A report by the US State Department has been published, including one on issues of freedom of conscience in Russia

At the end of July 2012, the annual report of the US State Department on freedom of conscience was published. One of the chapters of the report is devoted to the Russian situation.

US analysts mention the persecution of members of religious organizations in Russia, including as part of anti-extremist activities. Among the most vulnerable “religious minorities” are Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientologists, Tablighi Jamaat, as well as followers of Said Nursi, who do not form a single group. The attention of experts was also drawn to the attempts of the Russian authorities to recognize the sacred text of the followers of the Society for Krishna Consciousness as extremist.

Once again, the strengthening of the positions of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia, which is not state by law, was noted (the authors of the report draw attention not only to the cooperation of church hierarchs with the authorities, but also to the strengthening of the positions of the Russian Orthodox Church in the army and in schools).

In addition, citing data from the SOVA Center, State Department experts draw attention to a decrease in the number of cases of vandalism committed against religious sites, as well as an increase in “anti-sectarian propaganda” (mainly directed against Jehovah’s Witnesses).

Sources

• International Religious Freedom Report for 2011: Russia // US Department of State. 2012. July 31.