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Armenia proposes to restrict sharing of religious beliefs
by Scott Gilbreath ~ March 24th, 2009
Armenia’s Parliament has given first readings to a new Religion Law and a Criminal Code amendment banning proselytism. The Religion Law would require religious bodies to sign up 5000 adult citizens before being granted legal status.
Human rights and religious groups are deeply concerned about these proposals, which would stifle freedoms of religion and speech and potentially open the way for persecution of “undesirable” religious organisations.
Armenia’s controversial proposed new Religion Law and the proposed new Article 162 in the Criminal Code to punish the sharing of beliefs were approved by Parliament in their first readings on 19 March, the parliamentary website reported. A wide range of religious communities and human rights activists within Armenia have expressed deep concern to Forum 18 News Service about these proposed new Laws. Armenia’s Parliament requested a review of the draft Laws from the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe. The review is expected to be conducted jointly with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and to be presented in June, the Venice Commission told Forum 18 News Service from Strasbourg.
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The revised Article 8 of the Religion Law also bans “proselytism”, defining it as sharing faith using material incentives, using “physical or psychological pressure”, spreading hatred or mistrust of other faiths, using “offensive expressions” about other individuals or faiths or addressing a person without their prior consent at least twice in their home, place of work or place of rest, either in person or by telephone.
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“Such extensive descriptions are unacceptable, especially as they apply to a delicate issue such as religion,” [Stepan] Danielyan of the Collaboration for Democracy Centre told Forum 18 from Yerevan on 24 March. He complains that the proposal to amend the Criminal Code is “highly repressive” which, if adopted, “could effectively apply to any religious activity”.
Mr Danielyan is also concerned that these amendments are part of “a transition from a secular to a religious state” and suggests that the Apostolic Armenian Holy Church lobbied for the changes. He believes that, if the laws pass, ethnic minorities who follow Islam will not be affected.
“They are targeting ethnic Armenians who are members of others faiths.”
A member of the governing coalition was unable to explain why sharing religious views must be so restricted, but not sharing political views.
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