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, religious groups object to government interference. Jehovah’s Witnesses are especially concerned.

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.

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