Interreligious Council in Russia has issued a statement on inadmissibility of state registration as trademark designations reproducing religious symbols

The statement of the Interreligious Council in Russia, negotiated online with members of its Presidium, appeals not to use sacred symbols, images and names of saints on the labels of commercial products primarily alcoholic ones.

Statement of the Interreligious Council in Russia
on the inadmissibility of state registration of labels as trademark designations
reproducing religious symbols

In the recent time, there have been cases of the use as trademark designations reproducing the names of saints as well as creeds and other notions and symbols held dear by believers, including for the aim of placing them on alcoholic products.

Trademarks intended, among other things, for marking alcoholic products applicative to a circle of people, including believers who are committed to a particular religious confession, and the information contained in these trademarks is public.

The application of images or names of saints to alcoholic products, their use as trademarks can be assessed as an action aimed to insult the religious feelings of believers and to defile an object of veneration including the name of a saint.

The use of the name of a saint acknowledged by a religious confession registered in accordance with the established procedure or his image cannot be an exclusive right of a particular natural person or legal entity that is not a religious organization or not established by it.

In this connection, it is absolute inadmissible to register by state the trademark designations reproducing the names of saints, their images as well as creeds and other notions venerated by believers and categories semantically connected with them (i.e., commercialization of such holy images, symbols, notions), the more so for making alcoholic products.

ICR website/
DECR Communication Service

Print publication

Interreligious Council in Russia has issued a statement on inadmissibility of state registration as trademark designations reproducing religious symbols

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons