In the Russian temples mount surveillance cameras

At the end of February, 2020 it became known that in the Russian temples install video surveillance systems. The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) announced it officially.

The head of Legal department of the Moscow patriarchy the Mother Superior Ksenia (Chernega) said that the cameras are mounted to prevent thefts of church property and personal belongings of parishioners.

The ROC defined installation sites of cameras in temples

Place cameras in altars and confessionals and also in the brotherly and sisterly body of monasteries will not be — video surveillance in such cases can be replaced with "periodic bypasses", the Mother Superior reported.

She also added that mount the cameras only in those premises which accomodate more than 500 people  and where there take place regular church services, and the prior of the temple can make the decision on time shutdown of cameras during church ceremonies, such as baptism, wedding and burial service.

As the representative of ROC said, installation of video cameras will be begun with the Tula diocese, but pilot projects at introduction of video surveillance will not be. Besides, in small and rural temples of the camera will not place, Interfax tells.

Installation of cameras was begun according to the government decree "About the Approval of Requirements of Anti-terrorist Security of Objects of the Religious Organizations" which was accepted in September, 2019. For accomplishment of measures for protection of temples, according to the resolution, in the organizations the commissions headed by her head which define  an installation procedure of cameras are created and make the decision on protection of objects by divisions of the National Guard of the Russian Federation.^[1]   

Information stated in  Telegram channels [that the cameras began to be mounted after attack],  is not true and  has speculative character  — concluded Chernega.

Notes