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24–594PDF 2005

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS THAT THE RUSSIAN

FEDERATION SHOULD FULLY PROTECT THE FREEDOMS OF

ALL RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES WITHOUT DISTINCTION,

WHETHER REGISTERED AND UNREGISTERED, AS STIPULATED

BY THE RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION AND INTERNATIONAL

STANDARDS

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HUMAN 

RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON 

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

ON

H. Con. Res. 190

NOVEMBER 15, 2005

Serial No. 109–89

Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations

(

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.house.gov/international—relations 

(II)

COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 

HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois, Chairman 

JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa 

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, 

Vice Chairman 

DAN BURTON, Indiana 

ELTON GALLEGLY, California 

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida 

DANA ROHRABACHER, California 

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California 

PETER T. KING, New York 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio 

THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado 

RON PAUL, Texas 

DARRELL ISSA, California 

JEFF FLAKE, Arizona 

JO ANN DAVIS, Virginia 

MARK GREEN, Wisconsin 

JERRY WELLER, Illinois 

MIKE PENCE, Indiana 

THADDEUS G. MCCOTTER, Michigan 

KATHERINE HARRIS, Florida 

JOE WILSON, South Carolina 

JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas 

J. GRESHAM BARRETT, South Carolina 

CONNIE MACK, Florida 

JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska 

MICHAEL MCCAUL, Texas 

TED POE, Texas 

TOM LANTOS, California 

HOWARD L. BERMAN, California 

GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York 

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American 

Samoa 

DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey 

ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey 

SHERROD BROWN, Ohio 

BRAD SHERMAN, California 

ROBERT WEXLER, Florida 

ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York 

WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

BARBARA LEE, California 

JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York 

EARL BLUMENAUER, Oregon 

SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada 

GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California 

ADAM B. SCHIFF, California 

DIANE E. WATSON, California 

ADAM SMITH, Washington 

BETTY MCCOLLUM, Minnesota 

BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky 

DENNIS A. CARDOZA, California 

THOMAS E. MOONEY, SR., Staff Director/General Counsel 

ROBERT R. KING, Democratic Staff Director 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL

OPERATIONS

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, Chairman 

THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado 

JEFF FLAKE, Arizona 

MARK GREEN, Wisconsin 

JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas 

JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska 

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, 

Vice Chairman 

DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey 

BARBARA LEE, California 

BETTY MCCOLLUM, Minnesota 

BRAD SHERMAN, California 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

DIANE E. WATSON, California 

MARY M. NOONAN, Subcommittee Staff Director 

GREG SIMPKINS, Subcommittee Professional Staff Member 

NOELLE LUSANE, Democratic Professional Staff Member 

SHERI A. RICKERT, Subcommittee Professional Staff Member and Counsel 

LINDSEY M. PLUMLEY, Staff Associate 

(III)

C O N T E N T S 

Page

MARKUP OF: 

H. Con. Res. 190, Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Russian 

Federation should fully protect the freedoms of all religious communities 

without distinction, whether registered and unregistered, as stipulated by 

the Russian Constitution and international standards .................................... 2

(1)

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE CONGRESS THAT THE 

RUSSIAN FEDERATION SHOULD FULLY PROTECT THE 

FREEDOMS OF ALL RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES WITHOUT 

DISTINCTION, WHETHER REGISTERED AND UNREGISTERED, AS STIPULATED BY THE RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION 

AND INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS 

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2005

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON AFRICA, GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS

AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS,

COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, 

Washington, DC. 

The Subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 2:25 p.m. in room 

2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Christopher H. Smith 

(Chairman of the Subcommittee) presiding. 

Mr. SMITH. We will now convene a very brief business meeting 

of the Subcommittee to mark up a resolution. The Subcommittee 

will come to order. 

Pursuant to notice, I call up the bill, H. Con. Res. 190, ‘‘Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Russian Federation should 

fully protect the freedoms of all religious communities without distinction, whether registered and unregistered, as stipulated by the 

Russian Constitution and international standards,’’ for purpose of 

markup, and to move its recommendation to the Full Committee. 

Without objection, the resolution will be considered as read and 

open to amendment at any point. 

[H. Con. Res. 190 follows:]

2

1

IV

109TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 190

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Russian Federation should

fully protect the freedoms of all religious communities without distinction,

whether registered and unregistered, as stipulated by the Russian Constitution and international standards.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 23, 2005

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. WOLF, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. PITTS,

and Mr. MCINTYRE) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which

was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Russian Federation should fully protect the freedoms of all religious

communities without distinction, whether registered and

unregistered, as stipulated by the Russian Constitution

and international standards.

Whereas the Russian Federation is a participating State of

the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

(OSCE) and has freely committed to fully respect the

rights of individuals, whether alone or in community with

others, to profess and practice religion or belief;

Whereas the Russian Federation specifically committed in the

1989 Vienna Concluding Document to ‘‘take effective

measures to prevent and eliminate discrimination against


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•HCON 190 IH

individuals or communities on the grounds of religion or

belief’’ and to ‘‘grant upon their request to communities

of believers, practicing or prepared to practice their faith

within the constitutional framework of their States, recognition of the status provided for them in the respective

countries’’;

Whereas Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation declares ‘‘everyone shall be guaranteed the right

to freedom of conscience, to freedom of religious worship,

including the right to profess, individually or jointly with

others, any religion’’ and Article 8 of the 1997 Law on

Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations provides for registration for religious communities as ‘‘religious organizations,’’ if they have at least 10 members

and have operated within the Russian Federation with

legal status for at least 15 years;

Whereas registration is critical for religious groups to fully

enjoy their religious freedoms, as many rights and privileges afforded to religious communities in the Russian

Federation are contingent on obtaining registration;

Whereas many religious groups refuse to seek registration on

theological or other grounds, while other communities

have been unjustly denied registration or had their registration improperly terminated by local authorities;

Whereas many of the unregistered communities in the Russian Federation today were never registered under the

Soviet system because they refused to collaborate with

that government’s anti-religious policies and they are now

experiencing renewed discrimination and repression from

the authorities;


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•HCON 190 IH

Whereas over the past 2 years there have been an estimated

ten arson attacks on unregistered Protestant churches,

with little or no effective response by law enforcement officials to bring the perpetrators to justice;

Whereas in some areas of the Russian Federation law enforcement personnel have carried out violent actions

against believers from unregistered communities peacefully practicing their faith; and

Whereas the United States has sought to protect the fundamental and inalienable human right to seek, know, and

serve God according to the dictates of one’s own conscience, in accordance with the international agreements

committing nations to respect individual freedom of

thought, conscience, and belief: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the

3 United States should—

4 (1) urge the Russian Federation to ensure full

5 protection of freedoms for all religious communities

6 without distinction, whether registered and unregis7 tered, and end the harassment of unregistered reli8 gious groups by the security apparatus and other

9 government agencies;

10 (2) urge the Russian Federation to ensure that

11 law enforcement officials vigorously investigate acts

12 of violence against unregistered religious commu13 nities, as well as make certain that authorities are

14 not complicit in such attacks;


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4

•HCON 190 IH

1 (3) continue to raise concerns with the Govern2 ment of the Russian Federation over violations of re3 ligious freedom, including those against unregistered

4 religious communities, especially indigenous denomi5 nations not well known in the United States;

6 (4) ensure that United States Embassy officials

7 engage local officials throughout the Russian Fed8 eration, especially when violations of freedom of reli9 gion occur, and undertake outreach activities to edu10 cate local officials about the rights of unregistered

11 religious communities;

12 (5) urge both the Personal Representative of

13 the OSCE Chair-in-Office on Combating Racism,

14 Xenophobia and Discrimination, also focusing on In15 tolerance and Discrimination against Christians and

16 Members of Other Religions, and the United Nations

17 Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief

18 to visit the Russian Federation and raise with fed19 eral and local officials concerns about the free prac20 tice of unregistered religious communities; and

21 (6) urge the Council of Europe and its member

22 countries to raise with Russian Federation officials

23 issues relating to freedom of religion, especially in


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•HCON 190 IH

1 light of the Russian Federation’s responsibilities as

2 President of the Council in 2006.

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Mr. SMITH. I recognize myself to make a brief statement to explain the resolution. 

Today we mark up H. Con. Res. 190, ‘‘Expressing the sense of 

the Congress that the Russian Federation should fully protect the 

freedoms of all religious communities without distinction, whether 

registered and unregistered, as stipulated by the Russian Constitution and international standards.’’

In April of this year, as Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, I convened a hearing to highlight the plight of unregistered religious groups in Russia. That hearing, I have to point out, 

was a direct response to concerns raised by one of our previous witnesses, Larry Uzzell. 

At the hearing, we heard moving testimony about arson attacks 

and police raids occurring sporadically, yet consistently, across the 

vast Russian Federation. I know I will never forget the pictures I 

saw of the arson attack against a Baptist Church in Tula. After receiving numerous anonymous threats, late one night, hate-mongers 

finally took action and razed the church to the ground. The local 

authorities have been no help, attributing the explosion to a natural gas leak, although the local gas company reportedly found no 

gas residue at the site. 

The actions or, at times, the inactions of local authorities send 

a clear message that unregistered communities are not welcome. 

While religious freedoms are generally respected at the Federal 

level, minority religious communities continue to report serious 

problems. 

Since the hearing, the Emanuel Presbyterian Church in Russia’s 

North Caucasus faces the confiscation of its church because of filing errors when it attempted to register. Independent Muslim 

groups continue to face government pressure, discrimination, and 

even jail. 

Further indicative of the challenges being faced by religious communities in this Putin era, in October, Moscow’s Chief Rabbi 

Goldschmidt was denied a visa for reentry into Russia, despite having lived in Moscow since 1989. And this month, Moscow authorities overturned the decision to allot land for the construction of the 

Krishna temple, leaving the Moscow Krishna community without a 

place of worship. 

The State Department’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom, released last week, offers further evidence. It reports how ‘‘conditions deteriorated for some minority religious 

faiths’’ and that ‘‘some Federal agencies and many local authorities 

continue to restrict the rights of various religious minorities.’’

Based on the findings of the Helsinki Commission hearing and 

the ongoing problems, I decided to introduce H. Con. Res. 190. 

Foremost, this resolution urges the Russian Federation to ensure 

the full protection of freedom for all religions, as I said, without 

distinction, whether registered or unregistered, and to end the harassment of unregistered religious groups by security apparatus and 

other government agencies. 

It also urges Russia to ensure that law enforcement officials vigorously investigate acts of violence against unregistered religious 

communities, as well as to make certain that authorities are not 

complicit in such attacks. 

8

In addition, many of the victims coming from unregistered religious communities do not have the networks of co-religionists in 

America and in Western Europe to advocate on their behalf. To 

remedy this, the resolution calls on all United States Embassy officials to continue to raise concerns with the Government of the Russian Federation over violations of religious freedom, including those 

of unregistered churches. Part of the problem is, they don’t have 

friends or advocates, so we are trying to rectify that to some extent. 

The resolution has 27 co-sponsors, including many Members of 

our Subcommittee, and I do hope it will be supported by all the 

members. 

Mr. Payne. 

Mr. PAYNE. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for 

introducing H. Con. Res. 190. 

I am one of the 27 co-sponsors. As you know, it is just expressing 

the sense of the Congress that the Russian Federation should fully 

protect the freedoms of groups, whether they are registered or not 

registered. 

We feel that Russia, by participating in OSCE, should really try 

to respect what that organization stands for, and that the behavior 

and acts that are occurring in Russia are really moving in the right 

direction. 

As the Chairman said, we just urge the Russian Federation to 

ensure full protection of freedoms of all religions and that they ensure that law enforcement officials vigorously investigate acts of violence and continue to raise concern to the Russian Federation over 

these violations. 

So we urge our colleagues to support this important resolution 

and hope that the Russian Federation will respect the content of 

it and move in a positive direction in the future. 

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

Mr. SMITH. Thank you for your leadership on this as well. 

Are there any amendments? 

If not, the question occurs on the motion to report the resolution, 

H. Con. Res. 190, favorably to the Full Committee. All in favor, say 

aye. 

All opposed, say no. 

The ayes have it, and the bill is reported favorably. 

The staff is directed to make any technical and conforming 

amendments. 

The markup is adjourned. I thank my good friend. 

[Whereupon, at 2:25 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]

Æ