30th November, 2021
Agency Report
Moscow on Tuesday denied there was religious persecution in Russia while commenting on the recent remark by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on religious freedoms in Russia.
Russia’s Foreign ministry’s ambassador-at-large, Gennady Askaldovich made the denial while speaking with Sputnik.
In November, Blinken said that he designated countries, including Russia, China, and Iran for engaging in or tolerating violations of religious freedom.
“I am outraged by the forceful American wording egregious violations of religious freedom.
“I have to repeat again and again that there is no persecution on religious grounds in Russia, there are no prisoners who, even at a stretch, could be ranked as ‘prisoners of conscience.
“Let me remind you that in Russian justice the punishment is determined depending on the fact and severity of an administrative violation and a criminal offense,” the diplomat said.
He said the new unfriendly attack by the United States would not go unnoticed, adding that Moscow would expose Washington’s desire to use religion to realize foreign policy ambitions.
The diplomat said the American side with enviable persistence peddles the religious theme, pins labels on undesirable countries, including Russia, where freedom of religion is allegedly being violated.
It is simply amazing how the United States, arbitrarily and shamelessly assuming the function of some kind of international overseer, decided to regulate world religious affairs at its own discretion.
He added that while teaching others, the US forgets that it is the one that deliberately politicizes the religious sphere.