similar questions. Pastor Puldy also was not informed of the basis for the summons and investigation, although the agent explained that he was acting on instructions of a staff member of the prosecutor's office of Rostov province. His surname and office were not reported.

On 20 September 2009 the pastor of the local "Exodus" religious organization of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of the city of Shakhty, Rostov province, Artem Tumasian, was summoned to the Department of Internal Affairs of Shakhty, where he was questioned by an agent regarding the doctrines of the church and the form and amount of contributions. Also police officers demanded he provide a list of names of parishioners and members of the church. The basis for the summons and investigation was not given. The police officer also cited an order from a staff member of the prosecutor's office of Rostov province. The surname and office were not reported.

Simultaneously with this, agents of the Department of Internal Affairs of Shakhty went to the home of the Shakhty "Exodus" church parishioner Natalia Fedorovna Klochan and questioned her about her membership in the church, her beliefs, and the amount of her monthly contributions, etc.

On 11 October 2009, agents of the Directorate of Internal Affairs of the city of Taganrog, Rostov province, arrived at a worship service that was being conducted by the local "Exodus" religious organization of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith. At the conclusion of the service the administrator of the church, Andrei Sushkov, and assistant to the pastor of the church for work with drug addicts, Mikhail Potapov, were questioned regarding the amount of contributions and they were ordered to provide a list of parishioners and members of the church. When this was refused, the police officers summoned M. Potapov and A. Sushkov to the Taganrog Department of Internal Affairs on 12 October 2009 at 16.00, where the demand for providing the list of parishioners and members of the church was repeated, citing authorization to conduct the investigation of the activity of the church given by an official of the prosecutor's office of Rostov province. When the pastor of the "Exodus" religious organization of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith, Aleksei Riabov,  arrived in response to a summons he was asked to provide a list of members of the church. To the pastor's demand that he be shown a document that was the basis for the investigation, he was given for his information a separate authorization in the name of the chief of the Department of Internal Affairs of the city of Taganrog about conducting an investigation with regard to the "Exodus" religious organization of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of Taganrog. The conduct of the investigation was authorized by an investigator of the Department of Internal Affairs, Igor Nikolaevich Inozemtsev, and the certificate was signed by deputy prosecutor of the city of Taganrog, A.A. Vennikov.

Simultaneously with this, the pastor of the "Exodus" church of Taganrog was presented complaints from parishioners of the church, which reported that under various circumstances they had been required to answer questions of operatives of the Directorate of Internal Affairs of Taganrog relative to the doctrines to which they adhered and to answer the question why they were not parishioners of the Orthodox church of RPTsMP that is active in Taganrog and why it was the "Exodus" church of the Christians of Evangelical Faith that they chose and what amount of money they contributed and the like. Every such communication the people found to be painful and for many this produced psychological stress.

On 12 October 2009, agents of the Administration of Internal Affairs of the city of Taganrog went to the home of a Taganrog resident, a parishioner of the local "Exodus" church, Galina Vasilevna Grechina, who questioned her about the confession to which she adhered, how long she had been a parishioner of "Exodus" church, and how much money she donates to the church. Her objection to the questions posed, since they pertained to personal life, was ignored by the police officers, and so Grechina understand the reason for her selection.

On 11 September 2009 a resident of Taganrog, Valery Yurtaev, was questioned by an agent of the Administration of Internal Affairs. He was asked about his beliefs, membership in the church, and the amount of his contributions. The reason for his selection was obvious.

On 12 October 2009, agents of the Department of Criminal Investigation of the 2nd police department of Taganrog questioned a parishioner of the "Exodus" church of Taganrog, Olga Novitskaia.  Novitskaia also was questioned regarding the beliefs to which she adhered, the amount of her monthly contributions, and membership in the "Exocus" church of Taganrog.

On 11 October Liudmila Georgievna Dobrovolskaia, a parishioner of the Taganrod "Exodus" church, was questioned regarding her membership in the church and her beliefs.

On 12 October 2009 agents of the Department of Criminal Investigation questioned Galina Andreevna Grishina, a parishioner of the Taganrog "Exodus" church. The detective questioned her about her beliefs and the amount of her monthly contributions to the church. The police officer explained his questions as an investigation of the Taganrog "Exodus" church that was being conducted by the prosecutor's office of Rostov province. However, the grounds for conducting the investigation were not indicated to Grishina.

On 12 October 2009 agents of the 2nd police department of the Administration of Internal Affairs of the city of Taganrog questioned Yulia Nikolaevna Menshikova, a parishioner of the Taganrog "Exodus" church. The questions pertained to the beliefs that Menshikova holds and the monthly amount of her contributions to the church. Menshikova was not informed about the bases for the conduct of the investigation; the detective told her of the investigation authorized by the prosecutor's office of Rostov province.

On 12 October an agent of the Department of Criminal Investigation of the Administration of Internal Afffairs of Taganrog questioned Marina Emilianovna Braga, a parishioner of the Taganrog "Exodus" church. The agent's questions pertained to the beliefs Braga holds and the amount of her contributions to the "Exodus" church. The reasons for her summons to the police agent were not explained and it was reported that he was acting on the authorization of the prosecutor's office of Rostov province.

On 12 October 2009 the pastor of the local "Exodus" religious organization of the church of Christians of Evangelical Faith of the city of Novoshakhtinsk, Sergei Lupain, was summoned to the Department of Criminal Invesigation of the Department of Internal Affairs of Novoshakhtinck. The pastor was ordered to answer questions regarding the church's activity, the amount of contribution, and the number of parishioners and members of the church. He was also ordered to provide a list of names of parishioners.

In the period from 20 [September ?] 2009 to the present, the Matveevo-Kurganinsky district investigation department of the Investigative Administration for Rostov province of the prosecutor's office of the Russian federation conducted an investigation over alleged indicators of forcible restraint of people and use of violence in the premises of the Center of Social and Spiritual Help for drug addicts, which is operated in accordance with article 7 of the law "On freedom of conscience and religious association," in the village of Darevka, Neklinovsky region, Rostov province. As a result of the investigation conducted by the Department of Internal Affairs of Neklinovsky region, the investigator issued a statement refusing to open a criminal case by reason of the absence of evidence of a crime. This statement was rescinded by the prosecutor's office of Rostov province. What the material of the investigation that the prosecutor's office of the province had was like, going over the head of the prosecutor of the Neklinovsky region, remains a puzzle. We think that this incident deserves the attention of the Prosecutor General as the superior organ.

On 1 October 2009, the investigator A.A. Zakharchenko again issued a statement refusing to open a criminal case by reason of the absence of evidence of criminal activity.

We think that the actions of the above-described officials, both representatives of the police and those who authorized them to conduct such an investigation, are illegal and violate not only part 3 of article 29 of the constitution of the RF, which says that "no one may be compelled to express their opinions and convictions or to renounce them," but also a number of other standards of Russian legislation guaranteeing citizens of the Russian federation unhampered exercise of the rights to freedom of conscience and confession in Russia. In accordance with article 23 of the constitution of RF, every citizen has the right to the inviolability of private life, personal and family privacy, and protection of their honor and good name.

In accordance with article 24 of the constitution of RF, collection, storage, use, and dissemination of information about the personal life of an individual without his consent is not permitted.

In accordance with article 28 of the constitution of RF, every citizen is guaranteed freedom of conscience, freedom of confession, including the right to profess individually and in company of others any religion or not to profess any, and to freely choose, have, and disseminate religious and other convictions and to act in accordance with them.

In accordance with article 45 of the constitution of RF, state protection of the human rights and freedoms of citizens of the Russian federation is guaranteed.

In accordance with article 25 of the law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations," monitoring of the fulfillment of legislation of RF regarding freedom of conscience, freedom of confession, and religious associations is carried out by agencies of the prosecutor's office of RF.

The acts committed by police officers and staff of the prosecutor's offices, in connection with these investigations, exceeded the bounds of the laws "On police" and "On procuracy," and possibly fall under the provisions of articles of the Criminal Code:  article 286 of the CC of RF, exceeding official authority, article 285, abuse of official authority, and article 148, hampering the exercise of the rights to freedom of conscience and confession.

We ask you to determine the persons who are guilty of illegal activity with respect to members and parishioners of local "Exodus" churches, to make a legal evaluation of the investigations conducted with respect to "Exodus" religious organizations, and to protect the rights of believers.

We are convinced that there should not be at the present time on the territory of the Russian federation such a legal situation in which there would be an absence of means of protection. Article 2 of the constitution of RF maintains one of the most important provisions, permitting one to assert that the Russian federation is a law-guided state where the individual and his rights and freedoms are a supreme value.

Chairman of the Southern Diocesan Administration of the Russian Associated Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith and authorized representative of the chairman of the Russian Associated Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith for Rostov province, Bishop E.A. Deremov

(tr. by PDS, posted 21 October 2009)

Russian original posted on Slavic Legal Center site, 20 Octrober 2009

Russia Religion News Current News Items

---