In Moscow, the court supported a medical college that refused to admit a student who was missing classes due to religious beliefs.

On April 19, 2012, the Kuntsevsky District Court of Moscow refused satisfy the claim of Moscow resident Svetlana T. against the Medical College Office of the President of the Russian Federation.

The applicant from 2008 to September 2011 studied at the medical School No. 13. Since Svetlana is a Seventh-day Adventist, she asked the school administration to give her the opportunity not to attend classes on Saturdays, and work off the missed on other days. School management suggested that she look for another educational institution.

After being expelled from medical school, Svetlana tried to transfer college under the Office of the President. September 20, 2011 management college agreed to accept her, but, having learned about the refusal to study on Saturdays, did not provided official documents on enrollment. After a repeated request, the deputy College Director for Academic Affairs Larisa Golovchanskaya invited Svetlana to write obligation to study on Saturdays. After refusing to write such a commitment the college management said that they would not be able to accept her, but the refusal documents did not provide in enrollment.

Being expelled from one educational institution in order translation, but never credited to another, Svetlana T. was forced go to court. She refers to Art. 5 of the Law of the Russian Federation "On Education", guaranteeing the possibility of obtaining an education, regardless of attitude to religion.

In court, the college management confirmed that the reason for the refusal in enrollment is the refusal to study on Saturdays. Individual lesson plan they are not ready to provide.

“It is worth noting that the obligation to attend all classes is not included in the list of entry requirements. All presented Svetlana complied with the requirements of the legislation. Never anyone at admission is not interrogated for skipping classes in the future, and even so no longer take any obligations from them. However, Svetlana was presented with additional requirements, which is a direct violation of the law and discrimination based on religion. Svetlana should have been accepted to study at the College, after which the management would have to consider about providing an opportunity to study according to an individual plan. However College took the easier path - no student, no problems , ”comments on the situation lawyer of the Slavic Legal Center Sergey Chugunov.

However, the court did not uphold the believer's statement. Applicant intends to appeal this decision. Sources

• Seventh-day Adventist Christians are denied the right to education // Slavic Legal Center. 2012. April 24.