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ARMENIA: RELIGIOUS GROUPS CRITICISE LAW LIMITING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
AsiaNews, Hong Kong
Dec 15 2010
Amendments to the law would require "expert opinion" before religious
groups are authorised with the state retaining the right to withdraw
permits. "Illegal" religious activities would be severely punished.
For the government, the Council of Europe will vet the proposed
amendments. However, ...
Wednesday, December 15, 2010By Asia News
Yerevan (AsiaNews/F18) - Religious groups have slammed proposed
changes to Armenia's religious laws. The government has countered
that the new rules will be examined and approved by the Council of
Europe before they come into effect.
Not everyone is convinced. "All these laws so closely regulating
religious activity represent an intrusion on the part of the
government," one religious leader, who asked not to be identified,
told Forum 18. "We are very worried, as several points are a very
real threat to religious freedom," Armen Lusyan of Yerevan's Word of
Life Protestant Church said, as he spoke to Forum 18.
Under the proposed amendments, a religious organisation would be
authorised "on the basis of an expert opinion of its religiousness".
It would also be subject to review of its "doctrine", something that
could be extended to all other aspects of the group's life, including
its activities, its views on family and education, as well as any
limitations it might impose on the civil rights of its members. If
expert opinion was negative, applications for recognition could be
turned down.
The amendments would leave unchanged the requirement (introduced in
1997) of a membership of 200 adults before a religious organisation
is officially recognised; however, the latter would not be allowed,
"to engage in activities conflicting with the objectives envisaged
by its statute or prohibited by law". This includes respect for its
members and their property.
Even after recognition, religious groups would be required to submit
a detailed annual report on their activities in relation to their
social activities (charity, construction, health care and education)
and other events (celebrations, pilgrimage, concerts, camping).
Failure to provide such information or engaging in religious activity
without prior recognition would be punished with fines of up to 500
times the minimum wage.
The state also reserves the right to revoke a permit and ban the
activities of religious groups that breach "public security and
public order", damage "public health and morality", violate "human
rights and freedoms," intervene arbitrarily in the life of families,
push people to refuse "civil obligations prescribed by the law" or
"commit other illegal actions".
Using material, moral and other inducements to proselytise would also
be against the law. Exploiting inexperience or mental disabilities is
banned. Offenders could be punished with up to three months in prison
and hefty fines (500 to 1,000 times the minimum wage). Praying in
kindergarten, schools and other places of education or teaching as
well as social institutions is banned as well.
Religious groups object to the amendments, saying that they would
limit religious freedom and grant the majority Armenian Apostolic
Church undue privileges.
For Lusyan, with such new powers the authorities could ban even the
most mundane activity like using books and websites to promote one's
faith because they could be deemed "proselytising".
Jehovah's Witnesses are particularly concerned since some of the
prohibitions would directly touch upon their beliefs (like their
opposition to compulsory military service or their refusal to accept
blood transfusions).
For its part, the government insisted that the proposed amendments are
to be examined by the European Commission for Democracy through Law
(aka the Venice Commission), a body of the Council of Europe, which
made public the proposed changes on its website on 30 November. The
review is expected to be formally adopted at the Venice Commission
plenary meeting on 17 and 18 December in Venice.
For Armenian authorities, this should provide enough guarantees to
religious minorities. What is more, changes would eventually have
to come before parliament where there will be a broad opportunity to
discuss them.
However, Rev Rene Leonian, head of the Armenian Evangelical Church,
is "very surprised" that the Armenian government sent the proposed
amendments to the Venice Commission without first informing and
consulting local religious communities.
From: A. Papazian
AsiaNews, Hong Kong
Dec 15 2010
Amendments to the law would require "expert opinion" before religious
groups are authorised with the state retaining the right to withdraw
permits. "Illegal" religious activities would be severely punished.
For the government, the Council of Europe will vet the proposed
amendments. However, ...
Wednesday, December 15, 2010By Asia News
Yerevan (AsiaNews/F18) - Religious groups have slammed proposed
changes to Armenia's religious laws. The government has countered
that the new rules will be examined and approved by the Council of
Europe before they come into effect.
Not everyone is convinced. "All these laws so closely regulating
religious activity represent an intrusion on the part of the
government," one religious leader, who asked not to be identified,
told Forum 18. "We are very worried, as several points are a very
real threat to religious freedom," Armen Lusyan of Yerevan's Word of
Life Protestant Church said, as he spoke to Forum 18.
Under the proposed amendments, a religious organisation would be
authorised "on the basis of an expert opinion of its religiousness".
It would also be subject to review of its "doctrine", something that
could be extended to all other aspects of the group's life, including
its activities, its views on family and education, as well as any
limitations it might impose on the civil rights of its members. If
expert opinion was negative, applications for recognition could be
turned down.
The amendments would leave unchanged the requirement (introduced in
1997) of a membership of 200 adults before a religious organisation
is officially recognised; however, the latter would not be allowed,
"to engage in activities conflicting with the objectives envisaged
by its statute or prohibited by law". This includes respect for its
members and their property.
Even after recognition, religious groups would be required to submit
a detailed annual report on their activities in relation to their
social activities (charity, construction, health care and education)
and other events (celebrations, pilgrimage, concerts, camping).
Failure to provide such information or engaging in religious activity
without prior recognition would be punished with fines of up to 500
times the minimum wage.
The state also reserves the right to revoke a permit and ban the
activities of religious groups that breach "public security and
public order", damage "public health and morality", violate "human
rights and freedoms," intervene arbitrarily in the life of families,
push people to refuse "civil obligations prescribed by the law" or
"commit other illegal actions".
Using material, moral and other inducements to proselytise would also
be against the law. Exploiting inexperience or mental disabilities is
banned. Offenders could be punished with up to three months in prison
and hefty fines (500 to 1,000 times the minimum wage). Praying in
kindergarten, schools and other places of education or teaching as
well as social institutions is banned as well.
Religious groups object to the amendments, saying that they would
limit religious freedom and grant the majority Armenian Apostolic
Church undue privileges.
For Lusyan, with such new powers the authorities could ban even the
most mundane activity like using books and websites to promote one's
faith because they could be deemed "proselytising".
Jehovah's Witnesses are particularly concerned since some of the
prohibitions would directly touch upon their beliefs (like their
opposition to compulsory military service or their refusal to accept
blood transfusions).
For its part, the government insisted that the proposed amendments are
to be examined by the European Commission for Democracy through Law
(aka the Venice Commission), a body of the Council of Europe, which
made public the proposed changes on its website on 30 November. The
review is expected to be formally adopted at the Venice Commission
plenary meeting on 17 and 18 December in Venice.
For Armenian authorities, this should provide enough guarantees to
religious minorities. What is more, changes would eventually have
to come before parliament where there will be a broad opportunity to
discuss them.
However, Rev Rene Leonian, head of the Armenian Evangelical Church,
is "very surprised" that the Armenian government sent the proposed
amendments to the Venice Commission without first informing and
consulting local religious communities.
From: A. Papazian