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European human rights court strikes down probationary requirement of Russian law

DECISION OF STRASBOURG COURT ELIMINATING NECESSITY OF 15-YEAR EXISTENCE FOR REGISTRATION OF RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS IN RUSSIA TAKES EFFECT
Portal-credo.ru, 29 April 2010

It is possible that not everybody knows that according to point 5 of article 11 of the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations," "for state registration of a local religious organization, founders present to the appropriate territorial office of the federal agency of state registration: . . . a document confirming the existence of the religious group on the given territory for a period of no less than fifteen years, provided by an office of local self-administration, or confirming its membership in a centralized religious organization, provided by the directing body of the center."

Thus according to this law newly created religious organizations must join an existing confessional structure, which establishes at the same time its rules. By a decision of the Strasbourg court, made with respect to the scientology organization, such a restriction is eliminated.

Could it be that appealing to this decision new Muslim religious organizations also would receive state registration without joining one of the existing ecclesiastical boards (muftiate), thus remaining independent? Journalists posed this question to an expert.

As an attorney of the Slavic Rights Advocacy Center, Roman Maranov, told "IslamNews," even if Russia fulfills the decision of the Strasbourg court respecting financial compensation to the plaintiffs, this decision would not likely be able to serve as a basis for automatically changing the approach of agencies of justice to the registration of religious organizations. In addition, if a society that has been denied registration files suit in a Russian court, appealing to the above cited decision of Strasbourg, it could be ignored. The court could suggest that they apply to the Strasbourg court for confirmation of their rights, but the process there may last up to five years.

According to the attorney, appropriate changes in the legislation of RF are required, especially in the practice of implementation of the law. And so far these have not existed. (tr. by PDS, posted 29 April 2010)

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Antisemitic publication banned by Siberian court

OMSK COURT FINDS BOOK DIRECTED AGAINST BUDDHISTS AND JEWS EXTREMIST
Interfax-Religiia, 29 April 2010

The Soviet regional court of Omsk ruled a book by a resident of Omsk, Mikhail Shusharin, "Grand Inquisitor or the Gospel according to Pontius Pilate," to be extremist material.

In 2008, M. Shusharin published on a printer in his apartment 30 copies of the book and distributed it to acquaintances, a senior aide of the prosecutor's office of Omsk province, Tatiana Borodina, told "Interfax."

According to conclusions of linguistic and psychological analyses, expressions present in the text are directed to arousing inter-ethnic strife, hatred, or hostility with respect to Buddhists and Jews and to disrespect for human dignity on the basis of religious identity.

The prosecutor filed suit in court, which satisfied the requirements of his charges in full and ordered that all printed copies of the book be confiscated.

The court's decision has taken legal effect and has been sent to the Russian Ministry of Justice for inclusion of the publication in the federal list of extremist materials. (tr. by PDS, posted 29 April 2010)

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Provincial official calls for restriction of nontraditional religions

ULYANOVSK GOVERNOR SUGGESTS LEGISLATION TO CLARIFY CONCEPT OF "SECT"
Interfax-Religiia, 28 April 2010

Governor of Ulyanovsk province Serrgei Morozov stated the necessity of adopting a number of amendments in several federal laws, where concepts that pertain to the religious life of society such as "sect," "destructive cult," and "evangelistic work," should be precisely defined.

This will help to restrict the existence of totalitarian religious associations in Russia, provide control for seeing that they observe the norms of law, and prevent their performing illegal actions, the governor declared on Wednesday at a scholarly conference in Ulyanovsk.

In the opinion of S. Morozov, which his press service provided, one of the reasons for the occurrence of inter-ethnic and inter-religious problems in the country is the absence of state and public control over religious organizations and nontraditional youth associations.

The creation on a federal level of a unified conception of the development of state-confessional relations will help to resolve this problem, the governor thinks. "This document should precisely define basic principles and directions of cooperation among organs of state power and traditional confessions and identify the interests and position of the state," he notes. (tr. by PDS, posted 29 April 2010)

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Religious leaders view conflicts in Caucasus

PATRIARCH CALLS FOR DIALOGUE
by Boris Klin
Izvestiia, 27 April 2010

Yesterday in Baku an international summit of religious leaders opened; it was convened on the initiative of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill and the head of the Ecclesiastical Board of Muslims of the Caucasus Allakhshukuir Pasha-Zade. In the opinion of observers, it is possible to see a breakthrough in the many years of conflict over Nagorno Karabakh in the arrival in Azerbaijan's capital of the head of the Armenian Apostolic church, Garegin II. Participants in the forum included 150 religious leaders from 35 countries.

The primate of the Russian Orthodox church spoke of the danger of removal of religion from public life:  "As the experience of the twentieth century has shown, it is possible to eliminate religion from the public sphere, but only at the expense of all rights and freedoms, prosperity and elementary security. In a nontotalitarian world, in a world where people have little freedom, religion will always maintain its own existence and influence." His Holiness emphasized: it is not possible to conquer terrorism by police measures alone. "In order to find a way out of many painful conflicts, people must learn to think on the scale of spiritual reality, on the scale of eternity, on the scale of the final destiny of man," the patriarch declared.

One of these painful conflicts among countries of the former Soviet Union remains the problem of Nagorno Karabakh. Yesterday, within the framework of the forum, a trilateral meeting was held by Patriarch Kirill, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allakhshukyur Pasha-Zade, and Patriarch Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. The participants signed a declaration on cooperation for resolving the problem of Nagorno Karabakh. Patriarch Kirill declared to journalists that the agreements achieved are "a signal to all believing people."  "We hope that these signals will facilitate reconciliation, reduction of tensions, and, what is most important, the creation of preconditions and a good atmosphere so that political leaders, taking upon themselves all responsibility for a political resolution of the conflict, will be able to come to agreed results," the primate of the Russian Orthodox church stated.

Garegin II proposed holding the next summit of religious leaders in Armenia.

Thus, the mediation activity of Patriarch Kirill has clearly facilitated progress in relations between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. But there are many bleeding wounds in the Caucasus.  "Georgia will never be reconciled to the loss of Abkhazia and South Osettia, and it will strive by every means to restore its territorial integrity," Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II emphasized in a declaration to participants in the summit (he himself was not able to come to Baku because of his health). It should be noted that such statements have been made by the Georgian Orthodox church previously and, consequently, there is no disagreement within Georgian society on this problem and there is no basis for hope that a change in the government in Georgia will change the attitude toward Abkhazia and South Osettia.

In the second half of the day Patriarch Kirill left for Moscow. (tr. by PDS, posted 27 April 2010)

Russian original posted on Interfax-Religiia site, 27 April 2010

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New bureaucratic appintment may signal increase in church influence

NEW SUPERVISOR OF RELIGIOUS POLICY APPOINTED IN PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION
Gazeta.ru, 27 April 2010

A personnel question in the presidential administration has been resolved with a candidate for the post of deputy head of the Administration for Domestic Policy who will supervise public and religious organizations. He is the head of the Department for Humanitarian Policy and Public Relations of the presidential administration, Ivan Demidov. The post has been vacant for more than a year. Experts think that there will not be any changes in principle in relations between the state and public organizations, but the role of the church may be strengthened.

The new deputy to the head of the Administration for Domestic Policy, Oleg Govorun, is the former host of the "Muzoboz" program, Ivan Demidov. "Gazeta.ru" learned this from a source close to the presidential administration. Demidov confirmed the fact of his appointment.

As the source told "Gazeta.ru," the decision was made on Friday. Before this Demidov occupied the position of head of the Department for Humanitarian Policy and Public Relations. In the new post he will continue to oversee the activity of public associations. In addition, religious organizations will also fall within the competence of the bureaucrat.

Previously this area was covered by Mikhail Ostrovsky, but he was dismissed from the administration more than a year ago, and thereafter the position remained vacant.

"Now he will oversee this department," persons surrounding Demidov told "Gazeta.ru."

Information that Ostrovsky's place may be given to the head of the Department for Humanitarian Policy appeared back at the beginning of last year, immediately after Ostrovsky's departure. At the time the post of the person responsible for humanitarian policy of the Kremlin was occupied by Anton Malyshev. Demidov was appointed in his place in April 2009.

"During his time working here he has shown success and has been able to establish relations with public organizations and confessions," a former member of the presidential administration, Aleksei Chesnakov, said, commenting on Demidov's success. Demidov's political career began to develop actively in 2005. At the time he agreed to join the staff of the supervision of the youth organization of the party of power, "Young Guard." In 2008 Demidov became director of the ideological administration of the political department of the central executive committee of "United Russia." And a year later he transferred to work in the administration.

The general director of the Center for Political Information, Aleksei Mukhin, thinks that with the new appointment in relations of the administration with public organization, the role of the Russian Orthodox church may be strengthened. (Demidov was the chief editor of the Orthodox channel "Savior.") However, in Mukhin's opinion, one should to expect fundamental changes in the work of the administration. "The appointment is the results of the efforts of Demidov himself. For a long time he has occupied himself with this theme; it is close to him and clear. Surely he has a clear vision of its future work, and in the near future we will hear about this," the expert suggests.  (tr. by PDS, posted 27 April 2010)

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Summary of harassment of Jehovah's Witnesses in March

INFORMATION ON INSTANCES OF INTOLERANCE TOWARD JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN RUSSIA IN MARCH 2010
Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 27 April 2010

As of the present it is known that in March 2010, the conduct of 14 worship meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses was interrupted in one way or another. There were 33 cases of believers' being taken to a police station (not counting a multitude of summons by subpoenas), and 15 of these were accompanied by searches of bags and pockets. In 27 cases officers of power structures hindered legal religious (evangelistic) activity. In addition, there is information about 13 instances of police officers invading the residences of believers and 10 searches in apartments.

There is information about instances of vandalism and also discrimination with respect to people whose only crime is their religious convictions. As is evident from the preceding report, the surge of such phenomena has been observed following the decision of the Rostov provincial court of 11 September 2009. (tr. by PDS, posted 27 April 2010)

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Orthodox leaders unhappy with execution of teaching religion in schools

ARCHDEACON ANDREI KURAEV AGAIN "DENOUNCES" PROFESSOR MARIANNA SHAKHNOVICH
Portal-credo.ru, 23 April 2010

The head of the department of the philosophy of religion and religious studies of St. Petersburg State University, Marianna Shakhnovich, expressed disagreement with the thesis of Patriarch Kirill that the education administration of Penza province used administrative methods to force parents of pupils of fourth grade classes to reject the study of "Foundations of Orthodox culture" (OPK). As reported earlier, Penza province was the only region of Russia where not a single person wishing to study OPK in school was found.

"In the first place, residents of Penza province, more than others, were frightened by the incident with local "hermits," who called themselves Orthodox (and in the hermitage there were small children)," Marianna Shakhnovich noted in an interview with "Ezhednevnyi zhurnal."  "The local society received a very strong 'inoculation,' which will be felt for a long time. Second, why does the patriarch rule out that profoundly believing parents, priests and their wives, would select for their children "History of world religions' or 'Secular ethics' as neutral, secular courses? Apparently they think that they are teaching their children Orthodox culture themselves, and the very life style of their families trains them. Besides, the children go to Sunday school, where they are taught by a teacher the parents know, or even by the father himself, or the mother."

In response to this statement Archdeacon Andrei Kuraev, the author of the officially adopted textbook of OPK, denounced Marianna Shakhnovich as lying. "She was not in Penza," the archdeacon writes. "She did not converse with people. She does not know how the 'choices' really were organized (or she does know but consciously lies)."  In response to Shakhnovich's desire to expand the line of OPK textbooks at the expense of the works of other authors, Kuraev categorically declares these textbooks to have been "created in an indestructible union of sectarians and atheists . . . who poorly conceal your common hatred for the Russian Orthodox church."

In addition, at a press conference at RIA Novosti on 18 March, Archdeacon Andrei Kuraev declared:  "I would not hand my kids, if I had kids, over to OPK." (tr. by PDS, posted 23 April 2010)

PATRIARCH PERPLEXED
In Penza province, 100% of school children selected secular ethics
Ezhednevhyi zhurnal, 22 April 2010

Patriarch Kirill was surprised when he learned that in Penza province, 100% of the pupils selecterd secular ethics, Interfax-religiia reports. He suspects that possibly the local authorities put pressure on the parents of the pupils. If one takes Penza, there are 200 priests serving there. The patriarch expresses doubt that they also really selected secular ethics for their own children. "Apparently the organizers of this fraud did not think that at least some percentage should be left over in order to persuade people of the voluntary nature of the choice. They weren't thinking," he said at a meeting the governors and bishops of the Urals Federal Distruct in Cheliabinsk.  It is very important that voluntariness be observed and there be no kinks reminiscent of soviet elections," the patriarch said, and he expressed the hope that "there will be no excesses that offend our national dignity."
 (tr. by PDS, posted 23 April 2010)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru, 22 April 2010

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Personnel changes suggest changes in church-state relations

RPTs ALSO ENGAGED IN MODERNIZATION
Kremlin seeks new models of relations with religious organizations
by Elina Bilevskaia
Nezavisimaia Gazeta, 23 April 2010

Within one month, old-time bureaucrats who were in charge of religious matters were dismissed from the government and presidential administration. According to information gathered by Nezavisimaia gazeta (NG), an administrative assistant of the department for domestic policy, Alexander Kudriavtsev, has left the Kremlin and a month earlier Andrei Sebentsov, the executive secretary of the Commission for Matter of Cooperation with Religious Organizations, left the government. The personnel change was required in order to work out a new model of relations of the state with religious organizations in the context of promoting the ideas of modernization.

The formal reason for the departure of both officials from the Kremlin and White House was their reaching retirement age. The administrative assistant of the department for domestic policy of the presidential administration, Alexander Kudriavtsev, will reach 63 years of age this year.

In the Kremlin he also was responsible for the work of the presidential Council for Relations with Religious Organizations with the rank of executive secretary. From the moment of taking office, the head of state, Dmitry Medvedev, has conducted one session of this structure; it was held in March of last year. The chief topic was the moral development of youth.

And in the summer of 2009 representatives of the main religious organizations of Russia were invited to the president's suburban residence, "Barvikha," in order to discuss the question of teaching foundations of religious cultures in the schools. Kudriavtsev was directly involved in the planning of these events.

He has been involved with religious organizations on behalf of the state since soviet times. From 1988 to 1990 Kudriavtsev worked in the Council for Religious Affairs of the Council of Ministers of RSFSR. After that he was in charge of this topic in the Ministry of Justice, where he headed the department of registration of religious organizations. Until 2008 he worked as deputy head of the Department of Humanitarian Policies and Public Affairs of the presidential administration for domestic policy, and then he received a promotion and took the post of administrative assistant.

A similar professional path was followed by the now former employee of the White House Andrei Sebentsov. Until recently he was the executive secretary of the governmental commission for matters of religious associations, which is headed by Vice-premier Alexander Zhukov, and he also occupied the post of director of a division of the Department  of Mass Communications, Culture, and Education. Sebentsov is considered an adherent of broadly democratic views in relations of the state with religious associations. In 1997 he stood out as an opponent of the adoption of the federal law on freedom of conscience that essentially established the domination of the four traditional Russian religions: Orthodoxy, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. He left the office of executive secretary of the commission at the beginning of March of this year.

A highly placed source in the government did not rule out the possibility that these retirements may be linked with the search for new ideas in the development of the dialogue between the state and religious organizations:  "We now have innovations in everything."  "NG's" source noted that in the last 20 years we have managed to get rid of many problems in relations with religious societies. However, questions still remain: for example, the Moscow patriarchate is actively lobbying for the return of church property. He said that the government "is dealing with the desire of RPTs and is conducting work and dialogue." The latest example is the transfer of Novodevichy monastery to church ownership.

A highly placed source in the Kremlin noted in conversation with "NG" that the issue here is more likely that both officials simply wanted to retire. However a source close to the presidential administration told "NG" that the question of relations between the state and religious organizations has acquired priority status in the Kremlin. At the present a new conception of relations with religious confessions is being worked out there, and a search is under way for new ideas and formats. In particular, it is important for the Kremlin that ideas of modernization, the introduction of an electronic government, the creation of electronic passports, and the like not spur a wave of superstitions among individual religious groups but, on the contrary, that they receive the approval of RPTs and other organizations.

The deputy general director of the Center of Political Technologies, Aleksei Makarkin, thinks that the retirements of Kudriavtsev and Sebentsov may be connected with the activity of Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill. Both officials were advocates of a model based on the premise that the state treats all religious societies in the same manner, without giving preference to any one of them. The head of RPTs apparently is not too happy with such an approach. He  clearly aims to achieve the dominance of the Orthodox church in Russia. Makarkin says that the patriarch displays a lot of activity. For example, he managed to achieve the introduction of the school course on the study of the foundations of religions and the formation of the institution of military chaplains.  However, Makarkin is sure, Patriarch Kirill's interests in these matters coincide with those of the government: "Cooperation with RPTs will be intensified." He said that the church has already given support to the state during the time of crisis, when it relieved the government of responsibility for its occurrence and called society to view this event as an opportunity to reconsider vital values. The political scientist recalled that under the previous patriarch, Alexis II, RPTs was in a defensive position because the danger of schisms on the part of ultraconservative church circles continued. However Patriarch Kirill has managed to solve this problem. He now has to persuade that part of the church of the benefits of modernization and to declare war on superstitions. And also to help the state to not permit the spread of new religious teachings.  (tr. by PDS, posted 23 April 2010)

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Police harass Jehovah's Witnesses in Siberia

POLICE ENQUIRE ABOUT WHAT GOD JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES BELIEVE IN
Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 23 April 2010

On 18 April 2010, after 10:00 in the evening, police officers armed with automatic weapons and batons knocked on the door of the home of believers A. and Ya. Popovich in the settlement of Sherlovaia Gora, Transbaikal territory. They declared that they were responding to a complaint from neighbors and demanded that the door be opened. They threatened to break through the door in the event of noncompliance.

Entering the house, the police officers asked that documents be produced and they looked around the rooms and asked which god the residents believed it. Before leaving the police officers said:  "If the neighbors complain again, we will come and evict you."

On 20 April 2010 two police officers again came to the believers' home. One of them was the commander of the Department of Internal Affairs, Major K. Vasiliev. The policemen demanded that they go to the police station in order to make statements about how long the believers have lived in the settlement, how they are employed, and why they distribute religious literature. A.  and Ya Popovich requested that they send a subpoena, after which the police officers departed. (tr. by PDS, posted 23 April 2010)

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