Russia's Supreme Court Holds Sunday School Need Not Get State License

Forum 18 today reports that Russia's Supreme Court earlier this month issued an important decision protecting religious organizations. In a June 10 opinion, the court reversed a Smolensk Regional Court that had closed down a Methodist congregation for operating a Sunday school without an educational license. Holding that the lower court's decision was "unlawful and without foundation", the high court concluded that the Sunday school is not covered by either the 1992 Education Law or state education regulations, and so does not require a state licence. However confusion remains over which religious schools-- particularly adult programs-- do require licensing. An Education Ministry official, Yelena Romanova, had previously indicated that no license is required if an educational program results in merely internal qualifications.