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.
SIC: AN/INT'L