July 2, 2009
The Honorable Barack H. Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500
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As you embark on your first presidential visit to Moscow, we write to urge you to discuss critical issues of religious liberty in your meetings with President Medvedev. We understand that there are many important items on your agenda for this visit. However, the state of religious freedom in Russia is highly problematic, and recent years have seen a shift toward increasingly repressive and discriminatory religion policies in Russia. Of particular concern are Russian policies which allow for the criminalization of religious literature and activities, and for the dissolution of entire religious groups.
Russia’s 1997 law “On freedom of conscience and religious associations” grants the government the power to dissolve religious groups that are found to be harmful to Russians’ morality or health, or to encroach upon citizens’ rights, freedom or individuality. Even more restrictive is the 2002 law “On counteracting extremist activity.” Under this law, religious organizations that are directed toward “extremist activity” are susceptible to liquidation. The act also authorizes bans against “extremist” religious literature, speech, and activities.
In March of 2009, Russia established the Expert Council for Conducting State-Religious Studies, a council with broad-reaching powers over the investigation of religious groups whose membership includes prominent “anti-cultist” and critic of Protestantism, Aleksandr Dvorkin, as well as others who have made vitriolic and biased statements against Hare Krishnas and Muslims. Additionally, these restrictive laws have been implemented in a manner that targets specific religious minority groups, including Jehovah’s Witnesses and Muslims.
We ask that you raise these pressing concerns in your upcoming conversations with Medvedev, and, in particular, that you ask him to support revision and amendment of the 1997 and 2002 acts so that they facilitate the registration of religious groups, allow groups slated for liquidation to organize and defend themselves, and protect rights to religious expression and the maintenance of foreign contacts, as well as provide education and oversight to ensure that the laws are enforced in an unbiased and equitable manner.
The Institute on Religion and Public Policy is an international, inter-religious non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring freedom of religion as the foundation for security, stability, and democracy. The Institute -- twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize -- works globally to promote fundamental rights and religious freedom in particular, with government policy-makers, religious leaders, business executives, academics, non-governmental organizations and others. The Institute encourages and assists in the effective and cooperative advancement of religious freedom throughout the world.
With warm personal regards and best wishes, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Joseph K. Grieboski
President, Institute on Religion and Policy
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