Member of the Standing Commission on Human Rights, National Relations and the Media of the House of Representatives Lyudmila Zdorikova spoke about the innovations of the bill “On changing laws on the activities of religious organizations.” Deputies at the tenth session of the House of Representatives of the seventh convocation adopted it in the first reading.
“The bill first of all provides for adjustments to the law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” taking into account its practical application, as well as in order to bring it into line with the updated Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. The draft law introduces new modern approaches to interaction between the state and religious organizations. This draft law was developed in close cooperation with representatives of the country's religious organizations and the scientific community. The bill also passed public discussion,” said Lyudmila Zdorikova.
According to her, the law “On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations” is presented in a new version in the bill. “In addition to adjusting existing concepts and definitions, new concepts are being introduced such as Sunday religious school, religious educational institution, religious education, religious personnel, religious building and structure and a number of others. At the legislative level, for the first time, such a concept as missionary activity is enshrined, the goals and objectives of the pilgrimage activities of religious organizations are clarified. The draft law proposes to introduce prohibitive norms regarding the use in places intended for worship of any symbols other than religious ones, as well as literature and images that promote war, call for racial hostility, hostility on religious or national grounds. The draft law also proposes to introduce a ban on the participation of religious organizations in political activities and in the activities of political parties, the deputy noted. - In order for religious organizations to be able to more actively participate in solving socially significant issues of our society, amendments to the law are being introduced that will allow religious organizations in the future to create legal entities or structural units that will be able to provide social services to certain categories of citizens, such as, for example, disabled people elderly people with various types of addictions. “Innovations are also being introduced that in the future will allow, if necessary, the creation of orphanages at monasteries for orphans and those left without parental care.” - noted the deputy. - In order for religious organizations to be able to more actively participate in solving socially significant issues of our society, amendments to the law are being introduced that will allow religious organizations in the future to create legal entities or structural units that will be able to provide social services to certain categories of citizens, such as, for example, disabled people elderly people with various types of addictions. “Innovations are also being introduced that in the future will allow, if necessary, the creation of orphanages at monasteries for orphans and those left without parental care.” - noted the deputy. - In order for religious organizations to be able to more actively participate in solving socially significant issues of our society, amendments to the law are being introduced that will allow religious organizations in the future to create legal entities or structural units that will be able to provide social services to certain categories of citizens, such as, for example, disabled people elderly people with various types of addictions. “Innovations are also being introduced that in the future will allow, if necessary, the creation of orphanages at monasteries for orphans and those left without parental care.” which will allow in the future religious organizations to create legal entities or structural divisions that will be able to provide social services to certain categories of citizens, such as, for example, disabled people, elderly people, and people with various types of addictions. “Innovations are also being introduced that in the future will allow, if necessary, the creation of orphanages at monasteries for orphans and those left without parental care.” which will allow in the future religious organizations to create legal entities or structural divisions that will be able to provide social services to certain categories of citizens, such as, for example, disabled people, elderly people, and people with various types of addictions. “Innovations are also being introduced that in the future will allow, if necessary, the creation of orphanages at monasteries for orphans and those left without parental care.”
“This draft law clarifies in detail the entire procedure for creating and registering a religious organization, and the requirements for its founders,” emphasized Lyudmila Zdorikova. - The list of grounds for the liquidation of religious organizations is expanding. For example, such a basis could be the activities of a religious organization that contradicts the main directions of the domestic and foreign policy of our state, aimed at discrediting the Republic of Belarus, which will harm the physical, moral, and spiritual health of our citizens. The draft law also introduces a number of changes concerning the property relations of religious organizations in terms of the use of their real estate and other property. It is proposed to make corresponding changes to the Civil Code of the Republic of Belarus.”
Our country has always been a multi-religious state, the parliamentarian noted. “Currently, 25 confessions and religious movements are registered in Belarus. The total number of religious organizations is more than 3.5 thousand. At the same time, Belarusian society has always been characterized by religious tolerance, tolerance, openness to dialogue, as well as the absence of conflicts and obvious contradictions on religious grounds. Therefore, we can confidently say that religious tolerance is one of the most important achievements of modern Belarus. In our opinion, the adoption of the draft law will contribute to the further improvement of the legal field, taking into account modern challenges and realities, which will allow religious organizations to fully operate and develop, taking into account the interests and sustainable development of the country and Belarusian society,”
The bill proposes expanding the list of cases in which a religious organization can be liquidated (if the activities of religious organizations do not comply with the main directions of the domestic and foreign policy of the Republic of Belarus, its constitutional system and civil harmony, activities aimed at discrediting state power in the Republic of Belarus, propaganda of war, social, national, religious, racial hostility, other extremist activities, humiliation of national honor and dignity, harming the health and morals of citizens, preventing the receipt of compulsory general secondary education; in case of failure by a religious organization within six months to eliminate violations that served as the basis for issuing a written warnings,or committing such violations repeatedly within a year after issuing the specified warning, etc.).
The bill provides for the possibility of religious organizations creating legal entities and structural units to provide social services, as well as orphanages at monasteries. Other changes and additions are being made, in particular regarding the property relations of religious organizations, the use of their real estate and other property.
