The present federal law has the purpose of guaranteeing the exercise of citizens' rights to freedom of religious confession, strengthening the bases of public morality, and achieving harmonious cooperation between the state and religious organizations that are an integral part of the historic, spiritual, and cultural heritage of peoples of the Russian federation.

Chapter 1.  General provisions

Article 1. Basic concepts

In the present federal law the following basic concepts are used:
--a traditional religious organization of the Russian federation is a registered centralized religious organization operating on the territory of the Russian federal no less than fifty years, uniting no fewer than one million believers or adherents, and recognized in accordance with the present federal law as an integral part of the historic, spiritual, and cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia;
--a traditional religious organization of a separate people of the Russian federation is a registered centralized religious organization operating on the territory of the Russian federation or on the territory of separate constituent entities of the Russian federation no less than fifty years, uniting no fewer than 100,000 believers or adherents, and recognized in accordance with the present federal law as an integral part of the historic, spiritual, and cultural heritage of a corresponding people or several peoples of Russia;
--a historic traditional religious organization is a registered centralized or local religious organization operating on the territory of the Russian federation, the territory of separate constituent entities of the Russian federation, or in separate localities of the Russian federation no less than eighty years, and recognized in accordance with the present federal law as an integral part of the historic, spiritual, and cultural heritage of peoples of Russia;
--a representation of a foreign traditional religious organization is the representation of a foreign religious organization recognized in accordance with the present federal law as an integral part of the historic, spiritual, and cultural heritage of peoples of the corresponding state;
--"traditional religious organizations" is a general designation for all forms of traditional religious organizations enumerated in the present article with the exception of representations of foreign traditional religious organizations.

The Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions (the Commission) is a special state-public agency formed in accordance with the procedure provided by the present federal law, authorized to confer the status of traditional religious organization, assure the exercise of the rights and protection of the legal interests of traditional religious organizations, and facilitate the harmonious development of religion-state relations.

Article 2. Object of regulation of the present federal law

The object of regulation of the present federal law is the legal relations developing in the area of the exercise of the right to freedom of conscience and religious confession and religion-state relations arising in connection with the attainment, exercise, and loss of the status of a traditional religious organization, representation of a foreign traditional religious organization, and the legal status of the Federal Commission for Support of the Actvity of Traditional Religious Organizations.

Article 3. The sphere of action of the present federal law

The action of the present federal law extends to all traditional religious organizations and representations of foreign traditional organizations attaining the corresponding status in accordance with the procedure provided by the present federal law.

The present federal law does not apply to the activity of religious associations created in accordance with the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations."

Nothing in the present federal law should be used in the sense of depreciation or infringement of human and civil rights to freedom of conscience and freedom of religious confession guaranteed by the constitution of the Russian federation or deriving from international agreements of the Russian federation.

Article 4. Legislation about traditional religious organizations

Legislation about traditional religious organizations consists of corresponding standards of the constitution of the Russian federation, the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations," the civil code of the Russian federation, and the present federal law, and other federal laws and regulatory legal acts of the Russian federation and regulatory acts of constituent entities of the Russian federation that are adopted in accordance with them.

The legal status of traditional religious organizations and representations of foreign traditional religious organizations is defined in federal laws, and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian federation and regulatory legal acts of constituent entities of the Russian federation should correspond to their legal status that is strengthened in the present federal law.

In the event of a contradiction to the present federal law by regulatory legal acts of the Russian federation or constituent entities of the Russian federation, the present federal law takes precedence.

Chapter 2. Procedure for attaining and losing the status of traditional religious organization and representation of a foreign traditional religious organization.

Article 5. The procedure for attaining the status of a traditional religious organization of the Russian federation.

For attaining the status of a traditional religious organization of the Russian federation, a registered centralized religious organization presents to the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions the following documents:
--application for attaining the status of traditional religious organization of the Russian federation, signed by authorized persons of the religious organization;
--notarized copy of the charter and evidence of registration of the given centralized religious organization in two copies;
--information about the number of believers or adherents signed by authorized persons of the religious organization (without personal data) with an indication of the method of conducting an accounting of the number and means for maintaining information about personal data (if such exists),
--information about the fundamentals of doctrine and practice corresponding to it, including about the history of the development of the religion and given organization, about the forms and methods of its activity, about the attitude toward the family and marriage, education, specifics of the attitude toward the health of believers or adherents of the given religion, and restrictions upon members and ministers of the organization with regard to their civic rights and duties;
--documents confirming the existence of the given religious organization or the religious organization of which it is the legal successor for no less than fifty years. In the event that there exist objective data indicating the diffusion of the corresponding doctrine earlier than the indicated period (existence of temples, published information, mention in chronicles, and the like), presentation of historic information citing corresponding sources is sufficient for confirming the existence of the given religious organization for no less than fifty years.

The list of the documents indicated in the present article is sufficient for deciding the question of conferring the status of traditional religious organization of the Russian federation. A demand for presenting any other supplementary documents is not permitted.

The Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions reviews the documents submitted in the course of a month and makes a decision regarding conferring on the given religious organization the status of traditional religious organization of the Russian federation or refusal to grant such status and gives to authorized persons a notarized copy of the corresponding decision with an indication of the reasons for refusal.

In the event of the adoption of a decision on conferring the status of traditional religious organization of the Russian federation, the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions gives to authorized persons of the corresponding religious organization a certificate in the established form, which is the only document certifying the indicated status.

The decision to refuse to confer the status of traditional religious organization of the Russian federation does not preclude a second submission of documents by the religious organization if the reasons that evoked the refusal have been removed.

Article 6.  Procedure for attaining the status of a traditional religious organization of separate peoples of the Russian federation

For attaining the status of a traditional religious organization of separate peoples of the Russian federation, a registered centralized religious organization presents to the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions the following documents:
--application for attaining the status of a traditional religious organization of the corresponding people (peoples) of the Russian federation, signed by authorized persons of the religious organization;
--notarized copy of the charter and evidence of the registration of the given centralized religious organization in two copies;
--information about the number of believers or adherents signed by authorized persons of the religious organization (without personal data) with an indication of the methods of conducting the accounting of the number and means for maintaining information about personal data (if such exists),
--information about the fundamentals of doctrine and practice corresponding to it, including about the history of the development of the religion and given organization, about the forms and methods of its activity, about the attitude toward the family and marriage, education, specifics of the attitude toward the health of believers or adherents of the given religion, and restrictions upon members and ministers of the organization with regard to their civic rights and duties;
--documents confirming the existence of the given religious organization or the religious organization of which it is the legal successor for no less than fifty years. In the event that there exist objective data indicating the diffusion of the corresponding doctrine earlier than the indicated period (existence of temples, published information, mention in chronicles, and the like), presentation of historic information citing corresponding sources is sufficient for confirming the existence of the given religious organization for no less than fifty years.
 

The list of the documents indicated in the present article is sufficient for deciding the question of conferring the status of traditional religious organization of the Russian federation. A demand for presenting any other supplementary documents is not permitted.

The Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions reviews the documents submitted in the course of a month and makes a decision regarding conferring on the given religious organization the status of a traditional religious organization of the corresponding people (peoples) of the Russian federation or refusal to grant such status and gives to authorized persons a notarized copy of the corresponding decision with an indication of the reasons for refusal.

In the event of the adoption of a decision on conferring the status of a traditional religious organization of separate peoples of the Russian federation, the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions gives to authorized persons of the corresponding religious organization a certificate in the established form, which is the only document certifying the indicated status.

The decision to refuse to confer the status of a traditional religious organization of separate peoples of the Russian federation does not preclude a second submission of documents by the religious organization if the reasons that evoked the refusal have been removed.

Article 7. Procedure for attaining the status of a historic traditional religious organization

For attaining the status of traditional religious organization of the Russian federation, a registered centralized or local religious organization presents to the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions the following documents:
--application for attaining the status of a historic traditional religious organization of the Russian federation, signed by authorized persons of the religious organization;
--notarized copy of the charter and evidence of registration of the given centralized or local religious organization in two copies;
--information about the fundamentals of doctrine and practice corresponding to it, including about the history of the development of the religion and given organization, about the forms and methods of its activity, about the attitude toward the family and marriage, education, specifics of the attitude toward the health of believers or adherents of the given religion, and restrictions upon members and ministers of the organization with regard to their civic rights and duties;
--documents confirming the existence of the given religious organization or the religious organization of which it is the legal successor for no less than eighty years. In the event that there exist objective data indicating the diffusion of the corresponding doctrine earlier than the indicated period (existence of temples, published information, mention in chronicles, and the like), presentation of historic information citing corresponding sources is sufficient for confirming the existence of the given religious organization for no less than eighty years.

The list of the documents indicated in the present article is sufficient for deciding the question of conferring the status of traditional religious organization of the Russian federation. A demand for presenting any other supplementary documents is not permitted.

The Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions reviews the documents submitted in the course of a month and makes a decision regarding conferring on the given religious organization the status of a historic traditional religious organization of the Russian federation or refusal to grant such status and gives to authorized persons a notarized copy of the corresponding decision with an indication of the reasons for refusal.

In the case of the adoption of a decision on conferring the status of a historic traditional religious organization of the Russian federation, the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions gives to authorized persons of the corresponding religious organization a certificate of the established form, which is the only document certifying the indicated status.

The decision to refuse to confer the status of a traditional religious organization of the Russian federation does not preclude a second submission of documents by the religious organization if the reasons that evoked the refusal have been removed.

Article 8. Procedure for attaining the status of a representation of a foreign traditional religious organization

For attaining the status of a representation of a foreign traditional religious organization, a representation of a foreign religious organization registered on the territory of the Russian territory presents to the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions the following documents:
--an application for attaining the status of a representation of a foreign traditional religious organization signed by authorized persons of the representation;
--notarized copy of evidence of registration of the representation of a foreign religious organization in two copies;
--information about the fundamentals of doctrine and practice corresponding to it, including about the history of the development of the religion and given organization, about the forms and methods of its activity, about the attitude toward the family and marriage, education, specifics of the attitude toward the health of believers or adherents of the given religion, and restrictions upon members and ministers of the organization with regard to their civic rights and duties;
--a statement in the Russian language and signed by an authorized representative of the embassy of the corresponding state in the Russian federation attesting that the given religious organization is traditional for the indicated state.

The list of the documents indicated in the present article is sufficient for deciding the question of conferring the status of a representation of a traditional religious organization. A demand for presenting any other supplementary documents is not permitted.

The Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions reviews the documents submitted in the course of a month and makes a decision regarding conferring on the given representation of a foreign religious organization the status of  representation of a foreign traditional religious organization or refusal to grant such status and gives to authorized persons a notarized copy of the corresponding decision with an indication of the reasons for refusal.

In the case of the adoption of a decision on conferring the status of representation of a foreign traditional religious organization, the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions gives to authorized persons of the corresponding religious organization a certificate of the established form, which is the only document certifying the indicated status.

The decision to refuse to confer the status of a representation of a foreign traditional religious organization does not preclude a second submission of documents by the religious organization if the reasons that evoked the refusal have been removed.

Article 9.  Procedure for the loss of status of traditional religious organization and representation of a foreign traditional organization

A traditional religious organization and representation of a foreign traditional religious organization may be deprived of the corresponding status by decision of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions in the event of their liquidation or a ban on their activity on bases provided in article 14 of the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations." The adoption of the decision on deprivation of the status of representation of a foreign traditional religious organization is also possible on the basis of a validated statement of an authorized representation of the embassy of the corresponding state in the Russian federation.

The decision for deprivation of the status of traditional religious organization and representation of a foreign traditional religious organization does not preclude a second review of the question of conferring the corresponding status if there is a change in circumstances or removal of the reasons that caused it.

Chapter 3.  Procedure for the formation, legal status, and maintenance of the activity of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions

Article 10. Procedure for the formation of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions.

The Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions is a state-public agency that conducts its activity in accordance with the present federal law on the basis of statutes confirmed by decree of the president of the Russian federation.

The composition of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions is formulated in the following way:
--five members of the Commission are named by decision of the State Duma,
--five members of the Commission are named by decision of the Federation Council,
--ten members of the Commission are named by order of the president of the Russian federation, of which five members are named from nominees presented for review by the president of the Russian federation by registered centralized religious organizations confessing the religions enumerated in the preamble to the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations," to wit, Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism.

After a centralized religious organization attains the status of a traditional religious organization of the Russian federation, a given religious organization has the right, by decision of its ruling organs, to send its representative as a member of the Commission with voting rights.

The term of office of members of the Commission is six years from the time of appointment.

A single person may be appointed a member of the Commission for no more than two consecutive terms.

Article 11.  Procedure for review of questions and instructions for the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions

The Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions is the only agency authorized to make a decision on attaining and deprivation of the status of traditional religious organization and the status of representation of a foreign traditional religious organization.

The Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions also is authorized to review any questions associated with the implementation of the present federal law. The basic task of the Commission is providing support for traditional religious organizations in the exercise of their rights and protection of legal interests.

The decision of the Commission regarding implementation of the provisions of the present federal law is binding upon all state and municipal organizations and institutions, as well as agencies of state power and agencies of local administration on which the present federal law imposes duties for the support of the activity of traditional religious organizations and the development of religion-state relations. This provision pertains in particular to state institutions of secondary and higher education, state news media, institutions of culture and art, museums, libraries, etc., as well as corresponding ministries and departments.

In the event of the adoption by the Commission of a decision in contradiction to the present federal law and impeding the activity of traditional religious organizations and representations of foreign traditional religious organizations, that decision may be appealed judicially on the initiative of the corresponding traditional religious organizations or representations of foreign traditional religious organizations in accordance with existing legislation. The Commission's decision may also be overruled.

In the event of the exceeding of its authority and the adoption by the commission of a decision that hinders the normal activity of state or municipal organizations and institutions, as well as agencies of state authority or agencies of local self-administration, such a decision can be appealed by judicial process on the initiative of the respective state or municipal organizations or institutions, agencies of state authority, or agencies of local self-administration, in accordance with the legislation of the Russian federation.

Article 12. Procedure for review of questions and adoption of decisions by the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions

The first session of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions will extend for the period of one month after the appointment of all twenty of its members.

All members of the Commission each have identical authority and voting rights. At its first session the Commission will elect by secret ballot the chairman of the Commission, his two deputies, and the executive secretary of the Commission. Before the election of the chairman of the Commission, the session will be conducted by the eldest member of the Commission.

The Commission conducts its session in public and makes all decision by open voting, with the exception of the election of the chairman and deputy chairmen of the Commission.

The Commission has the right to conduct sessions with more than half of all appointed members present.

Decisions of the Commission are authoritative if a majority of members present at the session voted for them.

Decisions of the Commission on conferring or depriving of the status of traditional religious organization or representation of a foreign traditional religious organization are authoritative if more than half of the number of all appointed members of the Commission voted for them.

Article 13.  Maintenance of the activity of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions

Maintenance of the activity of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions is financed by the federal budget of the Russian federation.

Organizational, technical, and material support of the activity of the Commission is effected by the chief of staff of the president of the Russian federation in accordance with the by-laws of the Commission.

All members of the Commission serve on the Commission for the full term of their appointment on a continual basis.

With regard to the level of salary and social and medical security, members of the Commission are equivalent to state employees of category "A."

Members of the Commission are covered by the provisions of the labor and pension legislation of the Russian federation.

Article 14.  Termination of the activity of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions

The activity of the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions will be terminated in the event of expiration of the term of office of more than half of its members. In such a case, the activity of the Commission will be revived after the appointment of the number of members needed for conducting sessions and making decision.

The authorization of a member of the Commission may be terminated before the expiration of the term of office by the agency of state power or traditional religious organization that named the member on the basis of conviction of a felony, loss of civil rights, or other substantive circumstances that preclude continuation of activity as a member of the Commission.

Chapter 4.  The state and traditional religious organizations

Article 15. Basic elements of relations of the state and traditional religious organizations

The basic elements of relations of the state and traditional religious organization includes the following:
--facilitation of mutual understanding and cooperation among people, nations, and states for the maintenance of public morality;
--support and strengthening of the institution of the family, motherhood, and childhood, and measures for improvement of the demographic situation in the Russian federation, and the spiritual, moral, patriotic, and legal education of children and youth,
general religious education within state and municipal educational institutions;
--activity for maintaining and renovating objects of the cultural heritage (monuments of architecture, history, culture, and religion) of the peoples of the Russian federation, associated with the history of traditional religious organizations, as well as for the preservation of buildings, furnishings, and other objects of religious significance that are not monuments of history but which have spiritual or cultural value;
--moral and patriotic education and spiritual nurture of military personnel and law enforcement agencies;
--prevention of crime and care for prisoners and ex-convicts;
--development of the humanities, including religious studies of the traditional confessions, medicine, health care, social security, and social services;
--dissemination of information about traditional religious confessions, their religious fundamentals, moral principles, and liturgical practice through state and municipal news media, including the grant to traditional religious organizations of use of print and broadcast media on a cost-free basis;
--charitable and other humanitarian activity.

The state, by a procedure established by law of the Russian federation, promotes the participation of traditional religious organizations in the implementation of federal, interregional, and regional goals of programs and other measure within the spheres of education, culture, social services, and other spheres of social relations.

Agencies of the government of the Russian federation and agencies of the governments of constituent entities of the Russian federation and of local self-administration, within the procedure established by legislation of the Russian federation, will achieve the gradual return of property of traditional religious organizations that was confiscated from them illegally and now is state or municipal property, with the exception of property that is not liable for alienation in accordance with legislation of the Russian federation.

Article 16.  Details of taxation of traditional religious organizations
 
The following are exempt from taxation: products of the essential or other economic activity of traditional religious organizations, their structural subdivisions, and the noncommercial institutions and organizations created by them.

The income from enterprises owned by traditional religious organizations, their structural subdivisions, or noncommercial institutions and organizations created by them is exempt from taxation.

The income of enterprises and organizations engaged in the established activity of traditional religious organizations, their structural subdivisions, and noncommercial institutions and organizations created by them, but no more than ten percent of the total annual income of the corresponding enterprise or organization, is exempt from taxation.

Traditional religious organizations, their structural subdivisions, and the noncommercial institutions and organizations, as well as enterprises owned by traditional religious organizations are not subject to value added tax on goods and services.

Article 17.  Details of the activity of traditional religious organizations in the area of education

The secular nature of education is established in the Russian federation, which includes the provisions that no religion nor nonreligious world view, including atheism, is established as state-sponsored or obligatory for teaching in state and municipal educational institutions; the state does not render support to the propaganda of antireligious ideas and doctrines. State and municipal institutions of education have the right to cooperate with traditional religious organizations in accordance with the legislation of the Russian federation and to incorporate corresponding religious disciplines into the curricula.

Religious organizations, in keeping with the legislation of the Russian federation, have the right to create their own institutions of religious education.

In order to work together for effective fulfillment of the tasks of education and training of children and youth by state and municipal institutions of education, and taking into account the interests of citizens of the Russian federation in the spiritual sphere, the state
--cooperates with traditional religious organizations in accordance with the legislation of the Russian federation in the sphere of spiritual, moral, patriotic, and legal training of children and youth and in the sphere of education, including religious education;
--facilitates the dissemination in state and municipal educational institutions and organizations of information about the content of traditional religious confessions and the history of the beginning and development of traditional religious organizations;
--takes account of the spiritual, moral, and cultural values of the peoples of Russia and traditional religious confessions in developing state educational standards, curricula, and methods of pedagogy for academic subjects of the humanities;
--supports the teaching of general education disciplines in educational institutions formed by traditional religious organizations, in accordance with the legislation of the Russian federation on education;
--cooperates with traditional religious organizations in conducting educational activity, including the creation of educational institutions and training of teaching personnel, provided that the principle of freedom of conscience and freedom of religious confessions is observed;
--secures for traditional religious organizations the legal possibilities of activity facilitating the exercise of civil rights to religious education, including in state and municipal educational institutions and organizations;
--cooperates with traditional religious organizations in securing protection of the rights and interests of children and their parents in the educational process conducted in educational institutions and organizations, including the right to normal physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual development of children in accordance with the religious convictions of their parents.

Article 18 Broadcast of the activity of traditional religious organizations in public media

Traditional religious organizations have the right to have their activity broadcast, including broadcasts of divine liturgies, religious ceremonies and rites, and other significant events of religious life on state and municipal public media without charge, in accordance with the procedure determined by the Federal Commission for Support of Traditional Religious Confessions.

A list of corresponding public media and of the amount of print space (air time) they provide is determined in accordance with the territory of the distribution of mass information by decree of the government of the Russian federation, by decisions of agencies of executive authority of constituent entities of the Russian federation, and by decisions of agencies of local administration.

Allocation on a cost-free basis of print space (air time) among traditional religious organizations should be carried out proportionately to the actual number of believers or adherents of one or another organization; its contribution to the establishment of historic, spiritual and cultural traditions of the Russian federation, respective constituent entity of the Russian federation, or municipal territory, as well as the influence of the given organization in the formation of spiritual and moral values, moral and ethical principles, and traditional lifestyle of the peoples of the Russian federation.

The state provides support in the creation by traditional religious organizations of their own mass media and facilitates their development by means of granting financial aid as well as allocation of state orders in accordance with a procedure established by the legislation of the Russian federation for the production of radio and television programs, printed materials and editions devoted to questions of the historic, spiritual, and cultural heritage of the peoples of the Russian federation; and uniting of traditional values with the modern form of life, including the religious sphere, maternity and familial relations, and the moral and patriotic training of children and youth.

Traditional religious organizations have the right to use mass media, including state and municipal media, for the purpose of disseminating their religious teachings, religious training and education, and missionary and charitable activity; and for the purpose of other goals that do not violate the legislation of the Russian federation regarding mass media and not violating the constitutional principles of freedom of conscience and religious confession.

Article 19 Cooperation between the state and traditional religious organizations in the sphere of charitable activity and social services

The state acknowledges the social value of activity of traditional religious associations in the sphere of charitable activity and social services, where they can provide effective support to citizens who are in difficult circumstances of life (disability, illness, orphanhood, neglect, unemployment, inability to care for oneself due to age, homelessness, etc.).

The state cooperates in the attempts of traditional religious organizations to participate in the tasks of strengthening the institution of the family; prevention of juvenile crime, drug addiction and alcoholism; and the social rehabilitation of prisoners and convicts.

The state supports the activity of traditional religious organizations in the sphere of charitable activity and social services including such activities as are conducted
--by noncommercial (charitable) organizations created by traditional religious organizations, provided that this activity has social value;
--by institutions of social services created by traditional religious organizations for the purpose of social support of citizens who are in difficult circumstances of life (orphanages, homeless shelters, etc.) provided that these institutions satisfy the requirements of the legislation of the Russian federation.

In order to support the activity of religious organizations in the sphere of charitable activity and social services, agencies of state authority and agencies of local administration have the right, in accordance with procedures established by legislation of the Russian federation, to grant to institutions of social service and noncommercial (charitable) organizations created by traditional religious organizations various privileges and to provide other support within the limits of their authority.

Agencies of state authority and agencies of local administration have the right, in accordance with the legislation of the Russian federation, to finance charitable programs of noncommercial (charitable) organizations created by traditional religious organizations by means of providing state orders on a competitive basis for insuring choice and support of the activity of the most effectively operating organizations.

Agencies of state authority and agencies of local administration create the legal bases that will facilitate providing financial support to the activity of institutions of social services and noncommercial (charitable) organizations created by traditional religious organizations from nongovernmental sources.

State support can be provided in accordance with the legislation of the Russian federation to institutions of social services and noncommercial (charitable) organizations created by traditional religious organizations, provided that the social or charitable aid they give does not require that citizens embrace any religious convictions or change their religious convictions.

Article 20  Agreement between state and religion

In order to achieve a fuller and more consistent implementation of the provisions of the present federal law, agencies of state authority and agencies of local administration may conclude agreements with traditional religious organizations regarding forms and methods of joint action and cooperation, including either long term or indefinite agreements within the limits of their authority.

Chapter 5. Legal status of representations of foreign traditional religious organizations and international cooperation of traditional religious confessions

Article 21 Legal status of representations of foreign traditional religious organizations

Representations of foreign traditional religious organizations have the rights of a traditional religious organization of separate peoples of the Russian federation, with the exception of restrictions on the conduct of religious activity established by the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations."

The details of the legal status of a representation of a foreign traditional organization are established by order of the government of the Russian federation.

Article 22. International activity of traditional religious organizations

The state supports the international activity of traditional religious organizations, including cooperation among traditional religious confessions.  Agencies of state authority and the diplomatic representation of the Russian federation provide support to traditional religious organization in carrying out international contacts and other international activity.

Chapter 6 Concluding provisions

Article 23 On the present federal law's taking effect

The present federal law takes effect from the day of its official publication.

Article 24 International agreements involving the Russian federation

If by international agreement the Russian federation has established different rules from those provided in the present federal law, the international agreement takes precedence.

Article 25 Concerning introduction of legal acts in accordance with the present federal law

It is suggested  to the president of the Russian federation and the government of the Russian federation is instructed to introduce their own legal acts in accordance with the present federal law.

President of the Russian federation
V. Putin
 
 

(translated by PDS)