ADHERENT OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES TRIED TO RECRUIT UNKNOWN 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN VOLZHSK (MARI EL)
Volzhskaia Pravda, 6 August 2015
The Volzhsk district prosecutor's office of the republic of Mari El conducted a verification of compliance with legislation on freedom of conscience, religious confessions and religious associations.
The occasion for conducting the verification was an appeal by a local woman resident regarding negative consequences from participation by her child in a religious meeting without the permission of parents.
It was established that in April 2015, a 59-year-old adherent of the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, Vera Afonina, met on the street in the city of Volzhsk of the republic of Mari El a 10-year-old girl whom she had not previously known and she persuaded her to participate with her in a religious meeting in another district of the city. In a nonresidential building on Zelenaia Street the child participated, without the knowledge of her parents, in religious rituals and study of the principles of the activity of this religious organization. Then the child was invited to participate in subsequent events of the organization.
The girl was away for more than three hours, about which her Mama turned to the police. The child returned home only at 9:00 p.m. and she was in an agitated state.
The federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" forbids enticing minors into religious associations and also teaching religion contrary to their will and without the consent of parents or their surrogates.
On the basis of the results of the verification, the prosecutor opened an administrative case against Afonina based on part 1 of article 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Violations of Law (violation of legislation on freedom of conscience, freedom of religious confession, and religious associations), which was considered on the merits in magistrate court.
By order of the magistrate judge of judicial unit No. 15 of the Volzhsk judicial district of the republic of Mari El, Afonina was found guilty of committing an administrative violation of law and was subjected to a fine of 10,000 rubles.
The judge's order has taken legal effect. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 August 2015)
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