Untitled

Ecumenical News International

ENI News Service / 22 September 1997

Russian Duma approves revised bill on religion

By Christian Lowe

Moscow, 22 September (ENI)--Religious activists in Russia have

strongly condemned a decision by the lower house of Russia's

parliament - the State Duma - to approve a bill on religious organisations

which, critics argue, could lead to new religious restrictions in Russia.

The bill was backed by the Russian Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish and

Buddhist faiths. But minority religions - including Catholics and

Protestants - say that it will restrict their rights.

As hundreds of Protestants sang hymns and chanted protests outside

the Duma building in central Moscow on Friday (19 September),

lawmakers voted by 358 votes to six in favour of the measure, which

has been promoted by its supporters as a means of protecting Russians

from the influence of dangerous sects.

Human rights activists, and representatives of those faiths which stand

to lose out from the law said they would fight to overturn it. "The rights

of hundreds and thousands of our fellow countrymen have been

encroached on," according to Anatoly Pchelintsev, director of the

Institute of Religion and Law, a body considered by observers to be

sympathetic to Protestantism..

"You do not have to be a hot-shot lawyer to see that this law is

anti-constitutional," he added. "Looking at this logically, our only

possible option is to go to the Constitutional Court." If the court rules

that a

law, or part of it, does not comply with the constitution, the law ceases

to have

effect.

The bill was an amended version of one passed by both houses of

parliament earlier this summer. President Boris Yeltsin vetoed the earlier

bill on the grounds that it violated the constitution's provisions on

religious freedom but the new version - drawn up by President Yeltsin's office

after consultations with religious organisations - differs little from the

first, according to observers.

The bill must still be approved by the Federation Council, or upper house

of parliament, and signed by President Boris Yeltsin, before it becomes

law. But that is widely believed to be a foregone conclusion. The

Federation Council could vote on the bill as early as tomorrow (23

September) when its next meeting is scheduled.

Critics say the bill would create a two-tier system that would enshrine

the rights of traditional religions - Russian Orthodoxy, Islam, Buddhism,

Judaism - but restrict the activities of other mainstream religions

including Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.

In order to qualify for the status of "religious organisation" with full

rights to preach and worship, a faith must prove it has officially existed in

Russia for 15 years. That excludes Roman Catholics and Protestants, as

well as non-mainstream religions because they were denied official

recognition under Communist rule.

Those faiths that do not qualify as "organisations" can apply for the

status of "religious group" with fewer legal rights. A group would be able

to retain its own property, teach religion to its own followers and do

charity work. But it would be denied access to public schools, prisons

and hospitals and would not be able to set up its own educational

establishments, publish literature or invite foreigners for religious work.

The bill's supporters said Friday's vote was a necessary step to

combating religious sects. "We insisted that it be passed," said

Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov. "There are some revisions

but they do not change the essence of the law. The country badly needs

a law like this."

Spokesmen for the Russian Orthodox Church, and Muslims living in

Central Russia also applauded the Duma's decision.

However, the international Roman Catholic news agency, APIC, which is

based in Fribourg, Switzerland, cited a "close associate" of Archbishop

Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, a leader of Russia's Catholics, as saying that

the new bill still contained "discriminatory" provisions and that some

amendments introduced into the draft legislation "solve nothing, quite the

contrary".

APIC also quoted Archbishop Kondrusiewicz, the apostolic administrator

for Roman Catholics in the European part of Russia, rejecting allegations

that the Catholic church was engaged in "proselytism" - persuading

believers who belong to one church to convert to another.

"There are practically no Orthodox Christians who convert to the Catholic

church," he said. "Behind this reproach is the belief that if one is

Russian, one is automatically Orthodox. But the non-baptised must be

allowed the freedom of conscience to decide for themselves to which

church they wish to belong."

On the pavement outside the Duma on Friday morning, passions were

running high. Christian groups sang hymns and brandished banners that

read: "Protestants are Russian too." A shaven-headed Hare Krishna

devotee, wearing a saffron robe and holding a loud-hailer led a crowd of

his followers in chanting a mantra.

Inside the Duma, the law was passed with only a minimum of debate.

Liberal lawmakers tried to have the bill struck off the agenda but they

were over-ruled by the nationalists and communists who dominate the

Duma.

In a speech which carried heavy nationalist overtones, right-wing leader

Vladimir Zhirinovsky said the law must be passed to protect the Russian

Orthodox Church from foreign incursion. "[US] Vice-president Gore is

flying into Moscow to prevent us again from passing this law in the

version that is beneficial for Russians," he said.

"Here we will follow the position of the Russian Orthodox Church. If the

patriarchate says pass this law, we will pass it, if they say no, we won't

pass it. But we won't take orders from those standing outside the State

Duma."

* * *