In violation of international humanitarian law, the Russian Federation continues to enforce its legislation norms in the occupied territory of Ukraine, including, inter alia, to persecute religious organizations and their members.
Since the beginning of the occupation, the Crimean Human Rights Group (CHRG) has been recording a consistent violation of the freedom of religion by the Russian “authorities” of the peninsula.
So, on June 1, Ullubiy Isayev, ‘judge of peace’, fined the Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith “Light to the World” RUR30,000 under RF Code of Administrative Offences (CoAO), Art. 5.26 (Unlawful missionary activity)
On June 8, Svetlana Vlasova, ‘judge of peace’, fined Yusuf Ashirov, Imam of the Alushta Muslim religious community, RUR5,000 under RF CoAO Article 5.25, for conducting namaz without the permission of the ‘Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Crimea’.
In May 2021, the same “judge” fined the community RUR30,000 under RF CoAO Article 5.26 for keeping religious literature in the mosque.
On June 29, in Simferopol, Tatyana Protsenko, ‘judge of peace’, fined Mr.S.A. Asanov RUR5.000 under Art. 5.26.
In total, as of the end of June, the Crimean Human Rights Group recorded 125 administrative proceedings under RF CoAO Art. 5.26 for allegedly unlawful missionary activity, with the amount of fines totaled RUR 1,613,500.00.
The Crimean Human Rights Group reminds that such actions of the occupying authorities of Crimea constitutes a violation of both the Geneva Convention (IV), and the European Convention on Human Rights, namely Art. 9 (Freedom of thought, conscience and religion).
