The presidential administration will not interfere in the situation with the liquidation of the Methodist Church in Smolensk

On March 17, the pastor of the United Methodist Church (UMC) of Smolensk, Alexander Vtorov, addressed an open letter to V. Putin in connection with the inspection of Smolensk Methodists, carried out by law enforcement agencies at the request of an Orthodox bishop. (March 24 UMC Smolenskaya was liquidated by the court).

was received from the Office of the President of the Russian Federation for Internal Policy of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, In April, a response which states that the pastor's appeal was considered, but, "in accordance with Part 2 of Article 14 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and Article 4 of the Federal Law "On Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Associations”, which provide for the separation of religious associations from the state, state authorities are not entitled to interfere in the activities of religious associations and interfaith relations.”

"The specified Federal Law provides for a mechanism for state supervision of the Federal Registration Service and the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation over the observance by religious associations of the requirements of the law and liability for their violation, imposed in court," the document says.

The Presidential Administration recalled the possibility "to appeal against the actions of officials in the manner prescribed by law."

Consideration in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of the cassation appeal against the civil suit of the prosecutor's office of the Smolensk region on the liquidation of the United Methodist Church of the city of Smolensk is scheduled for June 10.

Sources

• The pastor of the Methodist Church of Smolensk, liquidated for the creation of a Sunday school, Alexander Vtorov, received a response to his appeal from the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation // Slavic Legal Center. 2008. April 25.
• The case of the liquidated Smolensk Methodist Church will be considered in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation // Slavic Legal Center. 2008. May 19.