Estonian State Court to consider law restricting pro-Russian churches

This was reported by European Pravda, citing ERR.

According to the State Court, a hearing for the petition will be held on February 3, 2026, at 10:15 a.m. in Tartu.

Representatives from the parliament, government, Chancellor of Justice, Minister of Justice and Digital Technology, as well as representatives from religious organizations, including the Council of Churches of Estonia, the Orthodox Church, and the Pühtitsa Stavropegic Convent of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, have been invited to participate in the proceedings.

In early October, Alar Karis submitted a bill to the State Court, seeking to amend the Churches and Parishes Act and requesting that it be declared unconstitutional. Karis had previously refused to approve amendments to the law on religious freedoms twice, in April and July. These amendments proposed restrictions on churches that justify Russian aggression.

The initiative to limit the activities of churches linked to individuals or organizations supporting Russia's aggression was introduced by the Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs in October 2024. At that time, the ministry stated that the bill aimed to encourage the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate to revise its charter and declare full autonomy from Moscow.