FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief
===============================================
Tuesday 12 July 2011
ARMENIA: “IT WOULD HAVE ENDED BADLY, FOR THEM AND FOR US”
Armenia’s religious minorities face barriers to their exercising freedom of
religion or belief from senior officials, politicians, media outlets and
priests of the dominant Armenian Apostolic Church, several communities have
told Forum 18 News Service. Owners of two separate venues, forced to cancel
contracts with Jehovah’s Witnesses in June, have told Forum 18 that they
did so unwillingly after facing “pressure”. One stated 18 that: “It would
have ended badly, for them [Jehovah’s Witnesses] and for us. If the meeting
had gone ahead, state structures would have become involved.” Also the
criminal trial of a Pentecostal Pastor Vladimir Bagdasaryan, whose
colleagues insist he should never have been prosecuted, nears its end in
the central town of Sevan. Bagdasaryan told Forum 18 that the Prosecutor
stated that he should be fined and then amnestied. “But this means I’ll
still be regarded as guilty and have a criminal record,” he complained.
Both the Collaboration For Democracy Centre and the Helsinki Committee of
Armenia have documented numerous instances of official and media
intolerance, leading to denials of freedom of religion or belief.
ARMENIA: “IT WOULD HAVE ENDED BADLY, FOR THEM AND FOR US”
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service
Armenia’s religious minorities face obstructions to their exercising
freedom of religion or belief from senior officials, politicians, media
outlets and priests of the dominant Armenian Apostolic Church, several
communities have told Forum 18 News Service. Owners of two separate venues,
forced to cancel contracts with Jehovah’s Witnesses in June, have stated to
Forum 18 that they did so unwillingly after facing “pressure”. They refused
to specify in detail who threatened or pressured them. And the criminal
trial of a Pentecostal Pastor, Vladimir Bagdasaryan, whose colleagues
insist he should never have been prosecuted, nears its conclusion in the
central town of Sevan.
Deputy Justice Minister Emil Babayan dismissed suggestions that some
officials, politicians, and Armenian Apostolic priests acted to restrict
the religious freedom of religious minorities, accompanied by hostile media
coverage. “You need to hear both sides of each story,” he told Forum 18
from Armenia’s capital Yerevan on 11 July.
He said he had not followed the prosecution of Pastor Bagdasaryan in Sevan,
but insisted his Ministry does not get involved in court cases. He said
that if the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ contracts have been illegally terminated,
they can go to court.
The telephone of government religious affairs official Vardan Astsatryan of
the Department for Ethnic Minorities and Religious Affairs went unanswered
each time Forum 18 called between 6 and 12 July.
The vilification of religious minorities in the media, social pressure,
obstruction to their activities and behind the scenes official pressure
continue as the Justice Ministry today (12 July) published on its website
its latest proposed new Religion Law and amendments to other laws (see
forthcoming F18News article).
Pastor’s trial
The trial of Pastor Bagdasaryan began under Judge Samvel Asatryan in the
central town of Sevan on 31 March, with about seven or eight hearings since
then. “I don’t think this is normal – the case should have been closed down
on the first day,” he told Forum 18 on 11 July.
Pastor Bagdasaryan is accused under Article 164 Part 1 of the Criminal
Code: “Obstructing the lawful professional activities of a journalist, or
forcing the journalist to disseminate information or not to disseminate
information, is punishable with a fine of between 200 and 400 times the
minimum salary.”
Following false claims in the media that an alleged murderer in Sevan is a
Jehovah’s Witness, priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church took a Shant TV
crew to Sevan’s Pentecostal Church in November 2010. The TV crew did not
seek permission to enter private property where the Church meets, and
refused to leave when asked, so Pastor Bagdasaryan tried to stop them
filming. After the TV station broadcast a report claiming that the Pastor
attacked journalists, a criminal investigation was opened. Police have
refused to state what was “lawful” about the journalists’ activities.
No charges have been brought against the journalists for their unauthorised
activities on private property, and the Yerevan Press Club told Forum 18
that prosecutors are not usually so quick to defend journalists and start
criminal proceedings (see F18News 24 February 2011
).
Pastor Bagdasaryan said the trial is now close to completion. The
Prosecutor Fedrik Bagdasaryan (no relation) summed up the prosecution case
on 8 July, and on 13 July Pastor Badasaryan’s lawyer is due to give the
closing defence address to the Court. A verdict is expected at a further
hearing after that.
“They’ll find me guilty – everything is moving in that direction”
Pastor Bagdasaryan said the Prosecutor demanded at the trial that he be
convicted and fined 200,000 Drams (3,030 Norwegian Kroner, 388 Euros or 543
US Dollars), the minimum fine under Criminal Code Article 164 Part 1. “He
told the Court I should then come under the amnesty declared by the
President, so I won’t actually have to pay a fine. But this means I’ll
still be regarded as guilty and have a criminal record,” Pastor Bagdasaryan
complained to Forum 18. “I feel they’ll find me guilty – everything is
moving in that direction.”
At each hearing, a group of about 15 “burly young men” accompanied the two
journalists to court. “They claim they need protection from us – they’re
deliberately trying to portray us as dangerous,” Pastor Bagdasaryan added.
Each day there is a hearing, Shant TV, where the two journalists work,
“repeats the same lies about us – that we’re making people stupid, that
we’re dangerous, that we’re a sect”, Pastor Bagdasaryan complained.
Employees of Shant TV told Forum 18 from Yerevan on 12 July that no-one was
available to comment on the prosecution of Pastor Bagdasaryan, why a group
of about 15 “burly” men accompany the journalists to the trial, or why the
station repeatedly broadcasts hostile programmes about religious
minorities.
Pastor Bagdasaryan stressed that throughout the long-running court case,
his Church has continued to meet undisturbed.
Vanadzor conference cancelled
Jehovah’s Witnesses rented an auditorium in the northern town of Vanadzor
for a three-day convention, due to be held from 10 to 12 June with about
600 attendees. However, when they arrived on the morning of 10 June they
found the venue locked, Jehovah’s Witnesses told Forum 18.
The owner claimed that he had received a telephone call from someone
threatening to bomb the building if it was used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The
owner also told Jehovah’s Witnesses that he was willing to allow the
convention to take place only if he received approval from the authorities.
Following unsuccessful Jehovah’s Witness appeals to the police and regional
authorities to ensure that the meeting was allowed to proceed safely, the
convention was cancelled.
Consider the consequences..
In a meeting with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Aram Kocharyan, Governor of the Lori
Region (which includes the city of Vanadzor), confirmed that he had called
the owner of the auditorium on 9 June and told the owner to consider the
consequences of renting the facility to Jehovah’s Witnesses. The governor
then stated that his comments to the owner were not meant as a threat, but
rather a statement that violence against Jehovah’s Witnesses from members
of a youth group could break out at the building. The governor agreed to
notify the owner on the evening of 10 June that his office had no objection
to the convention being held on the following two days. However, the owner
chose not to provide the auditorium to the Witnesses for the convention.
Forum 18 understands that just before the convention was due to start, a
youth organisation sent a letter containing threats if it was not
cancelled, but has been unable to obtain a copy of the letter.
Tigran Badoyan, an aide to Governor Kocharyan, confirmed to Forum 18 from
Vanadzor on 16 June that Jehovah’s Witnesses had come to discuss their
concerns with the Governor. But he denied that Governor Kocharyan had made
any phone calls about the convention, insisting that owners and renters are
free to come to their own agreements. He denied having heard of any threats
to the Jehovah’s Witness meeting.
Armen Abrahamyan, owner of the auditorium the Jehovah’s Witnesses had
signed a contract with, said a youth movement had issued “a sort of
threat”. He declined to identify the movement. He added that pressure had
then come from the police and “other structures”, but declined to name them
either, saying this was “not a conversation to have over the telephone”. He
said the Governor was not one of those exerting pressure. Electricity had
been cut off to the venue, but he said he did not know who had done this.
“We were in a no-win situation,” Abrahamyan told Forum 18 from Vanadzor on
11 July. “It would have ended badly, for them [Jehovah’s Witnesses] and for
us. If the meeting had gone ahead, state structures would have become
involved.” He said the forced cancellation of the meeting was a violation
of religious freedom, but stressed that he focuses on business. “We don’t
want conflict or harm.”
June Yerevan conference disturbed..
Jehovah’s Witnesses signed an agreement to rent the Niko Wedding Hall in
Parakar near Zvartnots airport to the west of Yerevan for two conventions,
from 24 to 26 June, and from 1 to 3 July. The hall belongs to the Hatsi
Burmunk company, owned by Mayis Khachatryan. About 1,000 Jehovah’s
Witnesses attended the first convention.
At lunchtime on the final day of the June convention, four Armenian
Apostolic priests, a member of a youth movement and three women arrived
unannounced at the hall. Two of the priests – Parakar parish priest Fr
Gegam Kesablyan and Fr Yegishe Avetisyan, chaplain of the Apostolic
Church’s Youth Organisation – shouted at and insulted those present,
Jehovah’s Witnesses told Forum 18. They said they would not tolerate the
continuation of such a meeting. After about half an hour they left.
Two police officers then arrived at the venue, a Major Harut (last name
unknown) and Bagdasar (last name unknown). They did not interfere in the
resumption of the convention, which continued until its conclusion that
afternoon. “Nothing happened – the meeting proceeded normally,” Major Harut
told Forum 18 on 11 July. “No-one obstructed the meeting.”
..then July Yerevan conference cancelled
Jehovah’s Witnesses told Forum 18 that an unidentified parliamentary deputy
then arrived, who reportedly told the managers and then the owner to cancel
the rental contract. The two managers – Armen and Ayvaz (last names
unknown) – then told Jehovah’s Witness leaders they needed to discuss the
further rental.
Local media cited employees of the wedding hall and renters of neighbouring
rooms as having summoned the priests. Panarmenian.net claimed on 27 June
that “thanks to the correct argumentation of the priests”, the owners
cancelled the contract.
However, on 26 June the owner, Mayis Khachatryan, received telephone calls
from the Prosecutor’s Office, three parliamentary deputies and the tax
office, sources who asked not to be identified told Forum 18. He was
summoned the following day to the Chief of Police in Vagarshapat, Gevork
Khachatyran (no relation). Citing instructions from unidentified senior
officials, the Police Chief reportedly demanded that the owner not rent to
Jehovah’s Witnesses if he did not want his business to be closed down.
The managers of the hall, Armen and Ayvaz, confirmed to Forum 18 on 11 July
that “political pressure, mainly from priests” had led to their reluctant
decision to cancel the contract. They confirmed that police had become
involved, but insisted they had arrived “to prevent hooliganism from
anyone”. They declined to discuss anything further.
Police Chief Khachatryan denied absolutely warning the wedding hall owner
to cancel the contract with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. “I didn’t do it,” he
told Forum 18 from Vagarshapat on 12 July. He then put the phone down.
Subsequent calls went unanswered.
The two police officers who attended the June conference, a Major Harut
(last name unknown) and Bagdasar (last name unknown), would not discuss why
the July convention was forcibly cancelled.
Forum 18 reached Fr Avetisyan at the Apostolic Church’s headquarters at
Echmiadzin on 12 July and asked why he disturbed a meeting organised by a
different religious community. However, he put the phone down.
Forum 18’s ten attempts to reach the Apostolic Church’s spokesperson Fr
Vahran Melikyan at his office in Echmiadzin and on his mobile on 11 and 12
July were unsuccessful.
Will President protect religious freedom?
The abrupt cancellation of the two meetings in Vanadzor and Yerevan repeats
problems Armenia’s Jehovah’s Witnesses faced in 2010, when three such
proposed conventions to be held in privately-owned buildings – in Vanadzor,
the northern city of Gyumri and Yerevan – had to be cancelled.
On 8 October 2010, and again on 27 June 2011, Jehovah’s Witnesses wrote to
President Serzh Sargsyan, “respectfully requesting his assistance so that
the Witnesses can exercise their Constitutional right to freely assemble
and hold peaceful religious conventions in accordance with the European
Convention on Human Rights”. Jehovah’s Witnesses told Forum 18 they had
received no response to either letter by 12 July.
On 12 July, President Sargsyan’s spokesperson, Armen Arzumanyan, promised
to provide Forum 18 the following day with information on what response the
President had given to the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ letters.
Is intolerance government policy?
Some Armenian human rights defenders suggest that encouraging intolerance
against non-Apostolic Church churches and faiths has become government
policy. Stepan Danielyan of the Yerevan-based Collaboration For Democracy
Centre observes that “the trend towards restricting the religious freedoms
[sic] has become systemic” in 2009 and 2010.
Danielyan, writing in an April 2011 report “Coverage of Religious Issues in
the Armenian Media 2010”, bases his conclusion that religious intolerance
is government policy on “legal initiatives of the [Armenian] Government,
public statements of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education, the
situation in educational institutions, the reporting policy of television
companies under [the] government’s control, as well as the lack of reaction
on the part of law enforcement agencies to obvious cases of religious
discrimination” (see
).
Danielyan observes that the Apostolic Church is seen “not only as a
national-traditional, but also as a social-political institution, unlike
other religious organisations”. He sees this as “the main point in the
promotion of religious intolerance in Armenia”.
Based on over 800 articles from major Armenian newspapers and news
websites, archived on the Collaboration for Democracy Centre website, the
report documents many examples of media intolerance. These include the
suggestion that so-called “sects” are responsible for suicides – even
though police have not recorded one instance of suicide for religious
reasons. Similarly, in relation to the November 2010 Sevan murder case, one
newspaper implied that the Jehovah’s Witnesses both undermined national
security and turned the murderer into “a parent-killing machine”.
Similarly, the Helsinki Committee of Armenia has also documented numerous
instances of official and media intolerance, leading to denials of freedom
of religion or belief. For a 2010 report “Freedom of Religion in Armenia –
A Study”, the Helsinki Committee conducted media reviews, surveys of public
opinion, and interviews with religious believers, journalists, politicians,
officials and human rights defenders.
Among the report’s many conclusions and recommendations, it documents that
“negative attitudes of the vast majority of the public towards
non-Apostolic religious organizations were forged on the basis of unfounded
gossip, as well as the non-professional publications and coverage by the
mass media” (see ). (END)
More coverage of freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Armenia and
the unrecognised entity of Nagorno-Karabakh is at
A compilation of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) freedom of religion or belief commitments can be found at
.
A printer-friendly map of Armenia is available at
.
(END)
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