Hello, this is Gleb Kondratyev with another post about our manifesto. Today, we’ll talk about religious policy.
In modern Russia, the right to freedom of religion is constantly violated. Many religious groups, particularly Protestant denominations, face ongoing pressure from the state, including outright repression. We understand well what it’s like for those whom the Russian authorities brand as “sectarians”—activists of “Vesna” are prosecuted under Article 239 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the same article used against Jehovah’s Witnesses.
On the other hand, the authorities often exploit the interests of believers for their own purposes, mainly as a tool of political repression. The so-called “law on protecting the feelings of believers” has been repeatedly used to punish innocent people. Sometimes it’s applied against dissenters, but more often simply to allow officials from the “E Center” to simulate productivity for their superiors. For example, this is how the infamous case against Maria Motuznaya began.
The Russian Orthodox Church, the main religious organization in Russia, is now entirely controlled by the state. It can be compared to another ministry at Putin’s service. The ostentatious “Orthodoxy” displayed by the current authorities is one of their distinctive features. However, this faith more closely resembles an elaborate fetishism—with the khaki-colored main temple, icons of Stalin, Shoigu, Matviyenko, and the veneration of Hitler’s trophy cap.
We are convinced that religion must truly be separated from the state. This means equality for all religious groups, complete independence, and equal obligations to the state—primarily in paying taxes. The gratuitous transfer of state property to religious organizations must also be prohibited.
Repression based on religion is unacceptable. On the other hand, penalties for “offending the feelings of believers” should also be abolished, as they violate the right to freedom of speech. No religious demands can justify violating human rights. Practices involving violence and coercion must be banned.
The Russian Orthodox Church must be reformed and, more importantly, depoliticized. High-ranking church officials are deeply entangled in corruption and will face justice for it. Public schools and universities must be free from dogma, and religion should be studied primarily from a scientific perspective. Religious-themed lessons in primary schools must be eliminated entirely.
