Greece (cited above, §§   41-42) and Metropolitan   Church   of   Bessarabia   and   Others   v.

  43425/98, 3   October 2002; Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others   v. Moldova (dec.), no.   45701/99, 7 June 2001; and Edelmayer   v.   Austria (dec.), no.

  43425/98, 3   October 2002; Metropolitan   Church of Bessarabia and Others   v. Moldova (dec.), no.   45701/99, 7 June 2001; and Edelmayer   v.

Bearing witness in words and deeds is bound up with the existence of religious convictions (see Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others v.

remain neutral and impartial in exercising its regulatory power in the sphere of religious freedom and in its relations with different religions, denominations and beliefs (see Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia

Poland (dec.), no. 43425/98, 3 October 2002; Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others v. Moldova (dec.), no. 45701/99, 7   June   2001; and Edelmayer v.

that it is primarily for the national courts to interpret and apply domestic law, the Court is prepared to accept that the interference in question was prescribed by law (see Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia

  43425/98, 3   October 2002; Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others   v. Moldova (dec.), no.   45701/99, 7 June 2001; and Edelmayer   v.   Austria (dec.), no.

  Greece , 26 September 1996, § 47, Reports of Judgments and Decisions 1996-IV, and Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others v.   Moldova , no. 45701/99, § 123, ECHR 2001-XII). 46.

xa0; The Court recalls that it has previously made awards in respect of non-pecuniary damage in cases where companies or other moral entities were applicants (see for example Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia

  40524/08, § 37, 23 March 2017, and Metodiev and Others , cited above, § 36, and contrast Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others v.   Moldova , no. 45701/99, § 105, ECHR 2001-XII).

    Having official recognition or legal personality are not a pre-condition for exercising rights under Article 9 by a religious group (see Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others v.

Transdniestria and Moldova’s independence declaration   Created by a decision of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on 2 August 1940, the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic consisted of part of Bessarabia

  43425/98, 3   October 2002; Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others   v. Moldova (dec.), no.   45701/99, 7 June 2001; and Edelmayer   v.   Austria (dec.), no.

  43425/98, 3   October 2002; Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others   v. Moldova (dec.), no.   45701/99, 7 June 2001; and Edelmayer   v.   Austria (dec.), no.

  43425/98, 3   October 2002; Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia and Others   v. Moldova (dec.), no.   45701/99, 7 June 2001; and Edelmayer   v.   Austria (dec.), no.

judgment of 24 February 1998, Reports of Judgments and Decisions 1998-I, p. 378, § 40; Hashman and Harrup v. the United Kingdom [GC], no. 25594/94, § 31, ECHR 1999-VIII; and Metropolitan Church of Bessarabia

Benabbas, and which matched an entry in A.T.’s accounts book marked “36,800 francs, Lyseo” and B.B.’s statements; the payment by the applicant of GBP 5,000 and 50,000 French francs (FRF), as shown by an