MINELRES: KNS BELARUS: Europe's Most Repressive Religion Law Adopted This Morning.
MINELRES moderator
[email protected]
Thu Oct 3 10:28:32 2002
Original sender: Keston Institute <[email protected]>
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KESTON NEWS SERVICE, 11.00, 2 October 2002.
Reporting on violations of religious liberty and on religion in
communist and post-communist lands.
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Belarus's parliament has this morning adopted the most repressive
religion law in Europe, so this exceptionally grave news is being sent
to our entire distribution list. A full report will follow in Keston
News Service this evening.
BELARUS: EUROPE'S MOST REPRESSIVE RELIGION LAW ADOPTED
by Felix Corley, Keston News Service
Keston News Service has learnt that the upper house of the Belarusian
parliament has today (2 October) adopted the amendments to the country's
religion law. According to sources in Minsk, the revised religion law
was adopted in the Council of the Republic this morning with 46 votes in
favour, 2 against and 4 abstentions. The bill now goes to President
Aleksandr Lukashenko for signature into law.
If signed by the president, the new law would outlaw unregistered
religious activity, require compulsory prior censorship for all
religious literature; ban foreign citizens from leading religious
organisations; publishing and education would be restricted to faiths
that have ten registered communities, including at least one that had
registration in 1982; and there would be a ban on all but occasional,
small religious meetings in private homes.
A full report will follow in Keston News Service this evening.
MEDIA ADVISORY
Keston News Service is closely monitoring the revised Belarusian
religion law. All requests for interviews should be addressed to Keston
News Service's editor Felix Corley:
Tel.: + 44 (0)208 290 49 97
E-mail: [email protected]
Copyright (c) 2002 Keston Institute. All rights reserved.
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