Russian Orthodox Church Wins Defamation Suit on Autonomy Grounds

Russian Orthodox church officials escaped a defamation lawsuit on Monday from a bishop who said church officials falsely accused him of forging documents.

Alexander Belya failed to show the officials were responsible for publishing the defamatory comments about him, an opinion in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York said. Additionally, his suit was barred by the First Amendment’s protections for the right of religious institutions to govern themselves, Judge Arun Subramanian said in granting summary judgment for the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and dismissing Belya’s suit.

Even if Belya’s claims could otherwise proceed, ...