Russia to review laws on religion
Over the coming months some 300 amendments to Russia's religion law are to be considered by a working group attached to the government's Commission for Religious Associations, Keston News Service reported today. The group, chaired by Andrei Sebentsov, is comprised of representatives of various faith communities and religious affairs officials from different government departments. Once the proposed amendments have been drafted, these must be approved by the Duma religion committee before consideration by parliament itself. The process is likely to be a lengthy one, Sebentsov said. The majority of the proposed amendments to Russia's 1997 law on religion - including the introduction of the term "traditional religion" - cannot be adopted because they contradict the country's present constitution.