Russia's Supreme Court upholds Justice Ministry’s right to examine beliefs of cult members
June 22, 2013
The Supreme Court of Russia has ruled that government-ordered expert examination of religious matters does not constitute arbitrary interference and does not violate the right of citizens to freedom of religion.
The Church of Scientology opposed the current procedure whereby the government resorts to expert examination of religious matters. According to Scientology’s leadership, the Justice Ministry’s procedure is questionable, abuses its authority, and violates the right to freedom of religion. To require passing an expert religious examination amounts to arbitrary interference by a state authority into the exercise of the right to freedom of conscience. In particular, the Church of Scientology protested that it is inadmissible to conduct expert reviews to deny an organization the status of a religious association (beliefs, religious services and other rites and ceremonies, training and education of followers) after its materials have been classified as extremist, as well as in other critical circumstances.
However, the Supreme Court of Russia rejected the Church of Scientology’s claims, confirming the right of the Justice Ministry to determine the process and the basis for the conduct of expert examinations into religious matters.
In 1996, the Church of Scientology, also operating under the name "Dianetics," was classified as a destructive organization. In 2007, a court ordered the dissolution of the Saint Petersburg “Scientology Centre,” which was convicted of illegal educational and medical activities, of "encroachment into the field of the human mind," and other violations. In addition, certain works by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology’s teachings, have been added to the federal list of extremist materials
