Representatives of religious organizations - about anti-missionary amendments

RIA Novosti interviewed representatives of three "traditional" religious organizations about what they think of those preparing under bill of Irina Yarovaya - Viktor Ozerov amendments restricting missionary activity. All respondents noted that with their religious amendments were not discussed by organizations.  

Head of Legal Service of the Moscow Patriarchate Abbess Xenia (Chernega) believes that missionary activity in this bill is interpreted "very broadly" because "to her, in fact, all types of religious activities are included " , i.e. Orthodox will not be able to freely conduct religious processions, distribute Orthodox literature in stores and kiosks and preach in the media.

"We hope that all these rules will apply to non-traditional religious sectarian organizations. But if they apply in relation to religious organizations of the Russian Orthodox Church, then, Of course, we will raise the issue of adjusting this bill , ” the abbess said.

According to the First Vice President Council of Muftis of Russia (RMC) Rushan Abbyasov , if these amendments are adopted, “religious organizations themselves will again suffer, but not the fight against extremism and terrorism, as has been . stated

To fight terrorism, he believes, it is necessary “to find some solution that, on the one hand, would not affect the rights of believers, that is, our religious organizations - but, on the other hand, we would work together thought about how to deal with this phenomenon, which threatens " around the world .

President of the Federation of Jewish communities of Russia (FEOR), Rabbi Alexander Boroda is sure that the amendments contradict enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation the principle of freedom of religion. "Huge minus" of the bill, he considers that "the legislator did not indicate a precise criterion for distinguishing between religious and missionary activities, therefore, the law can be "perverted" as one likes, and can apply, respectively, the wording advantageous in a particular situation .

The FEOR representative believes that "the issue of spreading the faith regulated by the legislation of the Russian Federation to a sufficient extent " , and the proposed the amendments “very significantly change the situation in the work of religious structures, including those traditional for Russia, moreover, obviously for the worse . "  Sources

• Religious figures of the Russian Federation are afraid of legislative restrictions on their activities // RIA News. 2016. June 23.