Translated material
Members of the Atheistic Society of Moscow ask to check the legality of the “processions” to the Belt of the Virgin Mary
On January 12, 2012, it became known about the appeal of the Moscow Atheist Society to Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika with a demand to check the legality of the participation of officials in the ceremony of welcoming the Belt of the Virgin Mary , brought in the fall of 2011 from Mount Athos.
The authors of the statement, based on the texts of the law “On Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Associations” and the law “On the State Civil Service of the Russian Federation”, remind that officials of public authorities cannot “use their official position to form one or another attitude towards religion ” and “publicly express an attitude towards religious associations and organizations as a civil servant.”
However, the statement emphasizes, “the direct participation of government officials in the ceremonies and their appearances in the media with comments on this matter give reason to believe that budgetary funds were allocated for these ceremonies, state and municipal employees were involved, and their official powers were used.”
In addition, the authors of the statement are confident that the specified event should have been agreed upon “in the manner established for holding rallies, processions and demonstrations.”
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