11 June 2004 16:20
Russian Duma throws out bill targeting "Wahhabi" activities
Moscow, 11 June: State Duma deputies today turned down a bill banning Wahhabi and other extremist activities and
stepping up control over the activities of religious groups in the Russian Federation.
The bill introducing amendments to the law "on freedom of conscience and on religious associations", which
envisaged a ban on "the setting up and operation of Wahhabi and other extremist associations and religious groups
whose activities are aimed at changing the constitutional order by force", was tabled in the State Duma by the
People's Assembly of Dagestan. "Events in Dagestan and Chechnya have demonstrated that the activities of
religious extremists can present a real threat not only to Dagestan and Russia, but to the whole world," the
authors of the bill believe.
The bill got a negative reception from the Russian government and from the relevant Duma committee, the committee for
affairs of public associations and religious associations. The committee's conclusions point out that "in
fact, the bill's subject of regulation is the activities not of religious associations but of anti-state,
anti-social extremist organizations, which should be regulated by the norms of the Russian Federation Criminal
Code". In addition, the committee thinks, the bill introduces new terms, "Wahhabi activity" and
"Wahhabi associations" , the legal content of which is not explained.
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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