ABUSE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS AND THE FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION OF CITIZENS AS A POTENTIAL FOR DESTRUCTIVE RELIGIOUS SECTS

MIJALKOVIĆ Saša (PhD. Professor at the National Security Studies course, at the Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies, Zemun.Republic of Serbia), sasa.mijalkovic@kpa.edu.rs
POPOVIĆ Marija (MA. Teaching Assistant at the National Security Studies course, at the Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies, Zemun. Republic of Serbia), marija.popovic@kpa.edu.rs

Sects are cloistered indoctrinated groups with strict behavioral rules that are immaculately following certain (pseudo-religious, political, economic, criminal or other destructive) ideologies. They do not have to be religious, and need not be destructive. Their activities are usually camouflaged behind the associations or organizations that have been registered for the performance of the legal and legitimate activities. However, destructive sects are usually unregistered associations that are, among others, endangering safety of their followers, safety of people in their surroundings, including the security of states and international regions. In this regard, the paper reviews the phenomenology of sect activities and their skillfully hiding behind the corpus of religious freedom and the freedom of association of citizens.

Keywords: church, religion, sect, religious freedoms and rights, threatening the security, Republic of Serbia