The expert council under the Ministry of Justice recognized the Russian Yezidis as a religious organization

On July 23, it became known that the Expert Council under the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation recognized the Russian Yezidis as a religious organization.

Some time ago, the Yaroslavl Yezidi community, led by its religious leader, applied to the Ministry of Justice with the intention of registering the first Yezidi religious organization in the Russian Federation.

At the next meeting, the Expert Council considered the statement of the Yaroslavl Yezidi community and, as a result, made a positive decision that Yezidism is a religion. Thus, in this aspect, there are no obstacles for the registration of Yezidis as a religious organization.

The issue of the number of Yezidis in Russia "is debatable, but, apparently, there may be up to 60,000 of them," said A. Dvorkin, head of the Council.

Sources

• Russia may register a new religious community - Yezidis // Interfax-religion. 2009. July 22.