Russia Declares Unification Church and Related Groups Undesirable, Security Agencies Check Followers

Several religious organizations have been designated “undesirable” in Russia, and security services have begun checking with their followers. According to the source, operational and investigative activities took place in seven regions, including in the south of Moscow.

The source names several organizations with links to Western structures that were found undesirable on October 30. They include entities described as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, the Federation of Families for World Unity and Peace, the Federation of Women for World Peace, and the Women’s Federation for World Peace. The source’s transliterated names are inconsistent, so the exact titles should be checked against official records.

The source reports on the headquarters of a church it calls the “Coalition Church,” which it links to the Unification Church (the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification). The building is described as a small cultural centre in the south of Moscow. REN TV correspondent Igor Caporikov told the outlet that symbols of the religious community remain on the facade and inside, along with traces of rituals and mass services. The source’s note marks the Unification Church as found undesirable in Russian territory.

The Ministry of Justice has listed 11 organizations in Russia as undesirable, the source says. They are linked to the United States, Ukraine, Germany, Slovakia and other countries. The list includes the Tbilisi Cultural Centre from Georgia and the Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces from France, both also marked as found undesirable in Russian territory.

The source does not state what legal consequences the designations carry for individual followers, nor does it report any response from the organizations named. It also does not give the full text of the Ministry’s findings. Readers should treat the account as the source reports it, with the designations and checks described as official actions rather than as independently verified conclusions. Fair and accurate reporting on such matters, as Proverbs 18:17 implies, requires hearing the affected parties as well.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Russian)