Russian lawmaker suggests Jehovah's Witnesses' case may affect other religions

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Russian lawmaker suggests Jehovah's Witnesses' case may affect other religions

CHAIRMAN OF STATE DUMA COMMITTEE LINKS SUPREME COURT DECISION TO LIQUIDATE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS'ES WITH "PROTECTION OF BELIEVERS' RIGHTS"

Portal-Credo.Ru, 21 April 2017

 

The Russian State Duma will "examine" the decision of the Russian Supreme Court in the case of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The legal precedent will allow the development of new laws for the protection of believers' rights, the chairman of the State Duma Committee for Development of Civil Society and Affairs of Public and Religious Associations, Sergei Gavrilov, told Izvestia on 20 April.

 

"This is a kind of legal precedent, although we do not have case law, but it is important for us to examine details of the case so that in our time we can adopt a decision about the protection of believers' rights. We adopted a number of amendments in the anti-extremism legislation. If you recall, the Russian parliament adopted an amendment linked to the restriction of illegal evangelism. Therefore it is important for us the examine this case, because it is possible that in the near future we will have to use it in our legislation," Gavrilov said.

 

In the deputy's opinion, there are in Russia now many religious organizations whose activity is called into question. "All organizations that exist in our country, with the exception of traditional confessions, should be investigated in order to protect the interests of traditional morality, traditional Russian values, establishment of the family, care for neighbors, and love for the fatherland. In my view, very many organizations today do not comply with this criterion," Gavrilov declared.

 

On 20 April, the Russian Supreme Court ruled the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in the RF to be an extremist organization and banned the its activity itself and that of its "structural subdivisions" on the territory of the country. (tr. by PDS, posted 21 April 2017)