The fall of communism in the Soviet Union opened Russia and its former satellite states to religious diversity for perhaps the first time in their history. A truly multi-ethnic nation, Russia is home to almost 150 million people. In addition to Orthodox Church membership, there are 19 million Muslims, two million Protestants, 1.3 million Catholics, more than 70 Scientology associations and 42 Jewish communities, not to mention significant numbers of Buddhists and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

While the Russian Constitution of 1993 grants the right to freedom of religion, in practice that right has been severely circumscribed by a September 1997 law that set the conditions for favourable treatment towards the Russian Orthodox Church. Despite criticism from many international bodies, not to mention Russia’s own Ombudsman, the law continues to provide justification for discriminatory and repressive actions against targeted religions. Nor are the religions considered “minority” the only targets; in its 2003 annual report, the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) reported that “The Catholic Church was subjected to a wave of harassment.”

The Church of Scientology has responded to religious intolerance in Russia with efforts to raise public awareness of human rights and by seeking to bring together government officials and religious representatives in the cause of dialogue. In December 1999, the Church produced and funded 25,000 copies of a booklet, Restoring and Safeguarding Freedom of Conscience: A guide for the protection of human rights. The Moscow affiliate of the IHF distributed the booklet to interested parties throughout Russia, including university professors, sociologists, religious scholars, government officials and major human rights advocates.

In October 2001, along with the Moscow affiliate of the IHF, the Office of the Ombudsman of the Russian Federation and the Institute of Religion and Law, the Church organised a major conference in Moscow entitled “Tolerance in Today’s Society.” The ninety delegates who attended included representatives of the federal government, the Moscow mayor’s office, UNESCO, several embassies, and a variety of religious and human rights organisations. The conference established an interfaith committee, with a representative of the Moscow Church of Scientology voted as chair. In other roundtables held by the Federal Ombudsman’s Office and attended by high-level Russian government officials and religious representatives, the Church has also taken part in developing initiatives to promote religious freedom in Russia.