Leader Sounds Caution on Russia's Draft Religion Laws

May 24, 2002
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
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Leader Sounds Caution on Russia's Draft Religion Laws

Silver Spring, Maryland, USA - Three pieces of
legislation currently being considered by the Russian
parliament pose "definite challenges to religious
freedom in Russia," said John Graz of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church's religious liberty
department during an interview with Radio Free Europe
(RFE).

"One bill concerns the identification of 'traditional' and
'non-traditional' religions in Russia which legalizes
discrimination between religious groups," explained
Graz in the April 9 interview. "We believe that the
government should not deal with such an issue that
may lead the state to discriminate between faith
communities." The Adventist Church has always
believed that all religions should be equal before the
law, he said.

"The other two bills deal with religious extremists," Graz
continued. "We are opposed to the drafts on
religious extremists. Our position is that you do not
need to identify 'religious' extremists, but to deal with
all extremists in the same way."

Asked about relations between the Adventist Church
and the Russian Orthodox Church, Graz said that in
general good relations were cultivated, but that the
Adventist Church regretted the intolerance of some
local priests outside Moscow.

The Adventist Church's Euro-Asia Division includes
Russia, the Ukraine and other former republics of the
Soviet Union and has a membership of 140,000 meeting
in 1,750 churches. [Editor Jonathan Gallagher for
ANN and APD]

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