C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MOSCOW 001339
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2017
TAGS: KIRF, PHUM, PGOV, RS
SUBJECT: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN RUSSIA
Classified By: DCM Daniel Russell: Reason 1.4(d).
1. (C) SUMMARY. According to religious freedom advocates,
human rights experts, and religious leaders, overall
religious freedom in Russia continues to improve, despite
continued individual violations documented in our annual
Report on Religious Freedom. More than 22,000 religious
organizations have registered, no religion meeting statutory
requirements has been denied national registration status,
and the number of people participating in organized religions
is increasing. The constitution, federal law, and federal
government officials support freedom of religion, although
religious groups (particularly Muslims) can face pressure
from local government officials. Experts agree that
administrative actions against religious groups are more
often driven by corruption than by bigotry. Religious groups
must cope with bureaucracy and paperwork through a process
that, as one expert put it, "ensures equal red tape for
everyone," but tends to present greater challenges for
smaller and less well-connected religious groups. End
summary.
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Russia: A Nation of Believers
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2. (U) Religious freedom experts and religious leaders agree
that the growth in religious freedom in Russia has maintained
a positive trajectory since 1991, when the USSR
disintegrated, which is reflected in polling data. According
to a VTsIOM poll conducted at the end of 2006, 84% of
Russians believe in God, 63% identify themselves as Russian
Orthodox, and 6% as Muslim. Other Christian groups make up
approximately 3% of the population. The growth of those who
identify themselves as a member of an organized religion is
striking. For example, the number of Russians identifying
themselves as Russian Orthodox has grown from 34% (1990) to
50% (1999) to 63% (2006), according to VTsIOM. Other polls
have found that Orthodox are approximately 70% of the
population, and Muslims as much as 16%.
3. (U) While only 10-12% of Russians regularly attend
services (similar to European countries), this is double the
1991 level, and the average age of members has fallen from 60
to 48.
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Russia's Religious Groups Multiply
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4. (U) The spread of religious identification is reflected in
the growth in registered religious organizations. According
to the 1997 Law "On Freedom of Conscience and Association,"
religious communities must register as a juridical entity to
receive certain rights and privileges, such as owning
property or entering into contracts. As of December 2005
(the latest statistics available), the MOJ had registered
22,513 groups, 54% of which were Russian Orthodox Church
(ROC) organizations. Russia's largest religions and their
percentage of the population are listed below.
Religion Groups Pct of Groups Pct of Pop (est.)
-------- ------ ------------- ----------
ROC 12,214 54% 63-70%
Muslim 3,668 16% 6-16%
Protestant 4,000 18% 1-2%
Jewish 284