Keston Institute's Translation of New Russian Law on Religion

 

Russian Federation, Federal Law

'On Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Associations'

Confirming the right of each to freedom of conscience and freedom of creed,

and also to equality before the law

regardless of his attitudes to religion and his convictions;

Basing itself on the fact that the Russian Federation is a

secular state;

Recognizing the special contribution of Orthodoxy to the history

of Russia and to the establishment and development of Russia's

spirituality and culture;

Respecting Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism and other

religions which constitute an inseparable part of the historical

heritage of Russia's peoples;

Considering it important to promote the achievement of mutual

understanding, tolerance and respect in questions of freedom of

conscience and freedom of creed;

Hereby adopts this federal law .

CHAPTER I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. The Subject Regulated by This Federal Law

This federal law regulates the legal relationships in the area

of the rights of man and citizen to freedom of conscience and to

freedom of creed, and also the legal status of religious

associations.

Article 2. Laws on Freedom Of Conscience and Religious

Associations

2.1. The laws on freedom of conscience and religious associations

consist of the corresponding norms of the Constitution of the

Russian Federation, the Civic Code of the Russian Federation, and

also this federal law, other normative legal acts of federal law

adopted in accordance with them and normative legal acts of

subjects of the Russian Federation.

2.2. The rights of man and citizen to freedom of conscience and

to freedom of creed are regulated by federal law. Laws and other

normative legal acts enacted in the Russian Federation and

affecting the realisation of freedom of conscience, freedom of

creed and also the activities of religious associations must be

consistent with this federal law. If normative legal acts adopted

by subjects of the Russian Federation on questions of the

protection of the right to freedom of conscience and freedom of

creed, or on questions of the activities of religious

associations, contradict this federal law, this federal law is

to prevail.

2.3. Nothing in the law on freedom of conscience and religious

associations may be interpreted in such a way as to diminish or

limit the right of man and citizen to freedom of conscience and

freedom of creed, as established by the Constitution of the

Russian Federation or stemming from international treaties of the

Russian Federation.

Article 3: The Right to Freedom of Conscience and to Freedom of

Creed

3.1. Freedom of conscience and freedom of creed are guaranteed

in the Russian Federation, including the right to confess,

individually or jointly with others, any religion or not to

confess any, and the freedom to choose, change, possess or

disseminate religious or other convictions and to act in

accordance with them.

Foreign citizens and persons without citizenship who are legally

present on the territory of the Russian Federation have the right

to freedom of conscience and freedom of creed on an equal footing

with citizens of the Russian Federation, and bear responsibility

as established by federal laws for the violation of the laws on

freedom of conscience, freedom of creed and religious

associations.

3.2. The right of man and citizen to freedom of conscience and

to freedom of creed may be restricted by federal law only to the

extent to which this is necessary for the goals of defending the

foundations of the constitutional system, morality, health, or

the rights and legal interests of man and citizen, or of securing

the defense of the country and the security of the state.

3.3. The establishment of privileges or restrictions, just as any

other form of discrimination on the basis of one's attitude

toward religion, is not permitted.

3.4 Citizens of the Russian Federation are equal before the law

in all spheres of civic, political, economic, social and cultural

life, independent of their attitudes toward religion or religious

affiliations. A citizen of the Russian Federation, in the event

that military service contradicts his convictions or creed, has

the right to substitute alternative civilian service for it.

Upon the request of religious organizations, clergymen may, by

a decision of the President of the Russian Federation and in

accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation, be granted

deferment from conscription into military service and exemption

from military training in peacetime.

3.5. Nobody may be required to discuss his attitudes toward

religion, or be subjected to compulsion in the forming of his

attitudes toward religion, toward the confessing or refusing to

confess a religion, toward participation or lack of participation

in worship services, other religious rituals or ceremonies, the

activities of religious associations, or religious training. The

attraction of minors to religious associations and also the

teaching of religion to them against their will or without the

agreement of their parents or guardians is forbidden.

3.6. Actions hindering the realisation of the right to freedom

of conscience and freedom of creed, including actions entailing

coercion of an individual, calculated insults of the feelings of

citizens in connection with their attitudes toward religion, the

destruction or damage of property, and threats of such actions,

are forbidden and are to be prosecuted by law. The conducting

of public activities and distribution of texts and images

insulting the religious feelings of citizens immediately adjacent

to objects of religious veneration is forbidden.

3.7. The secrecy of confession is protected by law. A clergyman

may not be held accountable for refusing to provide evidence

about circumstances which became known to him through confession.

Article 4: The State and Religious Associations

4.1. The Russian Federation is a secular state. No religion may

be established as a state or compulsory religion. Religious

associations are separate from the state and are equal before the

law.

4.2. In accordance with the constitutional principle of the

separation of religious associations from the state, the state:

* is not to interfere in questions of the formation by a citizen

of his attitudes toward religion or of his religious affiliation,

or in the upbringing of children by their parents or guardians

in accordance with their own convictions and with the right of

the child to freedom of conscience and of creed;

* is not to call upon religious associations to carry out the

functions of organs of state power, other state organs, state

institutions or organs of local government;

* is not to interfere in the activities of religious associations

if those activities do not contradict this federal law;

* is to secure the secular character of education and of state

and municipal educational institutions.

4.3. The state is to secure the observance and protection of the

rights of citizens to freedom of conscience and creed and the

equality of religious associations before the law; is to regulate

by law the granting of tax privileges and other privileges to

religious organisations; and is to provide financial, material

and other aid to religious organisations in the restoration,

maintenance and protection of buildings and objects which are

monuments of history and culture, and also in providing

instruction in general educational subjects in educational

institutions created by religious organisations in accordance

with the laws of the Russian Federation on education.

4.4. The activities of organs of state power and of organs of

local government may not be accompanied by public religious

rituals or ceremonies. Functionaries of organs of state power,

of other state organs and of local government, and also military

personnel do not have the right to use their official positions

for the formation of one or another type of attitude toward

religion.

4.5. In accordance with the constitutional principle of the

separation of religious associations from the state, religious

associations:

* are formed and carry out their activities in accordance with

their own hierarchical and institutional structure; choose,

appoint and replace their personnel in accordance with their own

rules;

* are not to carry out functions of organs of state power, other

state organs, state institutions or organs of local government;

* are not to take part in the elections of organs of state power

or of local government;

* are not to take part in the activities of political parties or

political movements, or to provide them with material or other

help.

4.6. The separation of religious associations from the state is

not to entail any limitation on the rights of their members to

take part equally with others in the managing of state affairs,

in the elections of organs of state power and of organs of local

government, or in the activities of political parties or

movements or of other social associations.

4.7. By request of religious organisations, the appropriate

organs of state power in the Russian Federation have the right

to declare religious holidays as non-working days in the

appropriate territories.

Article 5. Religious Education.

5.1. Everyone may receive religious education according to his

choice, individually or jointly with others.

5.2. The upbringing and education of children is to be carried

out by parents or guardians, taking into account the right of the

child to freedom of conscience and of creed.

5.3. Religious organizations have the right, in accordance with

their charters and with the laws of the Russian Federation, to

create educational institutions.

5.4. Upon the request of their parents or guardians, with the

agreement of children studying in state or municipal educational

institutions, the administration of these institutions by

agreement with the appropriate organ of local government is to

offer religious organizations the opportunity to teach religion

to children outside the framework of the educational program.

CHAPTER TWO: RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS

Article 6. Religious Associations

6.1. As a religious association in the Russian Federation is

recognized a voluntary association of citizens of the Russian

Federation and other persons permanently and legally residing on

the territory of the Russian Federation, formed with the goals

of joint confession and dissemination of their faith and

possessing features corresponding to that goal:

* a creed;

* the performance of worship services, religious rituals and

ceremonies;

* the teaching of religion and the religious upbringing of its

followers.

6.2. Religious associations may be created in the form of

religious groups or religious organisations.

6.3. The creation of religious associations in organs of state

power, other state organs, state institutions, organs of local

government, military installations, or in state or municipal

organisations is not permitted.

6.4. The creation and activities of religious associations the

goals and actions of which violate the law is forbidden.

Article 7 A Religious Group

7.1. A voluntary association of citizens, formed for the goals

of joint confession and dissemination of their faith, carrying

out its activities without state registration and without

obtaining the legal capabilities of a legal personality, is

recognized as a religious group in this federal law. Premises,

and property necessary for the activities of a religious group,

are to be provided for the use of the group by its participants.

7.2. Citizens forming a religious group with the intention of

eventually transforming it into a religious organization are to

inform the local authorities about its creation and the beginning

of its activities.

7.2 Religious groups have the right to carry out worship

services, religious rituals, and ceremonies, and also the

teaching of religion and religious upbringing of their followers

Art. 8 A Religious Organization

8.1. A free association of citizens, or other persons permanently

and legally residing on the territory of the Russian Federation,

formed with the goals of joint confession and dissemination of

their faith, and registered as a legal personality in accordance

with practice established by law, is recognized as a religious

organization.

8.2. Religious organisations, depending on the territory where

they are active, are divided into local and centralized ones.

8.3. A religious organization consisting of ten or more

participants who are at least 18 years old and who are

permanently residing in one locality or in one urban or rural

settlement is recognized as a local religious organization.

8.4 A religious organization consisting in accordance with its

charter of no fewer than three local religious organizations is

recognized as a centralized religious organization.

8.5 A centralized religious organization the structures of

which have been active on the territory of the Russian Federation

on a legal basis for no fewer than 50 years as of the moment when

the said religious organization files its application for state

registration to the registering organ has the right to use in its

names the words 'Russia', 'Russian' and derivatives of these.

8.6. An institution formed by a central religious organization

in accordance with its charter or an organization which has the

aim and features specified in Point 1 of Article 6 of this

federal law, including a governing or coordinating organ or

institution or also an institution of professional religious

education is also recognized as a religious organization.

8.7. The organs of State, in considering matters touching upon

the activity of religious organizations within society, are to

take into account the territorial sphere of the activities of a

religious organization, and are to grant the appropriate

religious organizations the chance of participating in

considering these questions.

8.8. A religious organization is to have a full name which

contains information on its confessional adherence. A religious

organization must indicate its full name when it carries out its

activities.

8.9 Religious organizations are obliged to inform annually the

organ registering religious organizations of the continuation of

their activities, including the information contained in the

single state register of legal personalities. Such information

about local religious organizations can be presented to the

registering organ by the appropriate centralized religious

organization. Failure to submit this information over a

three-year period gives the registering organ grounds to appeal

to a court to declare that the religious organization has ceased

its activities.

Art 9. The Creation of A Religious Organization

9.1 No fewer than ten citizens of the Russian Federation may be

founders of a local religious organization, joining together as

a religious group which must have confirmation from the organs

of the local government that it has existed on the given

territory for no less than fifteen years, or confirmation from

a centralized religious organization of the same creed that it

forms part of its structure.

9.2. Centralized religious organizations are formed when there

exist no fewer than three local religious organizations of the

same creed, in accordance with the internal procedures of the

religious organizations if these do not contradict the law.

Art. 10 The Charter of A Religious Organization

10.1. A religious organization functions on the basis of its

charter, which is confirmed by its founders or by a centralized

religious organization, and which must conform with the demands

of the civic law of the Russian Federation.

10.2. The charter of a religious organization is to include:

* its name, address, type of religious organization, creed, and,

when it belongs to an already existing centralized religious

organization, its name;

* its aims, goals and basic forms of activity;

* the procedure for its creation and termination of activity;

* the structure of the organization, its administrative organs,

the procedure for their formation and areas of competence;

* the sources of finance and other property of the organization;

* the procedure for introducing changes and additions to its

charter;

* the procedure for disposing of property should it cease its

activity;

* other information relevant to the peculiarities of the

activities of the said religious organization.

Art. 11 State Registration of Religious Organizations

11.1. State registration of religious organizations is performed

by the federal organs of justice and by the organs of justice of

the subjects of the Russian Federation by rules to be established

in accordance with the civic law of the Russian Federation and

with this federal law.

11.2 State registration of a local and also of a centralized

religious organization consisting of local religious

organizations located within the limits of the territory of one

subject of the Russian Federation, is performed by the organ of

justice of the corresponding subject of the Russian Federation.

11.3. The federal organ of justice registers centralized

religious organizations which have local religious organizations

on the territory of two or more subjects of the Russian

Federation.

11.4. State registration of religious organizations formed by

centralized religious organizations in accordance with point 7

of Article 8 of this federal law is performed by that organ of

justice which registered the corresponding religious

organization.

11.5 For the state registration of a local religious

organization, its founders are to submit the following to the

relevant organs of justice...

* an application for registration;

* a list of those who form the religious organization with an

indication of their citizenship, their home address, and date of

birth;

* the charter of the religious organization;

* minutes of the constituent meeting which founded it

* a document issued by an organ of the local government and

confirming that the said religious group has existed over the

course of no less than fifteen years on the relevant territory,

or a document confirming its membership in a centralized

religious organization and issued by that centralized

organization's governing body...

* information on its basic creed and related practice, including

the history of how the religion arose and a history of the said

association. The forms and methods of its activity, its attitudes

toward the family and marriage, toward education, particulars of

its attitude toward the health of its followers, restrictions on

the organization's members and clergy as regards their rights and

duties as citizens;

* a document confirming the location (legal address) of the of

the newly formed religious organization

11.6. In a case in which the supreme governing organ (center)

of the religious organization which is being formed is located

outside the Russian Federation, in addition to the documents

stipulated in point 5 of the present article, in accordance with

established practice, the statutes or other founding document of

the foreign religious organization, confirmed by a state organ

of the country in which the organization is located, must be

submitted.

11.7 The basis for state registration of centralized religious

organizations, and also of religious organizations formed by

centralized religious organizations, is:

* an application for registration;

* a list of the founders of the religious organization;

*the charter of the newly-formed religious organization,

confirmed by its founder (founders);

*a document confirming the location (legal address) of the

newly-formed religious organization;

a copy, attested by a notary, of the charter and proof of the

state registration of the founder (founders);

the appropriate decisions of legally competent organs of the

founder (founders).

In the creation of a centralized religious organization the

founder (founders) is to present also the charters of no fewer

than three local religious organizations which belong to its

structure, and information about any other religious

organizations included in its structure.

11.8 An application for state registration of a religious

organization created by an existing religious organization or

according to a confirmation issued by an existing centralized

religious organization is to be reviewed within a month from the

day when all the documents listed in this article have been

submitted. In other cases, the registering organ has the right

to extend the period for examination of the documents for a

further six months for the carrying out of state expert analysis

by specialists in religious studies. The procedure for the

execution of this state study is to be established by the

Government of the Russian Federation.

11.9. In cases where an applicant (applicants) does not observe

the requirements in points 4,5 and 6 of the current article, the

registering organ has the right to disregard the application,

informing the applicant (applicants) of this decision.

11.10. In cases where the decision is positive, a certificate

is given to the applicant of the state registration of the

religious organization in the established form, and information

about the registration is recorded in the single state register

of legal persons, available for public scrutiny.

11.11. Changes and additions to the charters of religious

organizations are subject to state registration in the same way

as the registration of religious organizations, and come into

force for third parties from the moment they are registered with

the state.

11.12 When a religious organization changes any of the data

included in the single state register of legal persons it must

inform the registering organ within a month from the day of the

change.

Art. 12 Refusal by the State to Register a Religious Organization

12.1. The state can refuse to register a religious organization

in the following cases:

* if the aims and activity of a religious organization are linked

with the infringement of the Constitution of the Russian

Federation and of current laws, with references to specific

articles and laws;

* the non-recognition of an organization as religious;

* when the charter and other representative documents do not

conform with the demands of laws of the Russian Federation or

when the information contained therein is inauthentic;

* the presence of a previously registered organization of the

same name in the single state register of legal personalities;

* when a founding member (members) is not legally competent.

12.2. The refusal of state registration to a religious

organization is communicated in writing to the applicant giving

the grounds for refusal. Refusal on grounds of the inexpediency

of creating a religious organization is impermissible. The

refusal of a registering body to grant state registration to a

religious organization, as well as the evasion of such

registration, can be brought before a court.

Art. 13 Representative Bodies of Foreign Religious Organizations

13.1. A religious organization is designated as foreign if it

has been created outside the confines of the Russian Federation

and according to the laws of a foreign state.

13.2 the right to open a representative body in the Russian

Federation may be granted to a foreign religious organization.

A representative body of a foreign religious organization may

not engage in liturgical or other religious activities, and does

not receive the status of a religious association as established

by this federal law.

13.3 The procedure for the registration, opening and closing of

a representative body of a religious organization is to be

established by the Government of the Russian Federation in

accordance with the law of the Russian Federation.

13.4. In the case of a positive decision about the registration

of the representative body of a foreign religious organization,

a certificate in a form to be established by the Government of

the Russian Federation is issued to the representative body of

the foreign religious organization.

13.5 A Russian religious organization has the right to have

attached to itself a representative body of a foreign religious

organization.

Art. 14 The Liquidation of a Religious Organization and the Banning of a Religious Organization's Activities in the Event of Their Breaking the Law

14.1. Religious organizations can be liquidated:

* by decision of their founders, or by the organ empowered to do

this by a religious organization's charter;

* by a court decision in the case of frequent and gross

infringement of the norms of the Constitution of the Russian

Federation, or infringement of this federal law and other federal

laws, or in the case of systematic activities by a religious

organization which contradict the goals for which it was created

(the goals in its charter).

14.2. Grounds for liquidating a religious organization or for

banning the activities of a religious organization or religious

group by judicial order are:

* the undermining of social order and security or threats to the

security of the State;

* actions aimed at forcibly changing the foundations of the

Constitutional structure or destroying the unity of the Russian

Federation;

* the creation of armed units;

* propaganda of war, the igniting of social, racial, national or

religious dissension or hatred between people;

* forcing a family to disintegrate;

* the infringement of the person, the rights and freedom of a

citizen;

* the infliction of damage established in accordance with the law

on the morality or health of citizens, including the use in

connection with their religious activities of narcotic or

psychoactive substances, hypnosis, the performing of depraved or

other disorderly actions;

* encouraging suicide or the refusal on religious grounds of

medical help to persons in life-endangering or health-endangering

conditions;

* hindering the receiving of compulsory education;

* forcing members and followers of the religious association or

other persons to alienate property which belongs to them for the

use of the religious association;

* hindering a citizen from leaving a religious association by

threatening harm to life, health, property if there is a danger

of this threat's actually being carried out, or by using force

or other illegal actions.

* inciting citizens to refuse to fulfill their civic obligations

established by law, or to perform other disorderly actions.

14.3. The organs of the procuracy of the Russian Federation and

the organ carrying out the registration of religious

organizations and also the organs of local government have the

right to bring a case to court on the liquidation of a religious

organization or the banning of the activities of a religious

organization or a religious group.

14.4. The legal capacity of a liquidated religious organization

as a legal personality ceases and the property of this religious

organization is distributed in accordance with its charter and

with the civic law of the Russian Federation.

14.5 The grounds and procedure for the liquidation of a

religious organization by decision of a court also apply to the

banning of the activities of a religious group.

CHAPTER III. RIGHTS AND CONDITIONS FOR THE ACTIVITY OF RELIGIOUS

ORGANIZATIONS

Art. 15 Internal Regulations of Religious Organizations

15.1. Religious organizations act in accordance with their own

internal regulations if these do not contradict the laws of the

Russian Federation in force. They possess the legal capabilities

stipulated in their charters.

15.2. The State respects the internal regulations of religious

organizations if these do not contradict the laws of the Russian

Federation in force.

Art. 16 Religious Rites and Ceremonies

16.1. Religious organizations have the right to found and

maintain religious buildings and equipment and other places and

objects specially designated for worship services, for prayer and

religious gatherings, for religious veneration (pilgrimages).

16.2. Worship services, religious rites and ceremonies take place

without hindrance in religious buildings and structures and on

their adjoining territory, in other places made available to

religious organizations for these purposes, in places of

pilgrimage, in institutions and at the enterprises of religious

organizations, in cemeteries and crematoria, and also in

residential buildings.

16.3. Religious organizations have the right to carry out

religious rites in health centers and hospitals, in children's

homes, in old people's homes and institutions for the

handicapped, and in institutions applying sentences of

imprisonment for criminal offenses at the request of the citizens

held there in premises specially designated by the administration

for these purposes. Religious rites are permitted in premises

at places of detention under guard with the proviso that the laws

of criminal procedure of the Russian Federation are observed.

16.4. Those in command of military units, while observing the

requirements of military regulations, are not to hinder military

personnel from participating in worship services and in other

religious rituals.

16.5. In other instances, public worship services, religious

rites and ceremonies are to be carried out in accordance with the

rules established for mass rallies, street processions and

demonstrations.

Art. l7 Religious Literature and Articles of Religious Significance

17.1. Religious organizations have the right to produce, acquire,

export, import and distribute religious literature, printed,

audio and video material and other articles of religious

significance.

17.2. Religious organizations have the exclusive right to

institute enterprises for producing liturgical literature and

articles for religious services.

17.3. Literature, printed, audio and video material issued by

religious organizations, must be marked with the full official

name of the said religious organization.

Art. 18 Charitable and Cultural-Educational Activities of Religious Organizations

18.1. Religious organizations have the right to carry out

charitable activities, either directly or by instituting

charitable organizations.

18.2. In order to enact their charters' aims and goals religious

organizations have the right in accordance with the law of the

Russian Federation to create cultural-educational organizations,

educational and other institutions, and also to found organs of

mass media.

18.3. The state is to cooperate with and support the charitable

activities of religious organizations, as well as the

implementation of their socially significant cultural and

educational programs and undertakings.

Art. 19 Institutions of Professional Religious Education

19.1. Religious organizations in accordance with their charters

have the exclusive right to create institutions for professional

religious education (spiritual educational institutions) for

preparing clergy and religious personnel.

19.2. Institutions of professional religious education are

subject to registration as religious organizations and are to

receive state licenses for the right to carry out educational

activity.

19.3. Citizens who are studying as resident students in

departments of professional religious institutions which have

state licenses have the right to defer their military service in

accordance with the laws on military duty and military service

and to make use of other privileges granted in accordance with

the laws of the Russian Federation.

Art. 20 International Links and Contacts

20.1. Religious organizations have the right to establish and

maintain international links and contacts, including those for

the goals of pilgrimages, participation in meetings and other

undertakings, for receiving religious education, and also they

have the right to invite foreign citizens for these purposes.

20.2. Religious organizations have the exclusive right to invite

foreign citizens for professional purposes, including preaching

and religious activity in the said organizations in accordance

with federal laws.

Art. 21 The Right to Property of Religious Organizations

21.1. Religious organizations can own buildings, plots of land,

objects for the purpose of production and for social, charitable,

educational and other purposes, articles of religious

significance, financial means and other property which is

essential for their activity including that necessary for

historical and cultural monuments.

21.2 Religious organizations have the right to own property which

has been acquired or created by their own means, by the donations

of citizens or of organizations or transferred to them by the

State, or acquired by other means in conformity with the laws of

the Russian Federation.

21.3. The transfer to the ownership of religious organizations

of religious buildings and constructions, with the adjoining

land, and other property of religious significance for their use

for functional purposes from state and municipal ownership, is

to take place free charge.

21.4. Religious organizations have the right to own property

abroad.

21.5 Creditors may not institute proceedings against real estate

or other property designated for worship purposes. The list of

types of property designated for worship services, against which

creditors may not institute proceedings, is to be established by

the government of the Russian Federation according to the

recommendations of religious organizations.

Art. 22 The Use of Property Belonging to the State, the Citizens, and Associations

22.1. Religious organizations have the right to use for their own

needs plots of land, buildings and property provided by state,

municipal, social and other organizations and citizens in

accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation.

22.2. The transfer to religious organizations, for their use

according to their stated functions, of buildings or other

structures for worship with the land adjoining them owned by the

state or by a municipality, or of other property of religious

significance owned by the state or by a municipality, is to take

place free of charge.

Art. 23 Business Undertakings of Religious Organizations

Registered religious organizations have the right to carry out

business undertakings and to create their own enterprises in

accordance with the law established by the civic laws of the

Russian Federation.

Art. 24 Labour Laws in Religious Organizations

24.1. Religious organizations in accordance with their charters

have the right to hire employees.

24.2. Payment and conditions of work are established according

to the laws of the Russian Federation with a working agreement

(contract) between the religious organization (employer) and the

employee concluded with the agreement of both sides.'

24.3. Citizens who work in religious organizations according to

a working agreement (contract) are subject to labor laws.

24.4 Employees of religious organizations and also clergy, are

to be provided social guarantees, social insurance and pension

guarantees in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation.

CHAPTER IV. THE SUPERVISION AND MONITORING OF THE IMPLEMENTATION

OF THE LAW ON FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND ON RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS

Art. 25. Implementation of Supervision and Monitoring

25.1. Monitoring the implementation of the law of The Russian

Federation on freedom of conscience and on religious associations

is carried out by the organs of the Procuracy of the Russian

Federation.

25.2. The organ which registers a religious organization monitors

that organization's observance of its own charter as regards the

aims and rules of its activity.

Art. 26. Liability for Violating the Law on Freedom of Conscience and on Religious Associations

Violation of the law of the Russian Federation on freedom of

conscience and on religious associations involves criminal,

administrative and other liability in accordance with the laws

of the Russian Federation.

Art. 27. Closing Provisions

27.1. This Federal law is to take effect from the day of its

official publication.

27.2. The Government of the Russian Federation is to adopt the

necessary normative legal acts for the implementation of this

Federal law.

27.3. The charters and other founding documents of religious

organizations established before this Federal law comes into

force must be brought into conformity with this federal law.

Until the charters and other founding documents of religious

organizations have been brought into conformity with this federal

law, only those parts of the charters and other founding

documents of religious organizations remain in force which do not

contradict this federal law.

A religious organization may not be re-registered if there are

grounds for its liquidation or prohibition of its activities as

indicated in point 2 of article 14 of this federal law. When

re-registration has been denied on these grounds, the registering

organ is to transmit the materials to a court.

Religious organizations which do not possess a document proving

their existence on the corresponding territory over the course

of at least 15 years are to enjoy the rights of a legal person

on the condition of re-registration every year until the

expiration of the indicated 15-year period. During this period

these religious organizations are not to enjoy the rights

stipulated in point 4 of article 3, points 3 and 4 of article 5,

point 5 of article 13, point 3 of article 16, points 1 and 2 of

article 17, point 2 of article 18 (as applicable to educational

institutions and mass media), article 19 and point 2 of article

20 of this federal law.

27.4 The re-registration with the State of religious

organizations created before this federal law has come into force

must take place no later than 31 December 1999 in accordance with

the requirements of this federal law. Once this period has

expired, religious organizations which have not completed

re-registration may be liquidated by court order upon the appeal

of the of the body which conducts state registration of religious

organizations.

27.6. Recognize as no longer in force the Law of the RSFSR "On

Freedom of Religious Confession" (Gazette of the RSFSR Congress

of Peoples' Deputies and of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet, 1990, No.

21, Art. 240; Collection of the Laws of the Russian Federation,

1995, No. 5, Art. 346) and the Resolution of the Supreme Soviet

of the RSFSR "On Freedom of Religious Confession" (Gazette of the

RSFSR Congress of Peoples' Deputies and of the RSFSR Supreme

Soviet, 1990, No. 21, Art. 241) from the day when this federal

law comes into force.