JPTi Calls for Urgent Action on Estonia’s Religious Freedom Legislation
- Intern JPTi
- Jun 19
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 20
🕊️ On 19 June 2025, Justice pour Tous Internationale (JPTi) submitted its Third Supplementary Communication to the United Nations Special Procedures, calling urgent attention to the Churches and Congregations (Amendment) Act adopted by Estonia’s Parliament on 18 June 2025. Passed by 68 votes to 17, the legislation imposes sweeping restrictions on the internal autonomy of religious communities and risks enabling state-facilitated ecclesiastical coercion.
The Act empowers the Estonian government to unilaterally ban religious affiliations with foreign authorities based on opaque national security grounds, without judicial review or evidentiary standards. It mandates forced restructuring of religious organisations and authorises the exclusion of clergy, gravely undermining the principle of religious self-governance.
JPTi warns that these provisions have already created a hostile climate for the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church (EOCC), threatening its canonical identity and institutional survival. Meanwhile, external ecclesiastical actors—such as Metropolitan Stephanos of the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church—have proposed realignment under their jurisdiction, raising concerns about opportunism and schism.
🕯️ “Religious pluralism can only exist where genuine solidarity is visible, principled, and consistent—not disguised under religious opportunism through latent coercion and assimilation,” stated Sharof Azizov, Executive Director of JPTi. “We respectfully urge President Alar Karis to exercise his constitutional veto before 2 July 2025 to prevent the erosion of foundational human rights and spiritual autonomy in democratic society.”
📩 Read the full press release and 3rd submission in English:
📩 Read the full press release in Russian:
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