Criminal legal protection of freedom of conscience and religion and the principle of equality of human and civil rights and freedoms

This study discusses the criminal legal protection of freedom of conscience and religion in relation to the principle of equality of human and civil rights and freedoms that have become urgent because of the amendments to Article 148 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. The emphasis is placed on the discriminatory component of the article. Thus, the introduction of the category of believers into the above-mentioned article contradicts Part 2 of Article 19 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The study notes that it is only possible to exercise the right to freedom of conscience and religion in full if believers who practice a religion have no advantage over people who profess no religion. It is argued that the difficulties in applying the provisions of Article 148 of the Criminal Code are caused by many evaluation concepts in the disposition of this rule; most of them are not disclosed in any law or regulation. It is recommended that Article 148 should be amended to bring it into line with constitutional rules.