Russia’s leader has approved a law making it illegal to share the gospel outside of Russian churches.
President Vladimir Putin signed the anti-terrorism laws that will go into effect July 20th.
His decision was met with “widespread protests,” according to news reports while many were left stunned by the swift drafting and passing of the laws.
Forum 18 notes that lawyers are already working on an appeal to the Constitutional Court. Additionally, they are “preparing advice to individuals and religious communities on how to abide by the terms of the law.”
The state Duma and the Federal Assembly, Russia’s ruling legislatures, passed the laws in nearly unanimous votes.
Technically the laws fall under an anti-terrorism effort. And while the laws don’t claim to target any one Christian group in particular, several missionaries and Protestant evangelical leaders have pointed out that they are likely aimed at the Protestant minority of Christians. The majority of religious Russians belong to the Russian Orthodox Church, which “is part of a bulwark of Russian nationalism,”
According to Christianity Today, the laws would require citizens wishing to share their faith to “secure a government permit through a registered religious organization, and they cannot evangelize anywhere besides churches and other religious sites. The restrictions even apply to activity in private residences and online.”