Security concerns are mentioned to prevent devotees from gathering for religious purposes in apartment buildings. Churches believe religious freedom is threatened.
by Massimo Introvigne
The Russian Evangelical Alliance and other religious bodies, including Muslims, are opposing a bill introduced on October 30, 2024, in the State Duma that would ban worship services in apartment buildings.
The bill’s authors claim that religious gatherings in apartment buildings disrupt resident comfort and cause conflicts. Their main points are: (1) Public safety: Strangers, including illegal migrants, may participate in religious gatherings and increase crime risks and public order concerns. (2) Fire safety: Crowds meeting in residential buildings violate fire safety regulations, endangering residents. (3) Resident comfort: Noise and increased foot traffic inconvenience neighbors and lead to disputes.
Religious opponents of the bill, however, believe that these concerns may be addressed without banning private religious gatherings altogether. Some observers think this is just another chapter on the Putin regime’s crackdown on competitors of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and independent religious bodies the state does not control—although some voices in the ROC also oppose the draft law.
General Secretary of the Russian Evangelical Alliance Vitaly Vlasenko reminds in a statement that initiatives like this are not new. In November 2019, attempts to ban religious services in private homes were deemed unconstitutional by the Russian Constitutional Court, thanks to efforts from lawyers and human rights activists led by Vladimir Ryakhovsky. The court stressed that religious rites cater to the spiritual needs of citizens and are vital for small religious organizations lacking public property. Ryakhovsky believes that the current bill may also infringe on constitutional rights to freedom of conscience and religion.
Many evangelical communities lack separate premises for worship. Pastor Alexander Fedichkin of the Moscow Baptist Church stated that banning services in residential buildings restricts believers’ freedom of assembly. He argued that the state should rather support all organizations contributing to its welfare, including Protestant churches.
Evangelical Pastor Sergei Filinov stated: “The proposed changes will significantly impact many religious organizations. Many non-residential spaces in residential buildings are legally used by these organizations. Existing regulations and laws already address any activities that threaten public order.”
Representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church also expressed concern. Pastor Oleg Goncharov said: “Adventists are categorically against this bill. It violates the principles of freedom of conscience, as stipulated in the Constitution of the Russian Federation. If we follow the logic of this law, then shops, clubs, restaurants, etc. should be removed from residential buildings as well. In the current difficult time for Russia, this bill will only worsen the situation, creating the ground for social and interfaith conflicts. Religion cannot be separated from people’s lives. Religious faith is human life. Faith is where people live!”
The Consultative Council of the Heads of Protestant Churches of Russia (CCPRCR) stated that the bill impacts the rights and activities of Protestant churches and other denominations in the country. They noted that non-residential premises in apartment buildings have been used for religious services for many years without special complaints from citizens and requested that the bill be withdrawn from consideration.
Bishop V.A. Provorov of the Lutheran Church of Russia insisted that legal means already exist to address illegal actions without infringing on the believers’ rights as the draft law does.
The Russian Evangelical Alliance statement concludes: “We call on all interested parties—religious leaders, legislators and representatives of the public—to work together to find reasonable solutions that would protect the rights of believers and take into account the interests of all citizens. We hope that the Advisory Council of the Heads of Protestant Churches of Russia, with its significant capabilities, will play a key role in this important discussion for society.”
