The ECHR communicated the complaint of a pastor fined for reading the Bible in a cafe

The European Court of Human Rights heard the complaint of a Sochi pastor who was fined in October 2014 for reading the Bible in a cafe.

On March 13, 2017, it became known that on February 23, 2017, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) communicated the complaint of the leader of the evangelical Christian group “Community of Christians” Alexey Kolyasnikov, challenging a fine for reading the Bible in a cafe.

A. Kolyasnikov was found guilty under Part 2 of Art. 20.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (holding a public event without filing a notice of its holding in the prescribed manner) and was fined 30 thousand rubles in October 2014. After an unsuccessful attemptto challenge the fine in Russia, the pastor appealed to the ECHR (in December 2015, A. Kolyasnikov’s complaint was registered).

The complaint concerns a violation of the right to a fair trial (Article 6 of the Convention), a violation of freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 9), freedom of expression (Article 10) and freedom of assembly and association (Article 11).

In early July 2017, Russia reaffirmed its position that collective Bible reading should be coordinated with the authorities. Russia's Commissioner to the ECHR, Mikhail Galperin, responded to the ECHR's questions on the complaint, stating that a public event was taking place in the cafe using audio equipment, so the organizer should have notified the authorities.

The Russian memorandum states that the right of believers to assemble freely may be limited if necessary to protect the foundations of the constitutional order and ensure security.

Sources

• The ECHR communicated the complaint of a pastor fined for reading the Bible in a cafe // OVD-Info. 2017. March 13.
• Mukhametshina E. Collective Bible reading in a cafe is equivalent to a rally // Vedomosti. 2017. July 4.