A Christian pastor in Suzanovo, charged with organising an unsanctioned protest involving children, was declared innocent at a hearing on 23 September.
Alexander Demkin had been accused of violating a June 2004 law on ‘meetings, rallies, demonstrations, marches, and picketing’.
The charge related to a temporary playground, attended mostly by Christians, situated on church-owned land which was used for activities such as music, games and theatrical performances of Bible stories. His lawyer, Vladimir Ozolin, said the prosecution had misinterpreted the law in question. He insisted the playground – for which parents have only ever expressed appreciation – was purely a recreational facility, and since there were no banners or posters relating to a social or political issue there was no need to notify the authorities.’
Approximately 16 people have been charged so far under Russia’s new anti-terror law which came into effect on 20 July, many of them Christian.
President Putin hinted that the new legislation may need to be ‘adjusted to not put people in a difficult position’ but Russian Christians are not convinced that substantive changes in the law are likely.
