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ARMENIA EVANGELICALS UNDER PRESSURE AMID NEW LEGISLATION
BosNewsLife
http://www.bosnewslife.com/17629-armenia-evangelicals-under-pressure-amid-new-legislation
July 15 2011
YEREVAN/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Rights activists and religious groups
in Armenia say new legislation will increase intolerance towards the
country's evangelical Christians and other minorities, some of whom
already face prosecution for their church activities.
In statements obtained by BosNewsLife Friday, July 15, they criticized
a proposed new 'Religion Law' as well as changes to the 'Law on
Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic
Church' and to the Criminal and Administrative Codes.
"In practice they would be used to repress religious organizations,"
warned Stepan Danielyan,who represents the Yerevan-based Collaboration
for Democracy Center.
"This is a kind of theatrical farce," added Evangelical Pastor Rene
Leonian in a statement distributed by rights group Forum 18.
He spoke as his colleague, Pentecostal Pastor Vladimir Bagdasaryan, was
preparing to hear a possible quilty verdict in a controversial trial.
"ATTACKING" JOURNALISTS
Bagdasaryan was prosecuted for allegedly "attacking" journalists
following "false claims" in media that the suspect of killing his
parents in the coastal city of Sevan is a Jehovah's Witness,stressed
Forum 18, which closely monitored the case.
The troubles began when priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church
allegedly took a Shant TV crew to Sevan's Pentecostal Church following
the November, 2010, murders.
Pastor Bagdasaryan claimed he was told by a priest that they bought
the journalists to his churchbecause "the Jehovah's Witnesses have
no property in the town and meet in homes."
Bagdasaryan said he tried to halt the television crew because they
pushed their way up to the second floor after "disrespectfully"
asking a church member about her Christian faith.
"Seeing that repeating myself didn't result in change of their
actions, I had to cover the camera with one hand. With my other hand
I held the journalist's arm, leading him towards the exit. Suddenly,
the journalist began to cry out 'why are you hitting me, why are you
hitting me?' when in fact, I was just inviting him out gently holding
his arm," the pastor added in a statement distributed by Forum 18.
POLICE CALLED
He reportedly said the two journalists only left after he called
police.
The priests then took the journalists to the, still constructed,
nearby Apostolic Church to tell them in an interview that "sects"
such as the Pentecostal Church "teach people to kill their parents."
Armenian Apostolic Bishop Markos Hovhanissian has reportedly confirmed
that two priests of his diocese took the Shant TV journalists to the
Pentecostal Church in Sevan, but denied they initiated the broadcast.
Christians and rights activists view the case however as a wider,
government backed, effort to discredit religious minorities in the
former Soviet republic.
Pastor Bagdasaryan said the prosecutor has demanded at the trial
that he be convicted and fined 200,000 Drams (about 540 US Dollars)
and than be amnestied by the president. "So I won't actually have to
pay a fine, but this means I'll still be regarded as guilty and have
a criminal record," Pastor Bagdasaryan said. "I feel they'll find me
guilty - everything is moving in that direction."
From: A. Papazian
BosNewsLife
http://www.bosnewslife.com/17629-armenia-evangelicals-under-pressure-amid-new-legislation
July 15 2011
YEREVAN/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)-- Rights activists and religious groups
in Armenia say new legislation will increase intolerance towards the
country's evangelical Christians and other minorities, some of whom
already face prosecution for their church activities.
In statements obtained by BosNewsLife Friday, July 15, they criticized
a proposed new 'Religion Law' as well as changes to the 'Law on
Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic
Church' and to the Criminal and Administrative Codes.
"In practice they would be used to repress religious organizations,"
warned Stepan Danielyan,who represents the Yerevan-based Collaboration
for Democracy Center.
"This is a kind of theatrical farce," added Evangelical Pastor Rene
Leonian in a statement distributed by rights group Forum 18.
He spoke as his colleague, Pentecostal Pastor Vladimir Bagdasaryan, was
preparing to hear a possible quilty verdict in a controversial trial.
"ATTACKING" JOURNALISTS
Bagdasaryan was prosecuted for allegedly "attacking" journalists
following "false claims" in media that the suspect of killing his
parents in the coastal city of Sevan is a Jehovah's Witness,stressed
Forum 18, which closely monitored the case.
The troubles began when priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church
allegedly took a Shant TV crew to Sevan's Pentecostal Church following
the November, 2010, murders.
Pastor Bagdasaryan claimed he was told by a priest that they bought
the journalists to his churchbecause "the Jehovah's Witnesses have
no property in the town and meet in homes."
Bagdasaryan said he tried to halt the television crew because they
pushed their way up to the second floor after "disrespectfully"
asking a church member about her Christian faith.
"Seeing that repeating myself didn't result in change of their
actions, I had to cover the camera with one hand. With my other hand
I held the journalist's arm, leading him towards the exit. Suddenly,
the journalist began to cry out 'why are you hitting me, why are you
hitting me?' when in fact, I was just inviting him out gently holding
his arm," the pastor added in a statement distributed by Forum 18.
POLICE CALLED
He reportedly said the two journalists only left after he called
police.
The priests then took the journalists to the, still constructed,
nearby Apostolic Church to tell them in an interview that "sects"
such as the Pentecostal Church "teach people to kill their parents."
Armenian Apostolic Bishop Markos Hovhanissian has reportedly confirmed
that two priests of his diocese took the Shant TV journalists to the
Pentecostal Church in Sevan, but denied they initiated the broadcast.
Christians and rights activists view the case however as a wider,
government backed, effort to discredit religious minorities in the
former Soviet republic.
Pastor Bagdasaryan said the prosecutor has demanded at the trial
that he be convicted and fined 200,000 Drams (about 540 US Dollars)
and than be amnestied by the president. "So I won't actually have to
pay a fine, but this means I'll still be regarded as guilty and have
a criminal record," Pastor Bagdasaryan said. "I feel they'll find me
guilty - everything is moving in that direction."
From: A. Papazian