Doc. 8351 revised
13 April 1999

Russian law on religion and Jehovah's Witnesses

Motion for an order

presented by Mr Atkinson and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       The Assembly is concerned at reports that Moscow prosecutors are attempting to ban Jehovah's Witnesses in the Russian capital in a case which is the first real test of its law on religion passed by the State Duma and Federal Council and ratified by President Yeltsin in September 1997.

2.       The case marks the culmination of a wave of persecution of Christian and other religious groups since the law was passed. Observers have noted dozens of cases of harassment by local police and local authorities.

3.       The case is a cause of concern for other religious groups who also expect to be banned if the Jehovah's Witnesses were to lose. In a report last November the Moscow Helsinki Group said that the conditions had been created for large-scale persecution of non-Orthodox faiths in Russia.

4.       A motion for a recommendation tabled on 6 November 1997 (Doc. 7957) considered that the new law contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights, the Russian commitments upon accession and, indeed , the Russian constitution. This motion was referred by the Bureau to the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights for report.

5.       The Assembly urges that the committee take account of this case against the Jehovah's Witnesses in preparing its report for debate at a future part-session. It also wishes to draw it to the attention of the two rappporteurs responsible for the monitoring of Russia's commitments upon accession.

Signed : ¹

Atkinson, United Kingdom, EDG

Davis, United Kingdom, SOC

Dinçer, Turkey, SOC

Eltz, Croatia, EDG

Enright, Ireland, EPP/CD

Eörsi, Hungary, LDR

Fyfe, United Kingdom, SOC

Iwinski, Poland, SOC

Kelam, Estonia, EPP/CD

Kuzmickas, Lithuania, EDG

Poptodorova, Bulgaria, SOC

Severinsen, Denmark, LDR

Sinka, Latvia, EDG

Surjan, Hungary, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group