Humanities & Social Sciences 8 (2015 8) 1580-1590 ~ ~ ~ УДК 342 Registration of Religious Organizations: Legal Restrictions and Prospects of Development Anastasia A. Isaeva* Tomsk State University 36 Lenin, Tomsk, 634050, Russia Received 10.03.2015, received in revised form 19.04.2015, accepted 09.06.2015 This article dwells upon some modern legal forms of activities of religious associations and problems of their registration. <...> It is mainly focused on the issues of legal backgrounds in terms of freedom of conscience in Russia, international standards of activities of religious organizations, collective forms of freedom of conscience and religion in the court’s decisions. <...> Finally, it discusses the need to amend the existing Russian legislation that does not comply with the principle of secularism, which is stated in the Constitution of 1993. <...> Relations between church and state have developed through many centuries. <...> The church’s role in society has changed, and this is refl ected in the basic laws of all countries. <...> In Russia there are situations where people cannot implement freedom of conscience in its collective form. <...> Existing legal acts set signifi cant limitations on the creation and activity of religious associations. <...> But such restrictions are not imposed on any other type of non-profi t organization (e.g. political © Siberian Federal University. <...> This is a limitation of human rights on grounds of faith. <...> Registration of Religious Organizations: Legal Restrictions and Prospects of Development practice hinders the progressive development of relations in the sphere of implementation of freedom of conscience. <...> It also leads to violation of human rights, because citizens cannot freely implement freedom of religion collectively by creating a religious association, and some types of their activities may be prohibited at any time. <...> This article connects legal forms of activities of religious associations with the problem of their registration by decision of the court. <...> It analyzes the legal limitations established for the religious organizations and religious groups and the future perspectives of development of legislation on freedom of religion in Russia. <...> The fi rst describes the legal framework, legal status of religious associations (religious groups and organizations), and discriminatory status of religious groups compared to religious organizations. <...> The third part deals with the jurisprudence of the Russian courts and the Constitutional Court of Russia <...>