STRASBOURG, France — Russia’s ban on the Church of Scientology is illegal, the European Court of Human Rights said Thursday in a binding ruling.
The court said Russia cannot ban the Church of Scientology just because it has not been in the country for long and awarded each of the groups 5,000 euros ($7,270) in damages. The groups together also received 10,000 euros ($14,500) for costs, which they shared.
The case was brought to the Strasbourg-based court by two Russian Scientology branches that were refused listing as “religious organizations” because they have not existed for at least 15 years, as required by Russian law.
Though Scientology is not widely seen as a religion in Europe, the court said it was making its judgment based on national law.
The Russian Scientology branches — one in the city of Surgut, the other in Nizhnekamsk — had originally taken their case to Russian courts but lost.
The Church of Scientology of Russia said the ruling “sets another important precedent to protect the rights of all other religious communities in Europe,” spokeswoman Nina de Kastro said in a statement.
In 2007, the Moscow Scientology branch won a case in the Strasbourg court. The St. Petersburg branch has a case pending.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.