With insult to feelings, we decided to wait

On November 28, 2012, it became known that the draft instructions of the president, which should be published soon, included a requirement to postpone the adoption of the bill on insulting the feelings of believers until March 1, and during this time to organize a high-quality public discussion of this bill, reports the SOVA Information and Analytical Center ".

Earlier, on November 12, 2012, Vladimir Putin, during a meeting of the Presidential Council for Human Rights, already recommended that the State Duma not rush into adopting a bill on insulting religious feelings.

In addition, information has emerged that the Supreme Court has issued an opinion on the bill, which contains criticism of its provisions. Yes, Art. 243.1 (insulting religious beliefs and feelings of citizens and/or desecration of objects and objects of religious veneration (pilgrimage), which is planned to be added to the Criminal Code, will conflict with Articles 136, 148, 282, 213 and 214 of the Criminal Code, which protect various aspects of freedom of conscience and religion. The Supreme Court found that the terms “worship”, “religious rites and ceremonies”, “religious associations professing religions that form an integral part of the historical heritage of Russia” used in the bill are not deciphered in the current legislation, which can lead to arbitrariness.

The State Duma Committee on Public Associations proposes to translate the clause on insulting the feelings of believers in Art. 282 of the Criminal Code, and change the wording itself to “insulting the feelings of citizens towards faith.” In addition, the wording “constituting an integral part of the historical heritage” is supposed to be removed from the document, since it contradicts the provision on the equality of all organizations before the law.

Let us recall that earlier members of the Public Chamber recommended withdrawing the bill from further discussion.