December 12, 2022, 18:12 – Public News Service – OSN
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ asked State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin to hold an additional public discussion of the law on a unified biometric system and the basics of biometrics processing. The Patriarch, in his letter, stated that the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) would advocate for the right of Russian citizens to refuse to collect data. The corresponding statement appeared on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate.
“The Church stands for the fundamental unconditional right of citizens to refuse biometric identification with absolute guarantees of non-discrimination in the event of such a choice,” the letter says.
Patriarch Kirill said that there have already been precedents that have demonstrated a negative attitude towards this issue. He said that information about material advantage should be excluded from this kind of data. This will help maintain peace and harmony in society.
As the patriarch noted, there are already practices related to this issue that have negative signs. He asks for additional discussion of the bill before its adoption.
Patriarch Kirill noted that he personally receives many requests on biometrics issues. First of all, from worried parents. He proposed a complete ban on the collection of biometric data from children.
Earlier, Vakhtang Kipshidze, Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Relations with Society and the Media of the Moscow Patriarchate, supported the proposal about supplementing the school curriculum obligatory study of sacred texts. A little earlier, State Duma deputy Vitaly Milonov came up with a similar initiative.
According to Kipshidze, educational programs are really unthinkable without students knowing at least primary information about the main sacred texts that are the main ones for the traditional religions of Russia.
