Source: http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2242&printer=Y
Timestamp: 2017-08-19 07:09:36
Document Index: 176652053

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'arts 3', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 1', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 1', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'arts 3', 'art 3', 'arts 4', 'art 1']

As prosecutions continue across Russia under punishments for sharing beliefs (commonly called the "law on missionary activity") which came into force in July, confusion and inconsistency persist. A wide range of incidents has resulted in charges against individuals over the first five months, from holding a rap concert for young people, to handing out New Testaments on a train, to having a brief conversation in the stairwell of a block of flats. This leaves it still unclear what exactly sharing beliefs or so-called "missionary activity" may be.
On 6 July President Vladimir Putin signed amendments imposing harsh restrictions on sharing beliefs, including where and who may share them, and increased "extremism" punishments, introduced with alleged "anti-terrorism" changes. There were widespread Russian protests against the suddenly-introduced changes, which are both extremely wide ranging and unclearly defined, and allow much scope for arbitrary official actions (see F18News 8 July 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2197).
Despite the protests, the authorities immediately began to implement the changes punishing sharing beliefs. The day they came into force - 20 July - police raided a Baptist children's camp (see F18News 26 August 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2211). On 28 July "Anti-extremism" Police started the first prosecution after arresting a Hare Krishna devotee for handing out leaflets on a street (see F18News 19 August 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2209). Other prosecutions rapidly followed (see F18News 26 August 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2211).
Of 33 known prosecutions between 20 July and 20 December, 17 have so far resulted in conviction and a fine (though another initial fine was later overturned and sent to a different court). Those prosecuted have come from a wide variety of faiths and geographic regions of Russia (see full listing of known cases below).
The July 2016 amendment to the Religion Law does not allow for individuals to share beliefs on their own behalf, but only as formally-designated representatives of a state-recognised religious association (see F18News 8 July 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2197).
A lack of consensus among judges appears to exist over whether the absence of written authorisation (which the amendment states that a person must carry if performing so-called "missionary activity" for an organisation or group) is itself evidence of an "offence" or proof of innocence. Whether such cases end in conviction or acquittal appears to rest on, firstly, the ability of police or prosecutors to link the defendant with a particular association, and secondly, whether the judge decides to uphold an individual's constitutional right to share beliefs as a private citizen.
Early cases targeted and fined individuals, but religious organisations have now also begun to be fined under the new Article 5.26, Part 3 ("Implementation of activities by a religious organisation without indicating its official full name"), of the Code of Administrative Offences. Here, too, it appears that prosecutors may interpret a wide range of circumstances as fulfilling the provisions of the Law.
Individual Russian citizens who violate any of the amendment's restrictions and requirements are liable for a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 Roubles under the new Article 5.26, Part 4 ("Russians conducting 'missionary activity'") of the Administrative Code. For organisations (legal entities), the fine stands at 100,000 to 1 million Roubles. Religious groups are not legal entities – their members are therefore subject to prosecution as individuals. For the same offence, foreigners may be fined 30,000 to 50,000 Roubles under Article 5.26, Part 5, with the possibility of expulsion from Russia.
33 prosecutions, 17 convictions so far
In an analysis of available court verdicts and press reports, Forum 18 has found a total of 33 prosecutions (three of religious organisations, 30 of individuals) under Parts 3 ("Implementation of activities by a religious organisation without indicating its official full name"), 4 ("Russians conducting 'missionary activity'") or 5 ("Foreigners conducting 'missionary activity'") of Article 5.26 since the amendment came into force on 20 July 2016 (see F18News 26 August 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2211). (The known cases are listed below.)
Almost all of these were of men, with only three women known to have been charged (as well as two people whose gender is unknown).
There were: four prosecutions under Part 3 ("Implementation of activities by a religious organisation without indicating its official full name"), three prosecutions being of organisations and one of an individual; 24 of Russian citizens under Part 4, and five of foreign citizens under Part 5.
Three cases were dropped before reaching court and two more were returned to police or prosecutors by judges and not resubmitted within the stipulated three-day period. Four trials are still underway as of 20 December. Of the 24 trials which have concluded, 18 resulted in conviction and 6 in acquittal.
Six prosecutions have involved Hare Krishna devotees (including one man who has been charged twice – see below). Charges have been brought against five Pentecostals, six Jehovah's Witnesses, two Baptists, two Seventh-day Adventists, one Ukrainian Reformed Orthodox Archbishop, one Buddhist, six other Protestants (one of whom was also prosecuted twice) and one village elder.
The three organisations charged under Part 3 ("Implementation of activities by a religious organisation without indicating its official full name") were the Administrative Centre of the New Apostolic Church, a Jehovah's Witness community, and a Pentecostal church.
Cases have taken place across the country. The city of Tver has seen four prosecutions, with three each in Moscow and Kemerovo. Five occurred in Kaliningrad and two each in Arkhangelsk, Mari-El Republic and St Petersburg, with one each in Khabarovsk, Krasnoyarsk Region, Samara, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region (Tyumen), Oryol, Republic of Karachai-Cherkesiya, Tuva Republic, Ulyanovsk, Kamchatka Region, Republic of Tatarstan, Adygea and Altai Region.
Defendants have appealed against nine out of 18 convictions, four of which have not yet been heard. Of the rest, four were unsuccessful, but in one instance the verdict was overturned for jurisdictional reasons and the case sent for re-examination.
2016 changes interact with earlier laws
The multiple prosecutions of Hare Krishna devotee Andrei Puchkov in Tver illustrate the contradiction and confusion which persist in the implementation of these legal changes, several months after they came into force, as well as the way in which they can interact with earlier laws, specifically Administrative Code Article 20.2 ("Violation of the established procedure for organising or conducting a gathering, meeting, demonstration, procession or picket").
In 2015 the non-state approved sharing of beliefs made up a quarter of prosecutions under Administrative Code Article 20.2 related to the holding of public events. Forum 18 found 119 individuals and 3 religious organisations prosecuted, a sharp rise on 2014. Initial punishments were 80 fines, 2 short-term jailings and one community service term (see F18News 18 May 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2179).
The first investigation of Puchkov resulted in one charge under Article 5.26, Part 4 ("Russians conducting 'missionary activity'"), and another under Article 20.2, Part 1. This led prosecutors to the worrying conclusion that "all Krishnaite events" are "religious, missionary acts". Soon afterwards, prosecutors charged Puchkov for a second time under Part 4, basing the charges on an "expert report" drawn up before the event Puchkov had organised had even taken place.
Krishna Procession – first Puchkov prosecution both 5.26 and 20.2
On 21 October, however, Central District Prosecutor's Office accused Puchkov of "carrying out illegal missionary activity under the guise of an agreed public event", according to a document seen by Forum 18. He was charged under Article 5.26, Part 4 ("Russians conducting 'missionary activity'"), for not having the necessary documents from a religious organisation or group. According to the Prosecutor's Office document, the Society for Krishna Consciousness has neither a registered local organisation in Tver nor a religious group which has submitted notification of its existence to the Justice Ministry.
Changes to the Religion Law in 2015 abolished the previous freedom for religious groups to operate without notifying the authorities of their existence, and required all religious communities that do not have legal status to notify the authorities of their existence and activity. This includes providing names and addresses of all their members and addresses where any meeting takes place (see F18News 17 September 2015 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2101).
Puchkov was also charged under Article 20.2, Part 1 ("Violation of the established procedure for organising or conducting a gathering, meeting, demonstration, procession or picket"), for violating the "established order" of a public event by carrying out "missionary activity" rather than the "festival of Indian culture" about which he had notified the local authorities.
From these attributes, Gurin and Bezrukov conclude that "it is possible to assert that the Tver Krishnaites' event was missionary activity in both form and content, and had as its goal the involvement of new participants in their movement, and also the familiarisation of the citizens of Tver with the teachings of Krishnaism. [..] It is also important to note that all Krishnaite events, under whatever slogans they are conducted – 'Procession-carnival', 'Festival of Indian dance', etc. – are religious, missionary acts."
This last assertion – that all Hare Krishna events are "missionary activity" – is quoted by the prosecutor's office in its document charging Puchkov on 21 October, and also forms the basis for his later prosecution. "This is a new invention of the Tver prosecutors," Frolov observed to Forum 18. "In my experience, it is the first such [interpretation] .. Pay attention to the "experts'" logic – if 'Krishnaite', then it is ritual activity [kultovoye]. If ritual activity, then it is missionary activity. And there is no analysis and research."
Mantra Yoga concert – second Puchkov prosecution 5.26 alone
Puchkov was charged for the second time under Article 5.26, Part 4 ("Russians conducting 'missionary activity'"), for organising a concert of Vedic chanting and music in "closed premises" inside an entertainment centre. Although open to all, according to advertisements on VKontakte, this was a ticketed event and not audible or visible to the general public.
"According to the 20 October conclusion of the "experts", this concert, by form and content, is an event which members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are planning to conduct in Tver", the prosecutor's office document charging Puchkov reads. "The external form of this 'concert' shows that a religious action is taking place, to which are invited all who wish to come, including non-members of the Society for Krishna Consciousness. This event fits the definition of missionary activity." It also notes the "experts'" previous conclusion that "all Krishnaite events .. are religious, missionary acts".
On 19 December, Forum 18 called the Regional Prosecutor's Office, which has taken control of the case, to ask why Puchkov's actions were considered "missionary activity", whether all Hare Krishna events would now be considered "missionary activity", and whether events held by any other religious association would also be treated as such. A press service spokesperson directed Forum 18 back to the Central District Prosecutor's Office, but a spokesperson there would neither answer questions by telephone nor accept them by email.
Forum 18 notes that none of the "experts" who provided analysis in these two cases appears to have any specialist knowledge of Hare Krishna beliefs and practices. Anatoly Gurin is an education specialist who has published on Orthodox pedagogics, Islamic culture, and Russian as a foreign language, but apparently not on Krishnaism, Hinduism, or any other Eastern religion. Svetlana Gorshkova specialises in Orthodox pedagogics, Orthodox culture, and children's literature, and has published on educational theory and history, but likewise not on Krishnaism or Hinduism.
The first Jehovah's Witnesses to be prosecuted under Article 5.26 appeared in court in Kaliningrad in October and November. S. Kozin, S. Furman, and I. Parmon, who were charged under Part 4 ("Russians conducting 'missionary activity'"), and Ts. Kus, a foreign citizen who was charged under Part 5, were involved in two separate incidents in August. All were acquitted.
Kus and Parmon were acquitted because Central District Court and Central District Magistrate's Court No. 4 noted that the Religion Law "does not prohibit the dissemination of personal religious experience or dialogue on religious topics", Belenko explained. "The actions of believers who simply wanted to exercise their right to disseminate their religious views do not show the attributes of 'missionary activity' as established by law, and therefore cannot be regarded as missionary."
Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia no longer engage in the previously widespread practice of standing in public places (usually in pairs) with trolleys of religious literature, Belenko also noted. He explained to Forum 18 on 16 December that this is because the community now has little literature to offer (millions of Bibles have been impounded by Russian customs, for instance – see F18News 14 December 2015 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2133).
March 2016 Demonstrations Law change
Belenko also pointed to a March 2016 amendment to the Demonstrations Law which introduced a requirement to notify the authorities of a one-person "picket" if it made use of "prefabricated collapsible structures". Notification has not usually been necessary for one-person pickets.
Jehovah's Witnesses have frequently been charged with "picketing" without notification when standing in the street in pairs (see F18News 18 May 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2179). Under the March 2016 amendment they could also be prosecuted for "picketing" without notification when standing in the street alone.
This was demonstrated by the experience of a group of Protestants who handed out copies of the New Testament on a train. Members of the Orthodox Human Rights Analytical Centre detained them on 7 October at Yaroslavl Station in Moscow, and handed them over to the police. Two of the group – Sergei Korepin and Safarbi Keshokov – were charged under Article 5.26, Part 4 ("Russians conducting 'missionary activity'"), with conducting "missionary activity" on behalf of the Gideons Bible distribution organisation without the necessary documents.
Police dropped the charges on 7 December after the men's lawyers argued that they were not associated with the Gideons and police "experts" refused to carry out the required analysis of the Bibles they had distributed. This was because of a 2015 amendment to the "Extremism Law" prohibiting "extremism" rulings banning some but not all sacred texts (see F18News 30 November 2015 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2126).
These early cases appear to show, however, that prosecution under Part 3 can occur on a number of grounds. The Jehovah's Witnesses of Khabarovsk were fined 30,000 Roubles on 24 November for not having a sign on their building. Two Jehovah's Witness representatives argued at the hearing at Industrial District Magistrate's Court No. 13 that the facade had been undergoing repairs since 2015, well before the adoption of the so-called "anti-missionary amendment" and the introduction of Article 5.26, Part 3 in July 2016.
This suggests that the "activities" unclearly stated in the so-called "anti-missionary" amendment with Article 5.26, Part 3 ("Implementation of activities by a religious organisation without indicating its official full name"), may cover anything a religious organisation may do, even the very fact of its legal existence.
Similarly, Donskoi District Magistrate's Court No. 245 in Moscow fined under Part 3 the Administrative Centre of the New Apostolic Church in Russia 30,000 Roubles on 10 November. According to the court verdict, the prosecution's case was based on a Justice Ministry inspection of the Centre's documentation, which allegedly found that the Church was not using its full name in its activities, including in its contract with the Beeline phone and internet company, as well as on its website, magazine and audio discs.
Samara's Soviet District Magistrate's Court No. 54 fined Word of Life Pentecostal Church 30,000 Roubles under Part 3 on 14 December. A court spokesperson refused to give details of the case when Forum 18 telephoned on 19 December.
Individuals – including Hare Krishna devotees, Baptists, and particularly Jehovah's Witnesses – have long encountered problems when expressing and sharing their beliefs in public space. In 2015, Forum 18 found 122 prosecutions (principally of Jehovah's Witnesses) under Administrative Code Article 20.2 ("Violation of the established procedure for organising or conducting a gathering, meeting, demonstration, procession or picket") (see F18News 18 May 2016 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2179). Lawyer Mikhail Frolov remarked to Forum 18 on 8 December that Article 20.2 and Article 5.26 "will be (and are already being) used in conjunction".
2015 religious group restrictions used against sharing beliefs
Several Article 5.26 cases so far illustrate how the so-called "anti-missionary" amendment interacts with the requirement for every religious groups to notify local Justice Ministry branches of their existence, affiliation, and membership, introduced a year earlier in July 2015. This violates Russia's international human rights obligations to not make the exercise of freedom of religion and belief dependent on state permission (see F18News 17 September 2015 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2101). Prosecutors use the lack of such notification as evidence against individuals accused of unapproved "missionary activity".
- Known Article 5.26, Parts 3, 4, and 5 cases so far
-- Part 3 ("Implementation of activities by a religious organisation without indicating its official full name")
2/Name: Igor Osipenko
Court: Sharypovo Magistrate's Court No. 164, Krasnoyarsk Region Circumstances: Jehovah's Witness community chairman "committed an administrative offence in the form of inaction, as expressed in the implementation by the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses of activity (a gathering of parishioners for Bible study) without specifying its official full name" - monitoring by the inter-district prosecutor's office found that the building's sign read "Jehovah's Witnesses' Kingdom Hall", rather than "Local religious organisation of Jehovah's Witnesses of the town of Sharypovo"
Appeal: 22 December, Sharypovo City Court
3/Name: Jehovah's Witness community, Khabarovsk
4/Name: Word of Life Pentecostal Church, Samara
-- Parts 4 ("Russians conducting 'missionary activity'") and 5 ("Foreigners conducting 'missionary activity'")
5/Name: Ebenezer Tuah
6/Name: Aleksei Teleus
7/Name: Donald Ossewaarde
8/Name: Vadim Sibiryev
9/Name: Aleksandr Yakimov
Circumstances: "New Generation" Pentecostal leader charged on 5 August for speaking at a village festival with a banner on stage bearing the name of his church; district prosecutor's office argued that he conducted "missionary activity" in a place not designated for it in the Religion Law and without written authorisation from a registered religious organisation
10/Name: Archbishop Sergei Zhuravlyov
11/Name: Geshe Gualtso Dakpa
Court: Kyzyl Magistrate's Court No. 4, Republic of Tuva
12/Name: Irina Tishchenko
Appeal: unsuccessful – Kemerovo Regional Court, 21 November
13/Name: Ivan Denisov
Circumstances: Protestant leader (House of the Potter Church) charged with involving minors in a religious event on 29 July without their parents' written agreement – pleaded guilty; anti-extremism police "received information" that "unknown young people" had been handing out flyers advertising musical performances on 28/29/30 July, with free entry and free refreshments; from court verdict "According to available information, in the course of this concert religious rites may have been conducted in order to involve those present in a religious organisation of a destructive orientation (a sect), and negative opinions expressed against the Orthodox Church. Thus, in the actions of unidentified persons may perhaps have been seen signs of acts aimed at inciting hatred and enmity towards members of other religions. Possibly the spread of extremist literature, as well as the presence of minors at the event"
14/Name: S.P. Kozin
Circumstances: Jehovah's Witness (same case as Furman – see below)
15/Name: Andrei Matyuzhov
Punishment: 40,000 Roubles – but since overturned on jurisdictional grounds
Circumstances : New Generation Pentecostal pastor, charged 27 September for "missionary activity" in the absence of written authorisation from the religious group and proof of notification of the religious group's existence; Matyuzhov argued that this was a service in his home for friends and family, and that he did in fact have authorisation for "missionary activity" from the New Generation centralised religious organisation, and has subsequently submitted notification of his religious group's activities to the Justice Ministry
Appeal: verdict overturned – 30 November, Kemerovo Regional Court – and case sent for re-examination at Factory District Magistrate's Court No. 7 (date unknown)
16/Name: William Curtis Norton, Jr.
Circumstances: charged with preaching at a Seventh-Day Adventist meeting without a work permit, civil contract with a religious organisation, or an invitation from a religious organisation; judge sent case back because of technical problems
17/Name: Ivan Kumbrasyev
18/Name: I.V. Parmon
19/Name: Ts. Kus
Circumstances: Jehovah's Witness; same case as Parmon (see above)
20/Name: S.A. Furman
Circumstances: Jehovah's Witness (same case as Kozin – see above)
21/Name: Ivan Denisov
Circumstances: Protestant leader ("House of the Potter" Church") charged with involving minors in a religious event on 16 September without their parents' written agreement – this time, a rap concert in a banqueting hall; pleaded not guilty; judge noted that advertising flyers did not state that the event was religious
Appeal: 11 January 2017, Lomonosov District Court
22/Name: Olga Matyuzhova
Circumstances: New Generation Pentecostal pastor; returned to prosecutors for technical reasons on 27 October and not initially resubmitted – details unknown but case appears to be related to same incident as in Andrei Matyuzhov's case above
Appeal: 28 December, Kemerovo Regional Court
23/Name: L.G. Pyshnaya
24/Name: Andrei Puchkov
Court: Central District Magistrate's Court, Tver
Circumstances: Hare Krishna adherent charged for organising a procession with music on 2 October; "experts" concluded that the event was "missionary activity"; also charged under Article 20.2, Part 1, for violating the established order for conducting public events; defence claimed that neither Puchkov nor any other participant spoke to anybody about their beliefs or handed out literature
Appeal: not yet submitted – Central District Court, Tver
25/Name: Vasili Zaitsev
Circumstances: Village elder, organised festival addressed by Pastor Yakimov, who was fined in August (see above)
Appeal: not yet submitted
26/Name: Yuri Dachev
Court: Magistrate's Court No. 3, Maikop, Adygea
Circumstances: Word of Life Pentecostal Church pastor, unknown details
-- Cases not yet heard in court
27/Name: Andrei Puchkov
Hearing due on 28 December
Circumstances: Hare Krishna adherent charged for organising "Mantra Yoga" concert on 23 October of Indian music and chanting in "closed premises" but advertised on social media; prosecutors brought charges on 24 October but based on "expert" report of 20 October, produced before event had taken place
28/Name: P.A. Yemelevsky
Hearing due on 26 December
Court: Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Magistrate's Court No. 3, Kamchatka
29/Name: Dmitry Ugai
Hearing due on 9 January 2017
Court: Central District Magistrate's Court No. 211, St. Petersburg
Circumstances: Hare Krishna adherent and yoga teacher gave a lecture on the ethical and spiritual bases of yoga at the "Vedalife" cultural festival on 22 October - this was interrupted by police who were "inspecting" the festival and Ugai taken to police station, where he was questioned about his beliefs and released after more than two hours
30/Name: I.G. Matveyev
Hearing due on 19 January 2017
Court: Vakhitovsky District Magistrate's Court No. 8, Kazan
-- Cases dropped before coming to court
31/Name: Vladimir Knaub
22 August (date charged)
Circumstances: Free Seventh-day Adventist charged in Biysk, Altai Region, for incident on 13 July (before law came into force) – the distribution of religious books among non-church-members as part of a series of educational events in Altai Region and Altai Republic; when church approached Maima District administration with their literature, officials complained to the Republic's Committee for National Policy and Societal Relations on 9 August; church was accused of "missionary activity" outside list of permitted places (ie. in a state institution)
32/Name: Sergei Korepin
2 November (date charged)
Circumstances: Protestant detained by Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox activist for handing out New Testaments and Psalters on train at Yaroslavsky station on 7 October; charges dropped 2 December because a) police "experts" refused to carry out analysis of the Bible (because of 2015 amendment prohibiting extremism bans on major sacred texts); and b) because lawyers persuaded police that Korepin was not representing any organisation (despite officers' initial belief that he was sharing beliefs on behalf of the Gideons)
33/Name: Safarbi Keshokov
Circumstances: Protestant, Moscow; as above – charges also dropped 2 December
For more background, see Forum 18's surveys of the general state of freedom of religion or belief in Russia at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1722, and of the dramatic decline in religious freedom related to Russia's Extremism Law at http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=2215.