Russia introduces measures to combat religious schismatics and extremists who have arrived in large numbers
The State Duma in the first reading adopted a bill that prohibits persons suspected of financing terrorism from participating in or leading religious groups. The document also introduces a similar ban for foreigners and stateless persons whose stay in Russia has been declared undesirable. In addition, the bill obliges priests studying abroad to undergo certification in Russian religious educational institutions, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“What motivates us to support this bill is the legal prohibition of splits. Unfortunately, in a number of religious organizations the situation sometimes takes on an avalanche-like character, which serves to expand extremism. Coupled with the parasitism of foreign missionaries, it certainly serves to undermine not only the security of our country, but also our spiritual and moral foundations, the foundations of traditional culture, our understanding of family, service to the Fatherland,” said State Duma deputy, member of the Communist Party faction Sergei Gavrilov, who presented the bill.
According to A Just Russia member Igor Molyakov, the proposed version of the law threatens the work of the Russian Orthodox Church, which could be recognized as a foreign agent if it receives funds from other local Churches.
“A religious organization, including according to the Civil Code, is the Russian Orthodox Church. It's the same organization. We are saying that this organization can receive money from abroad, but the purposes for which these funds are used will be investigated. We have more than ten Orthodox Churches around the world. If the Russian Orthodox Church receives funds from these organizations, how will they be assessed? Isn’t this bill a violation of the fundamental principle of our life – the separation of church and state?” - Molyakov said.
Deputy Minister of Justice and Government Plenipotentiary Representative in the State Duma Andrei Loginov replied that for several centuries funding has been going according to the reverse principle - from the Russian Orthodox Church to local Churches.
“As for the question of the possibility of support for our Russian Orthodox Church from other Local Churches, I will tell you historically that the process goes in the opposite direction, as a rule. This began in the 16th century, and, in principle, this trend has not changed to this day. But this bill has nothing to do with this plot,” Loginov assured.
The official also emphasized that the certification procedure for religious figures coming to Russia from abroad will be determined by the religious organizations themselves, and it will not affect those clergy who are already working in the country.
“Many religious organizations do not have spiritual educational organizations where they can be certified. The same Buddhists, a number of other organizations. Where will they undergo this certification - those who came from abroad? We also have representatives of spiritual organizations who come to our higher educational institutions to work; we invite them ourselves. Who will certify them, according to what rules? Is it necessary to carry out certification for those who have already been working today for more than one year, who know Russian legislation, and so on?” – United Russia member Ildar Gilmutdinov asked him.
“We see opportunities there for adjustments for the second reading. The first thing that suggests itself is that many high-ranking, respected and famous hierarchs of our Russian Orthodox Church at one time received their education in academies, which after the collapse of the USSR turned out to be foreign states. The same applies to many Muslim leaders, since Bukhara, Central Asia, traditionally existed for many years as a school for training Muslim clergy. So, at a minimum, an amendment suggests itself not to include in this part retroactive effect in relation to already working clergy and religious figures in fact.
As for certification, this in no way concerns knowledge testing, as provided for in other acts of professional training or retraining. Certification will take place in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code, first of all, according to the internal regulations of the organization itself. And the point here is that for those clergy and religious figures who come here to teach, this certification, according to the procedure established in a centralized religious organization, should be imperative,” Loginov replied.
He also emphasized that the bill proposes to prohibit the use of the name of religion by those organizations that are not directly related to religious activities. In order for, for example, some “Orthodox magazine” to retain its name, it, according to Loginov, needs to invite a religious organization among its founders.
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