The State Duma adopted a law on the protection of religious symbols

The State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted in the second and third readings the law on the protection of religious symbols of traditional faiths in Russia. This was announced on Tuesday, July 15, on the website of the lower house of parliament.

According to the law, it is prohibited to use images of religious buildings and objects with religious symbols in the media, on the Internet, in advertising and when selling goods, if this could lead to their desecration. The exceptions are historical images indicating a period when there were no symbols, or cases where reproduction does not affect religious feelings.

Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin stated that the new norm is aimed at careful and respectful attitude to the symbols of faith and protection of the feelings of believers.

Symbolic protection: the law will prohibit the image of temples without crosses

An exception will be made for floor mats and seats in transport to prevent desecration of religious signs.

The day before, Abbess Ksenia (Chernega), head of the legal department of the Moscow Patriarchate, said that newsreels and images on historical subjects were not prohibited by the law on the protection of religious symbols of traditional faiths in Russia. She also clarified that the new changes allow the depiction of temples and other objects of religious worship without religious symbols, if this may lead to their desecration.