Translated material
The heads of Protestant churches ask the president to prevent the adoption of anti-missionary amendments
June 23, 2016 Advisory Council of Protestant Leaders churches of Russia appealed to Vladimir Putin with a request to prevent the adoption of the bill deputies Irina Yarovaya - Viktor Ozerov. The anxiety of the clergy caused amendments suggesting restrictions on missionary activity.
According to the ruling bishop of the Russian Union Evangelical Christians by Sergei Ryakhovsky, these amendments in themselves are extremist.
The authors of the appeal note that the drafters of the bill “avoided from the possibility of discussing the bill with the relevant Committee for public associations and religious organizations of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, experts and representatives of the religious organizations themselves .
Protestant church leaders believe that the requirement to have permits to speak about one's faith, "not only absurd and offensive, but also creates a basis for mass persecution believers for violating such provisions of the law .
The bill, according to the authors of the appeal, contradicts Art. thirty Constitution of the Russian Federation, which guarantees the right to freedom of association.
The pastors reminded the president of the Soviet past, when many people "were persecuted for their faith, for spreading their beliefs, for the Word God's" . “Those events are fresh in our memory when our fathers not only paid fines, but were also sentenced to prison terms for "illegal gatherings", for "religious agitation", for preaching and prayer. AND today we clearly see that the proposed bill brings us back to the shameful past, prepares the ground for the persecution of people for whom belief in God is an integral part of their daily life ," - stated in the appeal.
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