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The Situation Of Religious Freedom Is Bad In Azerbaijan

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  • The Situation Of Religious Freedom Is Bad In Azerbaijan

    THE SITUATION OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IS BAD IN AZERBAIJAN

    http://www.yerkirmedia.am/?act=news&lan=en&id=8786
    12:02 . 31/07

    "The constitution of the Republic of Armenia protects religious
    freedom, and in practice the government generally respected religious
    freedom," the 2011 Report on Religious Freedom of the US State
    Department says.

    "Some laws and policies restrict the religious freedom of members of
    religious groups, but the government generally did not enforce these
    legal restrictions." At the same time, it is stated in the report that
    the Armenian government did not demonstrate a trend toward either
    improvement or deterioration in respect for and protection of the
    right to religious freedom.

    The situation in this sphere is bad in Azerbaijan, where, according to
    the State Department, the authorities confiscated religious materials,
    and harassed and detained some members of Muslim and Christian groups.

    There were reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on
    religious affiliation, belief, or practice.

    Though the state department says Turkey is a more democratic country
    than Azerbaijan, but two incidents, the murder of Hrant Dink in 2007
    and the murder of Armenian serviceman Sevag Balikci on April 24 were
    mentioned in the list of religious and ethnic intolerances.

    Touching upon the religious freedom in Georgia, the report states
    though there were no reports on serious violations of religious
    freedom, some systemic issues remained largely unchanged such as the
    return and maintenance of disputed church property claimed by religious
    minority groups. In this respect, especially the Armenian Apostolic
    Church is mentioned, (Armenians are the third largest ethnic group
    (6 percent of the population) and primarily belong to the AAC).

    The main concern of the church is the return of five churches in
    Tbilisi and one in Akhaltsikhe. However, the status of at least 30
    other churches claimed by the AAC remained in dispute. Mughni Surb
    Gevorg is also touched upon in the report. It is said though the
    Ministry of Culture allocated 9,895 lari ($6,925) for renovation of a
    disputed church building, Mughni Surb Gevorg, AAC reported no further
    action was taken on the church's restoration.

    The State Department says in the report the situation of religious
    freedom has improved in Russia, but Russia is still in the list of
    countries, where there are problems in the sphere. Besides the Russian
    Federation, the list also includes Afghanistan, Vietnam, Iran, China,
    Cuba, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Syria, Sudan, Uzbekistan
    and Eritrea.

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