June 16, 2012 in the blog of the Leader of the Youth human rights group of Karelia Maxim Efimov published a drafted activists of the group appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office. The authors of the appeal ask file against the head of the Synodal Department for Relations with the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies of Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov criminal case under Art. 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (inciting hatred or enmity) and the case on administrative violation of Part 2 of Art. 5.60 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (slander contained in a public speech).

The reason for the appeal was the speech of the priest in program of the Soyuz TV channel on May 6, 2012. Answering a question from a viewer, he admitted offensive remarks against representatives of new religious movements.

According to the authors of the appeal, these statements “should consider as violating the rights and legitimate interests of citizens who offend them religious feelings in connection with their relation to religion. These statements should be regarded as an attempt to discriminate against a group of people, as a call to incite religious strife and violence" .

Anyone interested is invited to send to the prosecutor's office similar statements. Sources

Statement on religious extremism by the archpriest of the ROC MP // Maxim Efimov's blog. 2012. June 16.

The youth human rights group of Karelia demands that Fr. Dimitry Smirnov was held liable in connection with offensive statements addressed to “sects”