The Law of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations

Extract

Art. 1. The Aims of the Law.—This law guarantees the rights of citizens to determine and express their attitude toward religion, to hold corresponding convictions and to profess a religion and perform religious rites without hindrance, as well as social justice, equality and the protection of citizens' rights and interests regardless of their attitude toward religion, and it regulates relations connected with the activity of religious organizations.

Art. 2. Legislation on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations.—Legislation on freedom of conscience and religious organizations consists of this law, which establishes basic guarantees of freedom of conscience in accordance with the USSR Constitution, and of USSR and Union- and autonomous-republic laws issued in accordance with it.

Art. 3. The Right to Freedom of Conscience.—In accordance with the right to freedom of conscience, every citizen independently determines his attitude toward religion and has the right, individually or in conjunction with others, to profess any religion or not to profess any, and to express and disseminate convictions associated with his attitude toward religion.

Parents or persons acting in their place have the right, by mutual consent, to raise their children in accordance with their own attitude toward religion.