Commission exposes blasphemy law in Russia

Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has increased its enforcement of a law that criminalizes “insulting the religious feelings of believers” as part of the government’s campaign to present itself as the defender of “traditional values.”

“Authorities have subjected those accused of blasphemy to fines, pretrial detention, imprisonment, mandatory community service, deportation, compulsory psychological treatment, and other forms of ill treatment,” a report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom states.

Russia has cracked down on perceived offensive expression toward religion, religious texts and religious leaders, the commission reports in “Prosecuting Blasphemy in Russia,” released April 14.

In doing so, Russia violates basic principles of religious freedom, Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the commission report states.

In 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill that amended Article 148 of Russia’s Criminal Code to criminalize “insulting the religious feelings of believers.” Between 2013 and 2020, arrests for violations of that law produced only 32 convictions, the report notes, but that changed after Russia’s assault on Ukraine in 2022.

“The war refocused the efforts of Russia’s domestic security apparatus to aggressively suppress independent civil society and dissent, especially on the internet,” the report states.

“Authorities began expending considerable time and resources to surveil online content and investigate complaints from ordinary citizens, including about perceived blasphemous content.

“Combating perceived religiously offensive expression served a special role in Russia’s wartime policy objectives of protecting so-called ‘traditional values’ and bolstering anti-Western sentiments.”

Flying the ‘traditional values’ flag to rally support

Putin has used defense of “traditional values” as a way to unify Russia’s ethnically and religiously diverse population and to justify his authoritarian practices, including “systemic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom,” the report asserts.

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, “protecting so-called ‘traditional values’ became a matter of national security, taking on new ideological and policy significance for the Russian government,” the report states.

“President Putin has used the protection of so-called ‘traditional values’ to justify his country’s 2022 invasion and occupation of Ukraine” and has directed Russia’s domestic security services to defend “traditional values” as a national security priority, the report notes.

“Overall, Russia’s prioritization of protecting ‘traditional values’—coupled with the state’s broader crackdown on opposition to the government, especially online—has resulted in law enforcement more rigorously investigating and prosecuting alleged incidents of blasphemy.”

In addition to the law in the Criminal Code against “insulting the religious feelings of believers,” Russia also has a provision in its Administrative Code to punish the “intentional public desecration, damage, or destruction of religious or liturgical literature, items of religious worship, signs, or emblems of belief symbolism or attributes.”

Authorities also use provisions in the Criminal Code criminalizing “hooliganism” and in the Administrative Code calling for the punishment of “incitement of hatred or enmity” to prosecute perceived religiously offensive speech or actions.

“While states have a duty to combat hate speech and incitement to discrimination, hostility, and violence against individuals or groups, international law sets a high standard for restricting freedom of expression—including on the basis of religion—which Russia does not consistently meet when prosecuting religiously motivated cases through its hate speech laws,” the report states.

Rebuke, maybe; prosecution, no

The commission cites examples of blasphemy law enforcement involving individuals accused of burning a copy of the Qur’an or the New Testament, displaying religious symbols in irreverent ways, posting nude photos taken against the backdrop of a house of worship or a cemetery, or desecrating symbols of Russian military glory.

“While certain offensive statements and actions may warrant public rebuke, prosecuting perceived offensive expression toward religion violates the right to freedom of religion or belief and the right to freedom of opinion and expression under international human rights law,” the report states.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has recommended every year since 2017 the U.S. Department of State designate the Russian Federation as a Country of Particular Concern.

Under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the Country of Particular Concern designation is reserved for nations engaged in systemic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom.

The State Department designated Russia as a Country of Particular Concern in 2021, 2022 and 2023 for violations of religious freedom both in Russia and Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.