Hare Krishnas can: The Constitutional Court in Russia recognized the right of believers to peaceful processions.
New Siberia10 March 2021.
The Constitutional Court of Russia determined that religious associations have the right to conduct missionary activities at various sites. This can be seen as a factual confirmation of their rights to authorized marches in the absence of public disturbances.
The sites for missionary activity can be public places, and not only places of worship and parcels belonging to communities, as specified in the federal law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations”.
The Constitutional Court considered this issue after a complaint by the organizer of the procession to the Rishnaites in Noosibirsk . The head of the Novosibirsk Society of Krishna Devotees, Dmitry Knyazev, went to court. In 2019, the Novosibirsk Hare Krishnas organized an event on Karl Marx Square. They collectively chant the name of his god, continuously playing music, handing out prasad (ritual meal) and distributed Yali rel igioznuyu literature.
The event was coordinated with the mayor of Novosibirsk. However, despite this, the FSB department for the Novosibirsk region appealed to the regional prosecutor’s office. A case was initiated against Dmitry Knyazev under Article 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (“Implementation of missionary activities in violation of the requirements of the legislation on freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and religious associations”). In the Leninsky District Court, Knyazev was fined 10 thousand rubles. No further appeals helped: even the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation did not overturn the decision of the Leninsky District Court of Novosibirsk. The courts agreed on one thing: the event took place at a public transport stop, and this is not a place for missionary work.
The Constitutional Court put an end to the discussion. He pointed out that it is possible to engage in missionary work not only in those places that are indicated in the Federal Law “On freedom of conscience and on religious associations.” In other words, if public order was not violated, and the event was agreed with the authorities, then there was nothing illegal.
At the same time, the Constitutional Court indicated that the assessment of whether the requirements of the legislation on freedom of conscience and religious associations were observed in the case of the Novosibirsk Hare Krishnas is beyond its competence. This would require an assessment of the factual circumstances of the case, which is not within the powers of the Constitutional Court. So no one is going to return 10 thousand rubles (114 Euro) to Knyazev.
(The article translated from Russian automatically)
Source: https://is.gd/5l1F4o