Russian Orthodox Сhurch condemns ban on corporal punishment


The amendment that criminalizes raising a hand to family members goes against the teachings of the Orthodox Church, the Patriarchal Commission for Family Affairs, Protection of Motherhood and Childhood states.

The Holy Scriptures and the Tradition admits the possibility of reasonable usage of physical punishment as an integral part of the parents’ rights established by God himself, the statement says.

According to the Russian Orthodox Church, the amendment has ‘no moral justification and legal basis’, its content is directed against the family and ‘understanding the rights of parents that is adopted in the Russian culture’; it is ‘discriminatory’, ‘contrary to the fundamental principles of sound public family policy’ and does not take into account ‘traditional family and moral values of the Russian society’.

At the same time, the representatives of the church note that they mean only physical punishment which do not injure children’s health.

In late June, Russia’s State Duma passed a bill that provides for initiating only administrative case against a person beat someone for the first time if his/her action did not cause harm to health. However, a criminal case may be opened for battering relatives.

 belsat.eu following meduza.io

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