Russian courts fine archbishop, pastors, and researcher over foreign ties
Authorities use laws against undesirable organizations to penalize church leaders and religious freedom researchers in Russia.
Russian authorities have intensified legal pressure against church leaders and researchers under accusations of maintaining ties with foreign entities. Rights group Forum 18 documented recent court fines against two pastors in the city of Vladimir, an archbishop in St. Petersburg, and a religious freedom specialist near Moscow.
The Smolny District Court in St. Petersburg fined Archbishop Grigory Mikhnov-Vaytenko 5,000 rubles, equal to roughly 61 dollars, on Sept. 22. The penalty fell under Administrative Code Article 20.33, which penalizes participation in activities of foreign organizations declared undesirable.
The prosecution argued that the clergyman reposted on Telegram a video interview given in November 2022 to news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe. In the conversation, Mikhnov-Vaytenko discussed humanitarian assistance provided to Ukrainians who fled into Russia.
The investigation into the post originated from the Second Service of the Federal Security Service, the FSB. The archbishop leads the Apostolic Orthodox Church and was designated a foreign agent by the Justice Ministry in July 2024.