IRFN (Oct. 23-30): Across Russia, Churches and Mosques Threatened with Closures

Oct 30, 2007

International Religious Freedom Archive
If you would like to sign up to have these weekly newsletters delivered straight to your e-mail inbox, click here.

1. Religious Books Banned at Algeria's Book Fair (Oct. 23)
2. Uganda: Religious Congregations to Register as NGOs (Oct. 24)
3. Bosnia-Herzegovina Establishes Framework for Catholic Activity (Oct. 25)
4. Non-Buddhist Burmese Face Difficulties in Obtaining Identity Cards (Oct. 27)
5. Across Russia, Churches and Mosques Threatened with Closures (Oct. 30)

Features: Asma Jahangir, the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, spoke about the dangers of using religion to justify criminal acts, and about the related dangers of overly broad legislation to prevent such activities. From the UN News Service.

1. Religious Books Banned at Algeria's Book Fair
October 23
Algeria
El-Shorouq El-Yawmi reports that around 1,000 books were banned from being displayed at Algeria's annual book fair. Of these, about 90% had a religious theme. The fair's guidelines set down a number of restrictions on the types of books which may be displayed; among those prohibited are books which encourage terrorism or racism, those which are deemed to harm public morals, and those which offend Allah or the prophets.

2. Uganda: Religious Congregations to Register as NGOs
October 24
Kampala, Uganda
New Vision reports that the government of Uganda will now require all places of worship to register as NGOs, with the exception of the Catholic Church, the Church of Uganda and any mosques. Uganda's Minister for General Duties explained the decision as a response to the number of new congregations which have recently emerged, saying that "we do not know all their intentions". The government hopes to establish a new framework for NGO policy, which would make it easier to weed out organizations that take advantage of people.

3. Bosnia-Herzegovina Establishes Framework for Catholic Activity
October 25
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Catholic News Service reports that the government of Bosnia-Herzegovina signed a concordat with the Vatican which will provide a legal framework for the Catholic Church's activities in the country. Bosnia's bishops have long voiced their concern for the country's Catholics, which presently account for about 15% of the population, saying that they face discrimination in a country which is mostly Muslim and Orthodox Christian.

4. Non-Buddhist Burmese Face Difficulties in Obtaining Identity Cards
October 27
Myanmar
AsiaNews reports that despite the Burmese junta's calls for all those living in Myanmar to "register [themselves]", non-Buddhists have found that the process is substantially more difficult for religious minorities. Muslims, Christians, and animists living in the country find it nearly impossible to obtain identity cards, as they must supply more documents than Buddhists, and often have to resort to paying off officials. Those without an identity card do not have equal access to public health care and will not have the right to vote. See The Becket Fund’s written submission on Burma/Myanmar issued to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2007 here.

5. Across Russia, Churches and Mosques Threatened with Closures
October 30
Russia
Forum 18 reports that state-ordered demolitions of places of worship continue, regardless of denomination. In Astrakhan, in the south, a Muslim community has been told that their newly-constructed mosque did not receive proper authorization and may be destroyed, while the Jesus Christ Pentecostal Church has been told that the building which houses its congregation may be destroy to make way for a theater. In Kaluga, the Word of Life Pentecostal Church continues to fight government efforts to confiscate their property, while in Khakassia, Siberia, another Pentecostal church was demolished on October 22.