Holy See appeals to U.N. for effective religious freedom - (11.11.2002)

Jehovahs Witnesses under fire around the world - (01.03.2002)

Holy See appeals to U.N. for effective religious freedom

Zenith (11.11.2002 ) / HRWF Int. (29.10.2002) Website http://www.hrwf.net - Email info@hrwf.net - The Vatican appealed to the international community for more effective respect of religious freedom and firmly condemned recourse to violence in the name of religion.

Archbishop Renato Martino, head of the observer delegation of the Holy See to the United Nations, made the appeal Friday to the General Assembly, which was discussing human rights questions.

After publicly congratulating Brazilian Sergio Vieira de Mello, new High Commissioner for Human Rights, who is replacing Mary Robinson of Ireland, Archbishop Martino said that John Paul II maintains that, among "the fundamental freedoms which the Church must defend, first place naturally goes to religious freedom."

"The right to freedom of religion is so closely linked to other fundamental rights that it can rightly be argued that respect for religious freedom is, as it were, a touchstone for the observance of other fundamental rights," Archbishop Martino said.

"The Holy See is especially concerned that in many parts of the world, discriminatory or intolerant policies continue, with regard to minorities in states having an official religion," he continued.

"Additional matters of concern are the combining of ethnic and religious persecution in many parts of the world and the blatant disregard and disrespect for churches, religious shrines or sites," he added.

"Religion expresses the deepest dreams, hopes and desires of the human person," said the archbishop, who is also the new president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

"Religious faith helps to shape people's vision of the world and affects their relationships with others," he said. "Indeed, different peoples and cultures throughout history and throughout the world testify to the many and varied ways in which humankind addresses the meaning of creation, history and personal existence.

"The right to life, the right to freedom of religion or belief, and respect for religious and cultural heritage are the basic premises for human existence."

He added: "The fact that there are still many places today where the right to gather for worship is either not recognized or is limited to the members of one religion alone, or where religious belief is pushed aside in the name of development or modern thought, is a sad commentary on any claim to a more just, peaceful world where fundamental rights and freedoms are more widely promoted and respected."

Lastly, the archbishop expressed the Catholic Church's conviction "that recourse to violence, in the name of religious belief, is a perversion of the very teachings of the major religions."

"The use of violence can never claim a religious justification, nor can it foster the growth of true religious feeling," he emphasized.

"Differences between religious traditions must be accepted, respected and tolerated," the archbishop emphasized. "The practice of any faith must be conducted with respect for other religious traditions. Religious tolerance must be based on the conviction that God wishes to be adored by people who are free. This is a conviction which requires us to respect and honor personal conscience, wherein each person meets God."

"The people of the world continue to be scandalized by the sharp divisions that manifest themselves in the destruction of human life in the name of religion," he lamented.

"The Holy See renews its call to all women and men of faith everywhere, to commit themselves courageously to the path that leads to peace, tolerance and understanding," the archbishop added.

"This call is not impossible to hear nor is it an invitation impossible to accept," he said. "It is, however an essential element to building a world in which all people can live in peace and harmony with one another."

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Jehovahs Witnesses under fire around the world

JW European Bureau (01.03.2002)/ HRWF (20.03.2002) C Website http://www.hrwf.net - Email : info@hrwf.net - Every year, Jehovahs Witnesses publish a summary of the acts of discrimination, intolerance and persecution they are exposed to in a number of countries around the world.

This year, they have selected: 13 countries: Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Eritrea, Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, South Korea and Turkmenistan.

Armenia: The Armenian government continues to adamantly refuse to register Jehovahs Witnesses, who comprise one of the largest Christian religions in Armenia. At the moment, 26 Jehovahs Witnesses are in prison for their conscientious refusal of military service on religious ground. Armenia does not give them the possibility to perform an alternative service.

Belgium: Some defamatory comments have continued to be published, especially in the media in the Dutch-speaking part of the country. Upon being presented with evidence, the publishers of these defamatory comments most often have made a retraction. In some schools, teachers have continued to discredit openly the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses and children of Jehovah's Witnesses have been discriminated in some places. About 9,000 children of Jehovah's Witnesses attend public and Catholic schools in Belgium. As mentioned in the 2001 Annual International Religious Freedom Report, the Brussels Exhibition Center refused to rent their facilities to Jehovahs Witnesses for a special meeting in March 2001. The representatives of the Brussels Exhibition Center based their decision on the fact that the Parliamentary Commission listed Jehovahs Witnesses as a sect. After that incident, representatives of Jehovahs Witnesses approached the Belgian Information and Advice Center on Dangerous Sectarian Organizations to know their position on the legal effects of the Parliamentary Commission list. On July 31, 2001, the Center sent Jehovahs Witnesses their official reply stating that the list has no legal effect even on the de facto basis.

Bulgaria: As mentioned in the 2001 Annual International Religious Freedom Report, two members of Jehovahs Witnesses had been ordered to pay approximately $250 (500 leva) fines for holding religious meetings without a local congregation registration. In November 2001, these two Witnesses, Nicolay Arabadjiev and Kostadin Stavrev, appealed to the European Court of Human Rights to protect their freedom of assembly, expression, and worship. The reason for their appeal began on May 4, 1998, when a mob, which included the mayor of Plovdiv, attacked a house of worship of Jehovahs Witnesses in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, during a worship service. Nicolay Arabadjiev and Kostadin Stavrev, as responsible members of the local congregation of Jehovahs Witnesses in Plovdiv, were fined for holding a religious meeting because Jehovahs Witnesses were not registered. Since then, there have been continuous acts of harassment and arrests in connection with the religious activity of Jehovahs Witnesses in Plovdiv.

Although the Denomination of Jehovahs Witnesses was nationally registered in Bulgaria on October 7, 1998, the mayor refuses to register Jehovahs Witnesses in Plovdiv. The refusal is based on a municipal decree enacted by Plovdivs City Council. According to this decree on the territory of the town of Plovdiv, any religious activity is forbidden prior to a registration under this decree in Plovdiv. However, according to Article 6 from the Law of Religions in Bulgaria, local branches of religions are automatically considered legal persons. Under the Decree for Registration of the Governing Bodies of the Local Units of the Recognized Denominations by the Council of Ministers in Republic of Bulgaria, mayors should register within three days the governing bodies of the local branch of a religion.

Individually, Arabadjiev and Stavrev challenged the local decree, which they believe is unconstitutional and contrary to national law, through the Regional, District, and Supreme Administrative Courts. On May 9 and 14, 2001, the Supreme Administrative Court, by means of Decisions No 3136 and 3270, upheld their convictions, sustaining the right of local municipalities to enact such decrees.

Plovdiv is not unique. Municipal authorities in other towns (e.g., Burgas, Pernik, and Stamboliyski) continue to refuse to register local congregations of Jehovahs Witnesses based on local decrees.

Eritrea: Five Jehovahs Witnesses are being held in military camps. There are 350 families who are Jehovahs Witnesses who have fled Eritrea and sought asylum outside the country. At least 36 Jehovahs Witnesses lost their employment; 9 families have been expelled from their homes; and 23 Witness children were expelled from school.

Georgia: Since October 1999, there have been over 80 documented violent attacks involving more than 1,000 victims in an outrageous wave of persecution against Jehovahs Witnesses. Over 600 criminal complaints have been filed without one conviction. Attacks against Jehovahs Witnesses are going on and religious extremists continue to publicly threaten violence against them. In his statement made on February 10 with Rustavi 2 by the bishop of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Atanase said: "We do not want a peaceful way, we want war...". Priest Mkalavishvili declared: "They should be shot, we must annihilate them".

Greece: On June 13, 2001, the Greek Ministry of National Education and Religions, General Directorate of Religions, issued an official document granting Jehovahs Witnesses recognition as a known religion and recognizing their central offices in Greece as a sacred place.

At the moment there are about 10 Jehovahs Witnesses conscientious objectors who are at risk of going to prison solely due to bureaucratic reasons.

In 2001, a new schoolbook in the religious lesson of 1st Lyceum involves a lesson about Jehovahs Witnesses with negative content. Also, some teachers speak against Jehovahs Witnesses in the classroom. For example, in October 2001, a woman teacher in Thessaloniki area showed videotape that describes Jehovahs Witnesses as Satanists. In January 2002, a theologian teacher at a high school in Thessaloniki distributed leaflets to the students against Jehovahs Witnesses.

Kazakhstan: Although 14 communities of Jehovahs Witnesses are presently going through the registration process, it is being artificially delayed by the regional Justice Departments. On December 11, 2001, in Atyrau two Jehovahs Witnesses were detained by police while they were sharing in Bible discussions with their neighbors, and they were taken to the city police department where they were verbally and physically abused.

Romania: The State secretariat of religious affairs refuses to include Jehovahs Witnesses on the official list of recognized religions in Romania and to comply with the Supreme Court decision confirming the religion status of the legal entity used by Jehovahs Witnesses in this country.

Russia: In Moscow as well in other districts, actions to liquidate and ban congregations of Jehovahs Witnesses were filed by City prosecutors and to reverse the registration of Jehovahs Witnesses.

The Prosecutor in the Moscow case repeatedly evaded defining what liquidation of the legal entity of Jehovahs Witnesses in Moscow meant for individual believers. She finally admitted that her objectives are (1) to ensure that Jehovahs Witnesses are legally unable to erect or lease a building in Moscow; and (2) individual Witnesses are not permitted to distribute their literature in Moscow. She also stated that she hoped a victory for the prosecution in the Moscow trial would encourage the Russian Federation to reverse their registration of Jehovahs Witnesses. The Prosecutor also claimed to be representing the rights of all Jehovahs Witnesses in Moscow and that her action was to protect them from their community.

Conscientious Objection: During the period of November-December 2001, there were at least nine of Jehovahs Witnesses forcibly taken to military units. Two from Moscow are being held at present in military detention: Mikhail Nevskii is being held in Vladivostok and Aleksandr Bobrov in Plesetsk, in the Arkhangelsk Region.

On December 12, 2001, Aleksandr Bobrov was taken from his home in Moscow by the militia and sent about 1,000 km to a military unit in the town of Plesetsk. He refused to put on a military uniform and carry out orders. Alesksandr filed a complaint in court. A hearing date was set for February 6, 2002. Nevertheless, Aleksandr has still not been released from the military unit. Similar proceedings are in process regarding Mikhail Nevskii.

Rwanda: Jehovahs Witnesses do not have any problems with the central government, but some provincial authorities occasionally cause problems because of the Witnesses refusal to bear arms, in particular, their refusal to accompany armed patrols at night.

Singapore: The government restricts the activities of Jehovahs Witnesses. There are 25 Jehovahs Witnesses convicted and incarcerated for refusal to participate in military service. There were 15 Witness schoolchildren indefinitely suspended from public school in 2000 and 2001 for refusing to participate in patriotic ceremonies; 18 face suspension in one month of 2002.

South Korea: There are 1,640 Jehovahs Witnesses imprisoned in South Korea for conscientious objection to military service. South Korea has no alternative civilian service nor does it exempt religious ministers.

Turkmenistan: During the year 2001, the persecution of Jehovahs Witnesses and other religious minorities continued in Turkmenistan. There are six Jehovahs Witnesses currently imprisoned in Turkmenistan for their religious activities. Although Jehovahs Witnesses have attempted to legally register their religious activity, their efforts have been thwarted for quite some time due to opposition from government officials. Therefore, the activity of Jehovahs Witnesses is considered illegal. Following are a few examples of the most extreme human right violations against Jehovahs Witnesses.

Religious Prisoners: There are six Jehovahs Witnesses currently imprisoned in Turkmenistan. Three of them have been arrested solely for their religious beliefs using fabricated charges:

• Dzhumanazarova, Oguldzhan Yangibayevna [Mrs] was given 4 years prison sentence, which started in July 2001. The sentence was based on fabricated charges about fraud. She used to work for a public attorneys association and helped other Jehovahs Witnesses in Seydi with their legal problems. As a result, the authorities tried to confine her to a psychiatric hospital, which she managed to avoid just by fleeing from the city. Now she is confined in a state womens colony in the city of Dashhowuz.

• Khalikov, Ikhtiyar [Mr] was given 3? years sentence using fabricated charges. During a police search a hand-rifle was planted in his car. He is currently located in the minimum-security correctional labour colony in the city of Seydi.
• Annamammedov, Yazmammed [Mr] was taken into custody and sentenced for 4 years in prison after ammunitions were planted in his house during a home search in November 1999. Prior to that he had been arrested and beaten several times by the local police. He is now located in the middle-security corrective labour colony in Turkmenbashi. He has a wife and three minor children at home.

The other three imprisoned Jehovahs Witnesses in Turkmenistan are conscientious objectors:

• Zakirov, Kurban Bagdatovich; detained on April 23, 1999; sentenced on May 25, 1999, to 1 year in minimum-security corrective labour colony (ITKOR) for conscientious objection to military service. In December 1999 he was granted a pardon but not released because of refusal to swear the State oath of loyalty. In spring 2000, when the term was finished, he was not released but was put into another unit for the same reason (refusal to swear the oath). Upon his refusal to swear the oath, one officer, in presence of others, ripped off his shoulder strap and said that it was Zakirov who attacked on him. A protocol was made, and the court sentenced him for attacking the security service; the sentence: eight years in high-security corrective labour colony (ITKSR) in the city of Ch?rjew. He was recently transferred to sheltered regime (the strictest regime, i.e. no right to go for walks);

• Yeremeyev, Yurii; detained on December 8, 2000; sentenced on January 19, 2001, for conscientious objection to military service for 1? years in minimum-security corrective labour colony (ITKOR); he is currently located in the minimum-security corrective labour colony (ITKOR) in the city of Seydi;

• Osipov, Ilya Vladimirovitch; sentenced on July 30, 2001, to one-year imprisonment for conscientious objection. On September 6, 2001 the higher court left the sentence without changes. On September 27, 2001, the supervisory appeal filed by Osipov was dismissed. Later he was granted a pardon, but because he refused to swear an oath on the Koran and picture of the President, he remained in prison. Beginning of termNovember 21, 2001.

In addition to these who are currently in prison, there are six Jehovahs Witnesses who had been in prison for refusal of military service but were recently released after serving at least a part of their sentence. Time spent in prison varied from one year to two years. They would have been released earlier had they taken an oath on the Koran as described above.

Denial of Freedom of Religion and Association: On September 24, 2001, the Turkmenistan Supreme Court upheld the lower court decisions ordering the eviction of the Segzekov family in a case denying freedom of religion and association for Jehovahs Witnesses in Ashgabat. The Segzekovs were accused of using their Stated-owned apartment systematically for religious meetings and thus causing disturbance for their neighbors. While it is true that the Segzekov family was given an official warning after the Security Service learned about the small friendly gatherings they were having with their fellow believers, all these meetings ceased after the first (and only) warning. Overlooking these elementary procedural violations, the Supreme Court supported the standing of the lower courts.

The Segzekov family has exhausted all domestic legal remedies and is subject to eviction from their home. The OSCE office in Ashgabat has been in communication with the family. Thus far, the Turkmenistan authorities have not taken any steps to actually evict the family.

There is a growing number of reported cases of harassment by police and other authorities. Many Jehovahs Witnesses have been arrested when they have been discussing religious topics with willingly inclined people. Private gatherings have been interrupted and all in attendance taken to the police station. High fines have been administered. Some Witnesses have been dismissed from their workplaces after the authorities have learned about their religious inclination. Many have been kept in police custody for several days.