Buryanov, S.A. On violations of the Constitution of the Russian Federation in the sphere of freedom of conscience in 2005.

Abstract: In 2005 there were threats, assaults, beatings, burnings and other acts of vandalism aimed at the religious sites and homes of believers of various confessions. S.A. Buryanov’s article contains detailed analysis of the situation in the sphere of ensuring and protecting the freedom of conscience in Russia. Author studies a number of conceptual aspects of a problem, including current legislation on the freedom of conscience, noting ambiguity of a number of formulations and illegal principles in the the Federal Law “On the freedom of conscience and religious associations” and regional laws in this sphere. The author also studies the practice of “anti-sectarian” measures, taken by the law-enforcement bodies, evaluates specific situations, which took place in Russia in 2005.