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> >From apakabar@clark.net Thu Jul 24 16:07:09 1997
> From: John MacDougall
> Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 16:07:08 -0400 (EDT)
> Message-Id: <199707242007.QAA21568@explorer2.clark.net>
> X-URL: http://www.usia.gov/topical/rights/religion/religion.htm
> To: apakabar@clark.net
> Subject: religion.htm
>
>
> Great Seal
>
> United States Policies in Support of Religious Freedom:
> Focus on Christians
>
> Report Consistent with the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act,
> Fiscal Year 1997, House Report 3610
>
> Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Affairs,
> July 22, 1997.
>
> Blue Bar
>
> CONTENTS
>
> * Foreword by Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
> * UNITED STATES POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: Focus on
> Christians
> * Overview
> * EXECUTIVE BRANCH ACTIONS
> + Presidential Initiatives
> + Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad
> + Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
> + Reporting on Religious Persecution
> + Asylum Adjudication
> + Business Principles
> + Broadcasting
> + Foreign Assistance Programs
> * BILATERAL DIPLOMACY
> * MULTILATERAL DIPLOMACY
> + United Nations General Assembly
> + Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
> * ANNEX
>
> * Afghanistan
> * Algeria
> * Armenia
> * Austria
> * Azerbaijan
> * Bahrain
> * Bangladesh
> * Belarus
> * Belgium
> * Bhutan
> * Bosnia and Herzegovina
> * Brunei
> * Bulgaria
> * Burma
> * Burundi
> * Cameroon
> * Central African Republic
> * China
> * Colombia
> * Comoros
> * Democratic Republic of the Congo
> * Croatia
> * Cuba
> * Djibouti
> * Egypt
> * Equatorial Guinea
> * Eritrea
> * Estonia
> * Ethiopia
> * France
> * Germany
> * Greece
> * India
> * Indonesia
> * Iran
> * Iraq
> * Israel
> * Jordan
> * Kazakstan
> * Kenya
> * Democratic People's Republic of Korea
> * Kuwait
> * Kyrgyz Republic
> * Laos
> * Latvia
> * Lebanon
> * Lithuania
> * Malaysia
> * Maldives
> * Mauritania
> * Mexico
> * Moldova
> * Morocco
> * Nepal
> * Nicaragua
> * Nigeria
> * Pakistan
> * Peru
> * Romania
> * Russia
> * Saudi Arabia
> * Serbia-Montenegro
> * Singapore
> * Slovakia
> * Somalia
> * Sri Lanka
> * Sudan
> * Syria
> * Tunisia
> * Turkey
> * Turkmenistan
> * Ukraine
> * United Arab Emirates
> * United Kingdom
> * Uzbekistan
> * Vietnam
> * Yemen
> _________________________________________________________________
>
> Foreword by Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
>
> Religious liberty, the freedom to proclaim a religious identity and
> practice it without fear, is an aspiration and an inalienable right of
> people everywhere. When practiced with tolerance, it can be one of the
> keys to a stable, productive society. But generations of hatred may be
> sown when it is delayed or denied. It is central to the strength of
> free peoples. Its protection and promotion are important elements of
> America's support for human rights around the globe.
>
> First, because the right to profess and practice one's religion is
> basic to the life of every human being and is recognized in the
> Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
>
> Second, people who are free to profess their beliefs without fear and
> to live by them without impediment will do more to enrich their
> societies than people held back by prejudice. Where the rights of
> persons of any faith are not secure, no one's rights are secure. And
> violent persecution that begins with one group all too often engulfs
> whole nations in conflict.
>
> And third, freedom of religion is central to American history and
> identity. Because our country has chosen ever since its creation to
> stand for universal principles of tolerance and liberty, free people
> around the world have chosen to stand with us.
>
> That is why our commitment to religious liberty is even more than the
> expression of American ideals: it is a fundamental source of our
> strength in the world. We simply could not lead without it. We would
> be naive to think that we could advance our interests without it.
>
> To fulfill this commitment, we are working actively to promote
> tolerance of legitimate religious expression for adherents of every
> faith. We have not hesitated to speak out when governments persecute
> Christians or fail to ensure the safety of any religious group. And we
> use all the tools available to work for change within societies and
> with authorities around the world.
>
> The State Department is also committed to making full use of
> international organizations both to spotlight violations of the rights
> of Christians or others, and to promote religious tolerance and
> cooperation among faith communities.
>
> We have changed the way the State Department looks at religious
> questions, in order to strengthen our opposition to violations of
> religious freedom in our bilateral relationships and our efforts to
> shape the work of international organizations. We have asked our
> embassies to provide more frequent, more systematic and more sensitive
> reporting on religious issues -- and we are rewarding officers who
> make this a priority. We have increased the attention devoted to
> religious persecution in our annual human rights reports. And we have
> improved our procedures for reviewing requests for asylum -- reviewers
> are more aware that applicants may be victims of religious
> persecution.
>
> Of course, we at the State Department recognize that we are not alone
> in this struggle. Without the efforts of churches and other religious
> organizations, human rights groups and concerned individuals in the
> United States and around the world, we could not document abuses.
> Without their love of justice, we would prevail less often.
>
> For all those reasons, we are doing more to work with non-governmental
> groups. In November of 1996, Secretary Christopher established the
> Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad. That group of eminent
> religious figures, scholars and activists is helping the Department to
> better understand and respond to problems of persecution where they
> exist, and to recognize and provide support to religious leaders who
> are seeking to build tolerance, prevent conflict, and achieve
> reconciliation in their own societies.
>
> The struggle for religious liberty does not end when our own freedom
> is assured. As Thomas Jefferson put it 200 years ago, "it behooves all
> who value liberty of conscience for themselves to resist invasions of
> it in the case of others; or that case may, by change of circumstance,
> become their own."
>
> I thank Congress for its interest in this issue. And I look forward to
> working closely together to promote religious liberty for Christians,
> and for all people, around the world.
>
> UNITED STATES POLICIES IN SUPPORT OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM:*
> Focus on Christians
>
> Overview
>
> The United States Government upholds the principle that the freedom of
> religion, conscience, and belief is an inalienable and fundamental
> human right. Religious persecution is an intolerable invasion of an
> individual's basic human rights, and promoting freedom of religion and
> combating religious persecution are high priorities for the U.S.
> Government. President Clinton declared in his proclamation of
> Religious Freedom Day on January 16, 1997: "America's commitment to
> religious tolerance has empowered us to achieve an atmosphere of
> understanding, trust, and respect in a society of diverse cultures and
> religious traditions. And today, much of the world still looks to the
> United States as the champion of religious liberty."
>
> Religious tolerance and respect for those who hold different beliefs
> are central elements of the American experience and our nation's core
> values. Indeed, the search for freedom of religion was a key factor in
> the settlement of colonial America. Today, these values go
> hand-in-hand with our interest in assisting the evolution of stable,
> democratic governments in all parts of the world. If people lack
> freedom of conscience and are unable to practice their faith, it is
> likely that other human rights will be restricted and that intolerance
> and violence will be more prevalent. Lack of these rights also impedes
> efforts to establish societies that promote liberty and justice.
> Accordingly, the U.S. Government actively works to integrate the
> promotion of freedom of conscience and religion, the support of
> religious tolerance, and the elimination of persecution as central
> elements of our global diplomacy.
>
> Unfortunately, both governments and members of different communities
> in many parts of the world continue to persecute religious groups. In
> some instances, religious persecution is due to governments that do
> not tolerate independent thought, belief systems, or freedom of
> association. In other instances, political leaders have exploited
> religious and ethnic differences for self-serving and sometimes
> violent political ends. At times, political rhetoric and manipulation
> have exacerbated disputes between members of different religions--or
> between members of different groups within the same religion.
>
> At the same time, many religious communities are actively engaged in
> promoting tolerance and religious freedom and in trying to resolve
> conflicts among groups. Such efforts are testimony to the strength of
> the human spirit, and complement government efforts to ensure that all
> persons are able to practice their faith as they choose.
>
> The U.S. Government is concerned about incidents in which any
> individuals or groups are persecuted because of their religion or
> belief. This Administration has intensified efforts to address the
> issue of freedom of religion and to promote religious freedom in a
> number of ways. On a global scale, we have urged adherence to
> international human rights instruments, such as the Universal
> Declaration of Human Rights which provides for the right of all
> persons to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This right
> includes freedom to change one's religion or belief, and
> freedom--either alone or in community with others, and either in
> public or private--to manifest one's religion or belief in teaching,
> practice, worship, and observance.
>
> We have highlighted and condemned religious persecution in our
> multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. Through private diplomatic
> efforts and public condemnation the U.S. Government has secured the
> release of and improvement in the treatment of individuals of various
> religions and beliefs who have faced incarceration, harassment, or
> other forms of abuse. At international fora, U.S. delegations have
> emphasized the importance of religious tolerance and reconciliation,
> and the need for multilateral opposition to the persecution of persons
> on the basis of their religious beliefs or practices. The White House,
> the Department of State and other agencies of the U.S. Government have
> issued official statements to spotlight incidents of religious
> persecution on a regular basis, and the U.S. Government provides a
> detailed summary of such abuses each year in the annual Country
> Reports on Human Rights Practices. We are also intensifying efforts to
> improve the review process for asylum and refugee applications.
>
> An important step in highlighting religious freedom was the
> establishment of the Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad in
> 1996 by Secretary of State Warren Christopher. The White House
> announced the formation of the Committee and the members met with
> President Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton prior to their
> first official meeting. The significance of the Committee's work was
> emphasized by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who addressed the
> inaugural meeting in February 1997. The twenty leaders of religious,
> academic, and advocacy communities who are members of the Committee
> are formulating recommendations to the U.S. Government on means of
> advancing religious freedom throughout the world, with a focus on
> eliminating religious persecution and supporting the promotion of
> human rights and conflict resolution. The Committee will submit its
> final report to the Secretary of State and the President. The
> Committee convened its second official meeting in July and has held
> working group sessions in various parts of the country.
>
> Our human rights objectives are also advanced through U.S. assistance
> programs to organizations that monitor and promote human rights,
> facilitate cultural and educational exchanges, and strengthen the rule
> of law, justice, civil society and good governance. The U.S.
> Government encourages other sectors of society, including the U.S.
> business community and the labor movement, to help advance human
> rights. And we support international broadcasting programs that
> disseminate human rights information throughout the world, including
> in countries where individual liberty and freedom are restricted.
>
> The approaches used to promote religious freedom and combat violations
> of this right differ depending on the situation in each country. In
> some instances, the U.S. Government is able to raise problems of
> religious persecution directly with foreign governments. In other
> instances, such as where we do not have formal diplomatic relations,
> the U.S. Government's ability to press for redress is limited to acts
> in multilateral fora or to coordinated efforts with other governments
> that do have diplomatic relations with the country in question. In
> cases of inter-communal tension and strife, or action by individuals,
> in which foreign governments are not direct participants, the U.S.
> Government's ability to intervene is limited.
>
> This report summarizes U.S. Government actions to promote religious
> freedom and to counter religious intolerance, discrimination, and
> persecution, with a focus on the protection of Christians from
> persecution, as requested by Congress. It is not an exhaustive list of
> all U.S. Government activities in this area. An annex to the report
> provides a summary of the current situation and bilateral initiatives
> in a number of countries. In some instances, there are no reports of
> religious persecution, but policies exist that could impact Christians
> and members of other religious and belief communities. In addition,
> the omission of a country from this report does not imply that
> incidents of discrimination, intolerance, or persecution against
> Christians or members of other faith communities does not occur. The
> report draws from the State Department's Country Reports on Human
> Rights Practices and information gathered in recent months, both
> officially and unofficially; every effort was made to verify the
> accuracy of the information contained in this report. In accordance
> with the congressional request, the emphasis in the annex is on the
> situation Christians face and actions taken by the U.S. Government.
>
> EXECUTIVE BRANCH ACTIONS
>
> Presidential Initiatives
>
> The U.S. Government has regularly and publicly affirmed its commitment
> to promote freedom of religion and combat religious persecution around
> the world. The President has made the issue of religious liberty a key
> part of our human rights message in multilateral fora. First Lady
> Hillary Rodham Clinton has also participated in several initiatives
> that highlighted the importance of the right to religious freedom.
>
> The President and the Vice President have raised the issue directly
> with leaders of other governments. In June 1997 at the Denver Summit
> of the Eight, for example, President Clinton raised the issue with
> Russian President Boris Yeltsin and expressed his concern about a
> legislative initiative in the Russian Duma that would curtail
> religious liberty in Russia. Vice President Gore raised the issue of
> religious freedom and persecution during his trip to Beijing in March
> 1997. Both the President and the Vice President have also privately
> voiced their concern about religious persecution in conversations with
> foreign leaders. Their direct interventions have made the concern of
> the U.S. Government known at the highest levels of foreign
> governments.
>
> The President has regularly hosted meetings attended by
> representatives of many religions, including leaders from Evangelical,
> Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Mormon, and other Christian
> communities, as well as leaders of Jewish, Islamic, Baha'i, Buddhist,
> Hindu, and other faiths. For example, the President has met with the
> Dalai Lama, Pope John Paul II, Bishop Belo, and other eminent
> religious leaders. Such meetings provide an opportunity to discuss
> crucial issues affecting Christians and other religious communities.
> They are also a means of gathering information that can be used in
> U.S. diplomatic efforts to advance religious freedom.
>
> Under the President's leadership, the U.S. Government has undertaken
> key diplomatic initiatives in countries where religious communities
> have come into conflict. U.S. leadership has been critical to peace
> processes in the former Yugoslavia, Northern Ireland, and the Middle
> East. The President has also strongly supported religious
> reconciliation and inter-faith cooperation in countries torn by
> conflict. The First Lady inaugurated the first inter-faith
> humanitarian initiative in Bosnia during her January 1996 visit.
>
> For some men and women, termination of pregnancy may violate important
> spiritual beliefs. In 1994, President Clinton directed that the United
> States provide administrative protection from return for those fleeing
> coercive family planning practices. In 1996, the President signed
> legislation providing statutory protection for such victims.
>
> The President's strong commitment to religious liberty is reflected in
> domestic initiatives to expand and strengthen religious freedom in the
> United States. For example, the President has traditionally issued a
> proclamation designating January 16 as Religious Freedom Day,
> celebrating the diversity of spiritual beliefs that flourish in the
> United States, and underscoring the profound commitment to religious
> freedom of the United States.
>
> Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad
>
> In November 1996, Secretary of State Christopher established the
> Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad. The White House
> announced the formation of the Advisory Committee to call attention to
> problems of religious persecution around the world and to efforts for
> bringing about reconciliation in regions where religious enmity is a
> threat to peace, and to provide innovative policy recommendations for
> the U.S. Government to address these issues. The Advisory Committee
> carries forward the commitment of the United States to advance
> religious freedom, help those suffering under repression, support the
> forces of tolerance, and promote reconciliation among the many
> communities of faith.
>
> Both the President and the First Lady met with members of the Advisory
> Committee in January and February 1997. In her address at the Advisory
> Committee's inaugural meeting in February, Secretary of State
> Madeleine Albright emphasized the importance of the Committee's work
> and underscored the U.S. Government's commitment to making religious
> liberty a priority issue in our human rights policy (a point she had
> emphasized in one of her first statements as Secretary of State in
> January).
>
> The Advisory Committee is chaired by Assistant Secretary of State for
> Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor John Shattuck and is composed of 20
> members who represent a wide spectrum of beliefs and areas of
> expertise on religion and human rights. The members include
> representatives of Evangelical, Protestant, Catholic, and other
> Christian faiths. In addition there are clergy and academics
> representing, and familiar with, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism,
> and other world religious traditions.
>
> The Advisory Committee is a venue for religious organizations,
> including many associated with various Christian denominations, as
> well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that are interested in
> religious liberty, to engage with the U.S. Government on this issue.
> The Advisory Committee held its second formal meeting in July of this
> year and has established working groups which have met regularly over
> the past several months to pursue the Committee's goals.
>
> The Advisory Committee is focusing on two issues for its first report:
> 1) problems of religious persecution and discrimination, and 2) the
> role of religious groups in conflict resolution, reconciliation, and
> the promotion of conditions that permit freedom of religion. The
> Advisory Committee will submit its findings and policy recommendations
> to the Secretary of State, who will share the report with the
> President.
>
> Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
>
> The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices is the State
> Department's annual review that assesses human rights conditions in
> countries around the world; 194 reports are prepared. This compilation
> provides an evaluation of human rights conditions on a global basis,
> and puts the analyses made by the U.S. Government on the public
> record. The Country Reports has gained wide and increasing acceptance
> as a comprehensive, reliable, and balanced summation of human rights
> conditions around the world.
>
> The individual reports for each country include specific sections on
> freedom of religion and discuss religious persecution where it exists,
> whether due to governmental abuse, societal discrimination, or
> inter-communal tension. The Country Reports is prepared for
> presentation to Congress by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and
> Labor based on information provided by U.S. diplomatic missions
> abroad, officials based in Washington, and non-governmental sources.
> In an effort to provide as comprehensive and accurate a report as
> possible, the Department has taken steps in recent years to expand the
> coverage in the Country Reports and has consulted with interested
> congressional offices and representatives of non-governmental
> organizations regarding additional points and issues in the area of
> religious freedom that might be included in the reports.
>
> Reporting on Religious Persecution
>
> In 1993 the Secretary of State instructed all embassies to establish
> inter-agency committees on human rights. In recent months, the State
> Department has made additional efforts to aggressively pursue issues
> of religious freedom in the field. In December 1996, the Department
> alerted all U.S. diplomatic missions to the establishment of the
> Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad,
> underscored the importance of religious freedom as one of our
> worldwide human rights objectives, and urged increased reporting on
> problems in the area of religious freedom. Posts were asked to give
> special attention in their reporting to specifying the religions or
> denominations that are targets of discrimination and persecution. In
> 1997, U.S. Missions abroad were again instructed to give careful
> attention to issues of religious freedom, to increase their reporting,
> and to focus also on treatment of non-traditional religions and sects.
> As a result of these instructions there has been an increase in the
> reporting from posts on issues of religious freedom and religious
> persecution.
>
> In 1996 the Department inaugurated a special award to recognize
> Foreign Service Officers for exceptional reporting and personal effort
> in support of initiatives that promote respect for human rights and
> the development of democracy. Among the four officers whose 1996
> performance was recognized, two were commended for their outstanding
> work with, and on behalf of, members of religious minorities,
> including Christians, in Turkey and Cuba.
>
> Asylum Adjudication
>
> Under U.S. immigration law, asylum may be granted to persons with a
> well-founded fear of persecution, based on one (or more) of five
> protected grounds: race, religion, nationality, membership in a
> particular social group, and political opinion. Over the past two
> years, the Department of State has worked with the Immigration and
> Naturalization Service and the Executive Office of Immigration Review
> to help streamline the Department's role in the asylum adjudication
> process. The Office of Asylum Affairs in the Bureau of Democracy,
> Human Rights, and Labor has developed more than 50 profiles of country
> conditions and asylum claims covering the countries that generate
> approximately 90% of all asylum claims. The profiles have amplified
> and focused the information available to asylum adjudicators,
> including information on religious persecution. At the same time,
> changes in the asylum adjudication regulations that went into effect
> in 1995 have significantly increased the speed with which asylum cases
> are decided.
>
> The profiles are under constant review to ensure that they take into
> account changing human rights conditions, new developments in asylum
> law, and the major categories of human rights violations cited in
> asylum claims. Issues of religious persecution figure prominently in
> this ongoing evaluation.
>
> Business Principles
>
> The American business community is in a unique and strategic position
> to promote human rights around the world. Accordingly, we have worked
> to promote the President's Model Business Principles among U.S.
> businesses, thus underscoring the U.S. Government's view that human
> rights and economic development are complementary, not contradictory,
> and that a good human rights environment supports and promotes a good
> business environment.
>
> In June 1997, the U.S. Government presented the first annual Best
> Global Practices Award to Asia Pacific Resources, Inc. (APR), whose
> president is Mr. John Kamm. APR was recognized for its efforts to
> obtain the release of individuals detained or imprisoned by the
> Chinese authorities for exercising their right to free expression,
> including their religious beliefs, and for its aggressive advocacy
> before the business community and the Chinese public in encouraging
> respect for human rights. The award ceremony was hosted by the
> Department of Commerce, in cooperation with the Department of State
> and other U.S. Government agencies.
>
> Broadcasting
>
> Through Radio Free Asia, the Voice of America, and the U.S.
> Information Agency, we regularly broadcast editorials to promote
> religious freedom and other human rights, and report on activities in
> the United States and at international fora that address issues of
> religious freedom, as well as religious intolerance, discrimination,
> and persecution. The dissemination of information is a valuable and
> essential tool for promoting our human rights objectives, particularly
> in countries where freedom is restricted.
>
> Foreign Assistance Programs
>
> The U.S. Government provides assistance to support the work of
> organizations monitoring violations of human rights and promoting
> respect for human rights so that religious freedom can flourish. While
> some of these programs are specifically targeted at the issue, others
> are broader in scope but still impact positively on the problem. For
> example, grants are provided to facilitate conflict resolution,
> establish the rule of law and justice, strengthen civil society and
> good governance, provide education on basic human rights and promote
> reconciliation. These initiatives also serve to reinforce the
> importance of legal protection for religious practices and the
> valuable role of non-governmental organizations.
>
> The U.S. Government has also strongly supported religious
> reconciliation and inter-faith cooperation in countries torn by
> conflict. The first inter-faith humanitarian initiative in Bosnia was
> inaugurated by the First Lady during her visit there in January 1996.
>
> The U.S. Government has supported educational and cultural exchange
> programs that promote religious liberty and tolerance. For example,
> U.S. Information Service (USIS) posts have sent clerics, journalists,
> politicians and academics to the United States to participate in an
> annual International Visitors Program on "Religion in America," in
> which they meet with American Christian, Muslim, Jewish and ecumenical
> groups to discuss ways of promoting religious tolerance.
>
> BILATERAL DIPLOMACY
>
> The Department of State uses a range of policy tools to advance human
> rights generally and religious freedom in particular. Instances of
> human rights violations, including religious persecution, are
> frequently the focus of action by the Department and U.S. embassies
> abroad.
>
> The Department carefully monitors and gathers information on the
> status of all human rights, including religious freedom, in all
> countries of the world. To enhance these efforts, U.S. embassies have
> been instructed to include prominent religious leaders among their
> contacts. When rights are violated, the Department speaks out
> publicly. While the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices provides
> the most extensive and systematic public description of violations,
> the Department Spokesman and embassy officials abroad also comment
> regularly and publicly on instances of religious persecution. These
> U.S. views are conveyed directly to governments. In addition, public
> diplomacy in support of religious freedom is advanced through the
> programs of the U.S. Information Agency and broadcasting by the Voice
> of America.
>
> U.S. Government officials often raise problems of religious freedom or
> religious persecution with foreign government officials. The
> Department has instructed embassies in many countries to enter into
> dialogue with their host government on religious freedom issues. In
> several countries, embassies have raised systemic problems with
> governments, such as broad discrimination against members of certain
> religious groups, legislation that infringes on religious liberties,
> or government interference with church affairs. U.S. Ambassadors and
> other officials have encouraged governments to state publicly their
> opposition to acts of violence or discrimination against religious
> groups. U.S. embassies also frequently raise with host governments
> specific cases of persecution of individuals for the peaceful practice
> of their religion.
>
> Beyond such direct intervention with foreign governments on behalf of
> religious freedom, U.S. foreign policy in general, and human rights
> policy in particular, seeks to develop and strengthen peaceful and
> democratic societies which foster an atmosphere conducive to religious
> freedom. Our multifaceted efforts to build democratic institutions are
> aimed in part at creating a framework for greater tolerance. In this
> manner, democracy projects sponsored by both the State Department and
> the Agency for International Development, as well as U.S. Information
> Agency exchange programs, contribute in substantial ways to U.S.
> efforts to expand religious freedom.
>
> Religious persecution remains a serious problem in many countries. The
> annex to this report provides specific examples that illustrate the
> types of bilateral actions the U.S. Government has taken to promote
> religious freedom and oppose religious discrimination, intolerance,
> and persecution throughout the world, with a particular focus on the
> situation for Christians, as requested by Congress. While this is not
> an exhaustive list, the countries included in this report provide a
> representative sample of the types of restrictions, harassment, and
> persecution that exist in different regions, and the types of U.S.
> Government actions taken against religious persecution. The selection
> of these countries was based on expressions of concern by
> congressional and non-governmental observers, and data reported in the
> Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Additional details on the
> status of religious freedom in these and other countries can be found
> in the Country Reports.
>
> MULTILATERAL DIPLOMACY
>
> United Nations Human Rights Commission
>
> At the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), the United
> States Government has traditionally co-sponsored an annual resolution
> that condemns acts of hatred, violence, intolerance, and
> discrimination based on religion or belief, and reaffirms that freedom
> of thought, conscience, religion, and belief are fundamental human
> rights derived from the inherent dignity of the person.
>
> At the 1997 UNHRC meeting, the U.S. delegation made religious freedom
> one of its main thematic issues. The delegation delivered a strong
> statement on religious liberty and religious persecution, which
> included specific reference to the persecution of Christians in Sudan,
> Egypt, Iran, Vietnam, Pakistan, and China. The statement also cited
> other faiths that face persecution, including Tibetan Buddhists,
> Baha'is, Muslims, and Jews. The delegation worked successfully to
> incorporate language on religious freedom in several country-specific
> resolutions.
>
> At the 1996 UNHRC meeting, the U.S. delegation devoted two of its
> major statements to the themes of religious freedom and intolerance.
> Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
> Shattuck delivered a vigorous statement on religious freedom,
> emphasizing U.S. concern over the treatment of Christians and
> adherents of other faiths in many countries around the world. This was
> also the theme of a U.S. delegation speech on the implementation of
> the U.N. Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance
> based on Religion or Belief.
>
> The United States introduced the original resolution calling for the
> appointment of a U.N. Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance at
> the 42nd UNHRC in 1986. Since then, the U.S. Government has
> consistently supported the continuation of the Special Rapporteur's
> work and has repeatedly and successfully negotiated for extensions of
> the Special Rapporteur's mandate.
>
> In addition, the United States has introduced, co-sponsored, and
> supported country resolutions that highlight religious persecution and
> violations of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion,
> and belief. For example, the 1996 and 1997 UNHRC resolutions on human
> rights abuses in Iran condemned the intimidation of Christian
> minorities, as well as assassinations. The resolutions on Sudan, and
> the draft resolutions on China, both sponsored by the United States,
> also condemned religious intolerance against Christians and others in
> those countries.
>
> United Nations General Assembly
>
> In 1996, as in past years, the United States co-sponsored a resolution
> at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) condemning religious
> intolerance. The U.S. Government also supported an UNGA resolution on
> human rights abuses in Iran that highlighted violations committed
> against Christians and Baha'is.
>
> Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
>
> The United States has raised the issue of religious freedom at a
> series of recent conferences of the Organization for Security and
> Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), focusing attention on countries that
> have failed to protect the right to freedom of religion and
> highlighting specific instances of persecution or discrimination
> against Christians and adherents of other religions. At the OSCE
> Conference on the Human Dimension in Vienna, Austria, in November
> 1996, the U.S. delegation drew attention to the mistreatment of
> Christian minorities in Albania, Azerbaijan, and Greece.
>
> ANNEX
>
> As noted above, this annex provides a variety of examples that
> illustrate the types of bilateral actions the U.S. Government has
> taken to promote religious freedom and to eliminate religious
> discrimination, intolerance, and persecution throughout the world,
> with a particular focus on the situation for Christians, as requested
> by Congress. It is not an exhaustive list of all U.S. Government
> activities in this area, but provides a summary of the current
> situation and bilateral initiatives in a number of countries. The
> countries included in this summary provide a representative sample of
> the types of restrictions, harassment, and persecution that exist in
> different regions, and the types of U.S. Government actions taken
> against religious persecution. Religious persecution remains a serious
> problem in many countries. In some instances, there are no reports of
> religious persecution, but policies exist that could impact Christians
> and members of other religious and belief communities. In addition,
> the omission of a country from this report does not imply that
> incidents of discrimination, intolerance, or persecution against
> Christians or members of other faith communities does not occur.
>
> The selection of the countries in this annex was based on expressions
> of concern by congressional and non-governmental observers, and data
> reported in the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. The report
> draws from the State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights
> Practices and information gathered in recent months, both officially
> and unofficially; every effort was made to verify the accuracy of the
> information contained in this report. In accordance with the
> congressional request, the emphasis in the annex is on the situation
> Christians face and actions taken by the U.S. Government. Additional
> details on the status of religious freedom in these and other
> countries can be found in the Country Reports.
>
> Afghanistan
>
> Current situation: Islam is the state religion. The small number of
> non-Muslim residents, mostly Hindus and Sikhs, may practice their
> religion but may not proselytize. There are very few Christian
> residents; most are foreigners.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. does not maintain an Embassy in
> Afghanistan. We have urged all factions in the Afghan civil war to
> observe basic human rights norms.
>
> Algeria
>
> Current situation: The constitution declares Islam to be the state
> religion but prohibits discrimination based on religious belief. The
> Government respects this right in practice. It permits the small
> Christian and Jewish populations to practice their faiths without
> interference.
>
> Conversions from Islam to other religions are rare. Because of
> security worries and potential legal and social problems, Muslim
> converts to other religions practice their new faith clandestinely.
> The Family Code prohibits Muslim women from marrying non-Muslims,
> although this is not always enforced. The Code does not restrict
> Muslim men from marrying non-Muslim women.
>
> In 1994 the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), an extremist group that seeks
> to topple the Government, declared its intention to eliminate Jews,
> Christians, and polytheists from Algeria. The Christian community,
> composed mostly of foreigners, curtailed its activities. Some church
> workers left the country because of GIA threats. During 1996 the GIA
> kidnapped and killed seven Roman Catholic monks in central Algeria,
> and the Catholic Bishop of Oran also was murdered at his home. During
> 1995 two Roman Catholic priests and three nuns were murdered, and a
> fourth nun was wounded by extremists. In October 1993 the GIA warned
> all foreigners to leave Algeria or face death. Members of the clergy
> were among the 90 foreigners killed in 1994.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has an ongoing dialogue
> with the Algerian Government concerning human rights. In 1996 the
> State Department spokesman publicly condemned the murders of seven
> Trappist monks, who were kidnapped by GIA terrorists.
>
> Armenia
>
> Current situation: The Armenian constitution provides for the right to
> practice the religion of one's choice, and the Government generally
> respects this right in practice. However, the law imposes some
> restrictions on religious freedom, and the right to freedom of
> conscience is not fully protected. The 1991 law on religious
> organizations establishes the separation of church and state, but
> recognizes the Armenian Apostolic Church as having special status.
> Other Christian organizations continue to face problems as a result of
> the law and other factors. Some Armenian Orthodox clergy have
> reportedly made statements opposing the activities of non-Apostolic
> churches and other religions in recent years.
>
> The 1991 law forbids proselytizing and requires all non-Apostolic
> religious organizations to register with the Government. Petitioning
> organizations must "be free from materialism and of a purely spiritual
> nature" and must subscribe to a doctrine based on "historically
> recognized holy scriptures." Parliament recently passed amendments to
> the 1991 law. If enacted, the amendments would have required
> non-ethnic based religious groups to re-register within 6 months,
> increased the minimum number of members from 100 to 200 for
> registration, forbidden the financing of non-Apostolic groups from
> abroad, and restricted membership in such groups to those over 18
> years of age. These provisions would not have applied to certain
> religious organizations of ethnic minorities, such as Yezids, Jews,
> Greeks, and Russians. President Ter-Petrossian subsequently declined
> to approve these amendments, and has sent them back to the parliament
> with a detailed list of objections and suggested changes.
>
> A presidential decree issued in 1993 supplemented the 1991 law and
> strengthened the position of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The decree
> empowers the Council on Religious Affairs to investigate the
> activities of representatives of registered religious organizations
> and to ban missionaries who engage in activities contrary to their
> status. A religious organization refused registration cannot publish a
> newspaper or magazine, rent a meeting place, have its own programs on
> television or radio, or officially sponsor the visas of visitors to
> Armenia.
>
> The Armenian Government has not registered Jehovah's Witnesses on the
> grounds that the organization's charter is incompatible with current
> Armenian law on compulsory military service. As of June 1997, the
> total number of churches and religious organizations registered in
> Armenia was 43.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has raised the subject of
> religious freedom with Armenian officials. Following the Parliament's
> recent approval of amendments to the law on religion, the Embassy
> expressed concern to a government official over the impact of these
> amendments on religious freedom in Armenia.
>
> The U.S. Ambassador has met with President Levon Ter-Petrossian to
> urge greater attention to citizens' human rights and to convey the
> U.S. Government's concern about attacks on non-mainstream religious
> communities, both Christian and non-Christian. The Ambassador's
> intervention followed an incident in 1995 when paramilitary troops
> staged a series of attacks against members of a dozen non-Apostolic
> religious groups, both Christian and non-Christian. Paramilitary
> troops broke up services, beat and kidnapped pastors and adherents,
> and ransacked offices and stole equipment. The attacks were reportedly
> triggered by the perception that the religious groups that were
> targeted were opposed to the military draft. Several victims were
> hospitalized, and about 20 adherents were held for several days or
> weeks at a military police facility before being released. The
> President told the U.S. Ambassador that he had taken measures to
> ensure that these attacks would not be repeated. No subsequent attacks
> have been reported.
>
> Austria
>
> Current situation: Austrian law grants freedom of belief but limits
> the right to organize as a religious entity. There are 13 recognized
> religious organizations. To qualify as a religious organization, the
> Government must determine that the group meets certain religious
> criteria, will operate in full compliance with the Austrian legal
> code, and will not practice or preach ideas contrary to accepted
> social customs. Religious recognition offers important benefits such
> as exemption from property taxes, entitlement to state-collected
> church taxes, the right to engage in religious education, and immunity
> from securing work or residence permits for foreign religious workers
> who act as ministers, missionaries, or teachers. Non-recognized
> churches in Austria, including some Christian religious organizations,
> have been limited in their ability to sponsor U.S. religious workers
> in Austria. A government initiative to protect citizens from dangerous
> religious cults or sects could lead to discrimination against certain
> religious groups not among the 13 officially recognized religious
> organizations, including Christian groups.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has been very active in its
> support of non-recognized churches in Austria, and has discussed such
> matters with the Austrian Government. It has worked with U.S.
> representatives of a number of groups that had experienced difficulty
> in securing residence permits, and has suggested to the Austrian
> Government that it meet regularly with a single point of contact, an
> ombudsman who would present cases to the Government. As a result of
> this initiative, meetings were held between Austrian Government
> officials and the coalition of non-recognized groups, which produced
> agreement on a new, more acceptable set of procedures for the
> attainment of residence permits. While the issue of official
> recognition remains to be resolved, the new administrative process has
> proven very successful. The Austrian authorities have granted Baptist
> ministers, Quaker missionaries, and others the right to remain in
> Austria legally.
>
> Azerbaijan
>
> Current situation: Azerbaijan's constitution does not designate a
> state religion. It provides for the right of people of all faiths to
> practice their religion without restrictions, and the Government
> generally respects these rights. However, the Nagorno-Karabakh
> conflict led in the late 1980's to rising anti-Armenian sentiment and
> the forced departure of most of the Armenian population, which has led
> to the closing of Armenian churches. A 1996 law on foreigners and
> stateless persons prohibits religious proselytizing by foreigners,
> although it is unclear how actively this law is being enforced.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Ambassador has repeatedly raised
> U.S. concerns about the law on proselytizing with top-level
> Azerbaijani officials, including President Heydar Aliyev, emphasizing
> that Azerbaijan's improving record on religious tolerance should be
> continued and urging the Government to allow both Azerbaijanis and
> foreigners to express their beliefs.
>
> In 1996 the Ministry of Justice denied registration to a foreign
> Christian group, but allowed it to continue to function. The U.S.
> Ambassador intervened on behalf of the Christian group and
> specifically urged the Government to register the organization.
>
> The U.S. Ambassador has both publicly and privately addressed
> discrimination against, and harassment of, Christians. The Ambassador
> publicly opposed a campaign against Christian missionary groups that
> emerged in the official and unofficial press in late 1996. The
> campaign was partially fueled by a statement allegedly made by the
> leader of the Armenian Church, who purportedly told Christian
> missionaries that they should leave Armenia and go to places where
> they were needed, such as Azerbaijan. The Ministry of Justice created
> problems when the missionary groups attempted to register, and
> landlords were pressured not to rent meeting places to missionary
> groups.
>
> The U.S. Ambassador has also raised the issue of freedom of
> religion--and specifically the treatment of Christian missionary
> groups--with President Aliyev (particularly in two meetings in
> December 1996, but also in several other meetings that he has had with
> the President). The Ambassador also pressed for religious freedom and
> fair treatment for Christian missionaries in meetings with Prosecutor
> General Eldar Hasanov, Minister of Interior Ramil Usubov, the Speaker
> of Parliament, presidential Legal Adviser Shahin Aliyev, Foreign
> Minister Hasan Hasanov, the Acting Minister of Justice, President
> Aliyev's National Security Adviser, and Sheik Al-Islam Pashazade, the
> religious leader of the Caucasus Muslims. In addition, the Ambassador
> has intervened in several matters with regard to religious freedom and
> has stressed the importance of human rights and religious freedom with
> local media.
>
> Bahrain
>
> Current situation: Islam is the state religion. However, Christians
> and other non-Muslims are free to practice their religion, maintain
> their own places of worship, and display the symbols of their
> religion. Bibles and other Christian publications are displayed and
> sold openly in local bookshops. Some small groups worship in their
> homes. Notables from virtually every religion and denomination visit
> Bahrain and frequently meet with government and civic leaders.
>
> Proselytizing by non-Muslims is discouraged, anti-Islamic writings are
> prohibited, and while conversion from Islam to other religions is not
> illegal, converts are subject to societal discrimination.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States maintains an ongoing
> dialogue with Bahrain on human rights issues.
>
> Bangladesh
>
> Current situation: Islam is the state religion. However, the
> constitution provides for freedom of religion, and this right is
> respected in practice. Strong social resistance to conversion from
> Islam means that many missionary efforts are directed at Hindus and
> tribal peoples. Christian missionaries sometimes face problems in
> obtaining visas. Religious minorities are disadvantaged in obtaining
> government jobs, though the extent of the problem is unknown.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy discusses a wide range of
> issues with the Government of Bangladesh, including respect for human
> rights.
>
> Belarus
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and the Government generally respects this right in practice. However,
> a July 1995 Cabinet of Ministers directive sharply limits the activity
> of foreign religious workers. Citizens are not prohibited from
> proselytizing, but foreign missionaries may not engage in religious
> activities outside the institutions that invited them. Only religious
> organizations already registered in Belarus may invite foreign clergy.
> This 1995 directive hampered foreign religious workers' efforts to
> proselytize; it seeks to limit them to providing humanitarian aid
> only.
>
> The Cabinet of Ministers regulation is seen as a means of enhancing
> the position of the Orthodox Church with respect to the faster-growing
> Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, and also as a means of
> preventing religious movements outside the mainstream from spreading.
> President Aleksandr Lukashenko has granted special tax and other
> financial advantages to the Orthodox Church, which other denominations
> do not enjoy, and has declared the preservation and development of
> Orthodox Christianity a "moral necessity." In 1995, 50 Polish Roman
> Catholic priests were reportedly denied registration as foreign
> religious workers. There were no reports of such denial of
> registration in 1996. Bishops must receive permission from the State
> Committee on Religious Affairs before transferring a foreign priest to
> another parish. The head of the Orthodox Church, who is closely
> associated with the President, frequently speaks critically of
> missionaries.
>
> Some difficulties still exist in transferring church property from
> state control back to the former owners.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government regularly engages the
> Government of Belarus on a wide range of human rights issues and
> concerns. The Ambassador and other embassy officers maintain contacts
> with different Christian organizations at a range of levels.
>
> Belgium
>
> Current situation: The Government does not hinder the practice of any
> faith. The law accords "recognized" status to Roman Catholicism,
> Protestantism, Judaism, Anglicanism, Islam, and Greek and Russian
> Orthodoxy. These recognized religions receive subsidies drawn from
> general government revenues. By law each recognized religion has the
> right to provide teachers at government expense for religious
> instruction in schools, but not all avail themselves of this right.
>
> In April 1997, the Belgian Parliamentary Commission released a 670
> page report on sects and the potential dangers they may pose to
> society and to individuals, especially minors. Defining a sect as "an
> organized group of persons who have the same doctrine at the heart of
> a religion," the report listed 189 organizations as fitting this
> definition, including Christian groups such as Seventh Day Adventists,
> Mormons, Opus Dei, Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Amish. The
> Commission differentiated among sects, harmful sectarian
> organizations, and criminal associations but made no distinction on
> the list. It recommended the creation of two entities to monitor
> sects: first, a task force to foster cooperation and coordination
> within the law enforcement community on intelligence about sects; and
> second, an independent center to observe sects and propose policy for
> fighting dangers they pose.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government is following the
> implementation of the Commission's recommendations, especially as they
> pertain to the increased mandate for the judicial system to monitor
> those organizations suspected of posing a threat to society. The
> United States would be concerned if individuals were to be denied
> rights on the basis of belief or mere affiliation with a certain
> group, rather than on the basis of illegal acts.
>
> Bhutan
>
> Current situation: Buddhism is the state religion. Citizens of other
> faiths, mostly Hindus, enjoy freedom of worship but may not
> proselytize, and conversions are illegal. Foreign missionaries may not
> proselytize but international Christian relief organizations and
> Jesuit priests are active in educational and humanitarian activities.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States does not maintain
> diplomatic relations with Bhutan.
>
> Bosnia and Herzegovina
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> including private and public worship, and in the Federation the
> authorities rarely interfered. However, in Bosnia religion and
> ethnicity are so closely intertwined as to be inseparable. In general,
> individuals in their ethnic majority areas, who constitute the great
> majority of the population, enjoy unfettered freedom of religion.
> However, there were some incidents of inter-ethnic violence that
> resulted in damage to religious property. For example, in July 1996 a
> Roman Catholic church in the Muslim-controlled town of Bugojno was
> firebombed. It was reportedly the last Catholic church in the town.
> This act followed by a few days a fire that damaged a mosque in the
> Croat-controlled town of Prozor, and may have been in retaliation for
> the burning of the mosque. In the Republika Srpska abuse of ethnic
> minorities has been tantamount to official policy. The Croat Catholic
> minority has been subjected to numerous forms of harassment, including
> attacks on Catholic priests and nuns and desecration of religious
> property.
>
> U.S. Government actions: U.S. Government officials have met with
> leading religious figures and have encouraged and sought to facilitate
> inter-faith initiatives to promote reconciliation. The United States
> is working constantly for reconciliation among all parties to the
> conflict and a lasting settlement that ensures that human rights are
> respected, including religious freedom.
>
> Brunei
>
> Current situation: The constitution states that the country's religion
> is the Shafeite sect of the Muslim religion, "provided that all other
> religions may be practiced in peace and harmony by the person
> professing them." In 1997 the Government sporadically voiced alarm
> about "outsiders" preaching radical Islamic fundamentalist or
> unorthodox beliefs. Citizens deemed to have been influenced by such
> preaching (usually students returning from overseas study), have been
> "shown the error of their ways" in study seminars organized by
> orthodox Islamic religious leaders. The Government seems more
> concerned about these so-called Islamic "opportunists" than unwelcome
> political views.
>
> Despite constitutional provisions providing for the full and
> unconstrained exercise of religious freedom, the Government routinely
> restricts the practice of non-Muslim religions by prohibiting
> proselytizing; occasionally denying entry to foreign clergy or
> particular priests, bishops, or ministers; banning the import of
> religious teaching materials or scriptures such as the Bible; and
> refusing permission to expand, repair, or build new churches, temples,
> and shrines.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government discusses religious
> freedom issues in the overall context of the promotion of human
> rights.
>
> Bulgaria
>
> Current situation: Although the constitution provides for freedom of
> religion, the Government restricts this right in practice for some
> non-Orthodox Christian groups, and discrimination against them
> increased during 1996. The ability of a number of religious groups to
> operate freely continued to come under attack, both as a result of
> government action and because of public intolerance. The government
> requirement that groups whose activities have a religious element
> register with the Council of Ministers remained an obstacle to the
> activity of some religious groups, such as Jehovah's Witnesses and
> Word of Life, which have been denied registration. Despite several
> applications, no new religious denominations were registered in 1996.
>
> The Government refused most requests for visas and residence permits
> for foreign missionaries, and some of them came under physical attack
> in the street and in their homes. The police response was indifferent,
> despite the expressed concern of the Government about such cases.
> Members of the Mormon church reported continued acts of harassment and
> assault, including some perpetrated by the police themselves. In April
> 1997, Bulgarian National Investigative Service officials confiscated
> religious materials and some personal belongings from several Mormon
> missionaries entering Bulgaria from the United States. In May one of
> the missionaries was arrested for possession of methaphetamines when
> he attempted to recover his possessions, including some vitamins. He
> was released on bail and his case remains open. Missionaries of
> Jehovah's Witnesses also reported an incident of beating by the
> police. In December 1995, a Jehovah's Witness mother living in
> Asenovgrad was denied custody of her son solely because of her
> religious beliefs. The woman has appealed to the Supreme Court.
>
> On several occasions during 1996 the police shut down religious
> meetings of unregistered groups. In June the police broke up a
> Jehovah's Witness meeting at a public dance hall in Asenovgrad and
> confiscated religious material. In August the police raided a private
> hall in Sofia and closed down a meeting of Word of Life. Bibles and
> other religious materials in the Bulgarian language were freely
> imported and printed, and Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish publications
> were published on a regular basis. Nevertheless, there were reports
> that police confiscated religious books and cassettes during searches
> of Word of Life members.
>
> By order of the Minister of Education, a private religious elementary
> school located in Lovetch was closed in August 1996. The "School of
> Tomorrow" was run by the registered evangelical denomination "Shalom"
> (a group distinct from the Jewish community organization of the same
> name). According to Shalom, the school was part of a network of
> similar schools, founded by an American citizen and associated with
> several Protestant churches, in 108 countries.
>
> U.S. Government actions: U.S. Government officials meet with religious
> groups that have experienced discrimination in Bulgaria, as well as
> with representatives of human rights organizations well versed in the
> problems that these groups face. The U.S. Government has privately and
> publicly raised its concerns about the treatment of Christian
> evangelical groups in Bulgaria, including specific incidents, with the
> Bulgarian Government.
>
> At the OSCE Conference on the Human Dimension in Vienna in November
> 1996, the U.S. delegation protested discrimination against
> "non-traditional" religious groups, including the Word of Life Church
> and the Church of Jehovah's Witnesses, and, in a private meeting,
> called upon the Bulgarian Government to promote actively greater
> religious tolerance of all religious groups without exception.
>
> Burma
>
> Current situation: The Government imposes several severe restrictions
> on fundamental freedoms. Adherents of all religions that are duly
> registered with the authorities generally enjoy freedom to worship as
> they choose. However, religious publications, like secular ones,
> remain subject to control and censorship. Christian Bibles translated
> into indigenous languages cannot legally be imported or printed. It
> remains extremely difficult for Christian and Muslim groups to obtain
> permission to build new churches and mosques, and there were credible
> reports of incidents in which the Government removed cemeteries in
> constructing infrastructure projects in urban areas. Buddhists
> constitute the vast majority of citizens. Buddhist organizations are
> also subject to government monitoring and interference. In December
> 1996, the Government ordered the removal of Christian, Chinese, and
> Buddhist graves from the Kyandaw Cemetery in Rangoon to make way for a
> planned real estate development.
>
> Religious groups have established links with co-religionists in other
> countries, although these activities are reportedly monitored by the
> Government. Foreign religious representatives are usually allowed
> visas only for short stays, but in some cases have been permitted to
> preach to congregations. Permanent foreign missionary establishments
> have not been permitted since the 1960's, but seven Catholic nuns and
> four priests working in Burma since before independence in January
> 1948 continue their work.
>
> The Government monitors the activities of members of all religions, in
> part because such members have, in the past, become politically
> active. The Muslim and Christian religious minorities continued to be
> regarded with suspicion by the authorities. In particular, there is a
> concentration of Christians among the ethnic minorities against whom
> the army has fought for decades, such as the Karen. In recent months
> there have been increased reports that thousands of Burmese soldiers
> have swept through Karen areas along the Burma-Thailand border, raping
> women and forcing men to act as porters for the military.
>
> The DKBA--a government-supported faction of Buddhist Karen--has
> conducted cross-border raids into Thailand, attacking Karen refugee
> camps, killing and kidnapping Christian Karen National Union leaders
> and members, killing Thai police and soldiers, and burning two camps
> in late January 1997.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy monitors restrictions on
> religious freedom, as well as other human rights problems, and
> repeatedly raises strong concerns and particular cases of persecution
> in meetings with government officials. The overall human rights
> situation in Burma deteriorated significantly in 1996, and, in
> response to the Government's dismal human rights record and a
> continuing pattern of severe repression, the President in April 1997
> imposed a ban on new U.S. investment in Burma.
>
> The U.S. Government has also applied a number of other measures
> against Burma, including suspension of all U.S. assistance, imposition
> of an arms embargo, and opposition to assistance for Burma from
> international financial institutions. As a sign of official concern,
> the United States is represented at the charge level in Burma, rather
> than by an ambassador. In October 1996, the President imposed a ban on
> visas for senior Burmese government officials and their families.
> These sanctions are intended to increase the pressure on the
> military-led government in Burma to move in the direction of dialogue
> with the democratic opposition and leaders of ethnic minority groups,
> as well as to respect fundamental human rights and religious freedom.
>
> Burundi
>
> Current situation: Burundi has no state religion, and the Government
> makes no attempt to restrict freedom of worship by adherents of any
> religion. In the context of an ongoing civil war between the
> Tutsi-dominated government and military, and largely Hutu insurgents,
> politically-motivated attacks on churches and church personnel occur
> with some frequency, including massacres of civilians seeking
> sanctuary in churches. In September 1996, the Catholic archbishop of
> Gitega, a Tutsi, was killed in an ambush by persons whom church
> officials believe were Hutu rebels. In November 1996, government
> soldiers killed between 200 and 400 Hutu refugees in a church in
> Murambi province.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government has encouraged through
> many means (including embassy demarches, public statements, visits by
> special envoys, and assistance to negotiations) a cease-fire and
> all-party talks, as first steps in reaching a political settlement to
> the conflict. The U.S. Government has also publicly condemned on many
> occasions the attacks by both the Government and by Hutu rebels on
> civilians, including churches and church personnel.
>
> Cameroon
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and the Government generally does not restrict this right in practice.
> Religious groups must be approved and registered with the Ministry of
> Territorial Administration in order to function legally; there are no
> known reports of the government refusing registration to any Christian
> denomination. Many Christian churches of various denominations operate
> freely throughout the country. Some Christians in rural areas of the
> north, a predominantly Muslim region, complain of discrimination at
> the hands of Muslims. Such discrimination as does occur appears to
> arise from cultural bias, and not government practice. The Catholic
> Church has on occasion been verbally attacked by the Government for
> being overly friendly to the political opposition through its
> forthright criticism of corruption and mismanagement in government
> circles.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Ambassador and other embassy
> officers have emphasized on numerous occasions to government officials
> at all levels the need for wide-ranging debate of public issues by
> members of civil society, including churches.
>
> Central African Republic
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and a variety of religious communities, including the Christian
> community, are active in the country. Religious organizations and
> missionary groups, including Christian missionaries, are free to
> proselytize, worship, and construct places of worship. However, the
> constitution also imposes certain legal conditions, and prohibits
> religious fundamentalism and intolerance; the 1994 constitutional
> provision forbidding fundamentalism is widely understood to be aimed
> at Muslims. All religious groups must register with the government.
> The Government may impose sanctions on any groups it considers
> subversive; no sanctions were imposed in 1995 or 1996. A ban imposed
> by a previous government on Jehovah's Witnesses was lifted by the
> present Government after its election in 1993.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy encourages and advocates a
> broad-based democratic system with respect for human rights, including
> religious freedom.
>
> China
>
> Current situation: The constitution states that citizens "enjoy
> freedom of religious belief." Nonetheless, the Government of China has
> sought to restrict all actual religious practice to
> government-authorized religious organizations and registered places of
> worship. In practice, this effort has been implemented unevenly and in
> some areas unauthorized groups have flourished. Since 1980, and
> particularly in recent years, religious groups--both registered and
> unregistered--have grown rapidly, however, despite government attempts
> to assert control over religion. State Council regulations signed in
> 1994 require all religious groups to register with government
> religious affairs bureaus and come under the supervision of official
> religious organizations.
>
> Some religious groups have registered, while others were refused
> registration, and others have not applied. Many groups have been
> reluctant to comply due to principled opposition to state control of
> religion, unwillingness to limit their activities, or refusal to
> compromise their position on matters such as abortion. They fear
> adverse consequences if they reveal, as required, the names and
> addresses of members and details about leadership activities,
> finances, and contacts in China or abroad.
>
> Guided by a central policy directive of October 1996 that launched a
> national campaign to suppress unauthorized religious groups and social
> organizations, Chinese authorities in some areas made strong efforts
> to crack down on the activities of unregistered Catholic and
> Protestant movements in 1996-1997. They raided and closed several
> hundred "house church" groups, many with significant memberships,
> properties, and financial resources. Local authorities used threats,
> demolition of property, extortion of "fines," interrogation,
> detention, and reform-through-education sentences in carrying out this
> campaign. Some leaders of such groups were detained for lengthy
> investigation, and some were beaten. There were reports that
> unofficial groups were particularly hard hit in Beijing and the nearby
> provinces of Henan (where there are rapidly growing numbers of
> Protestants), and Hebei, a center of unregistered Catholics. At
> present, four Catholic underground bishops are among the many
> Christians who remain imprisoned or detained, or whose whereabouts are
> unknown. Catholic priests, Bishop Joseph Fan Zhongliang and Rev. Zen
> Caijun, were subjected to searches and seizures of religious articles
> and other property in 1997.
>
> The unregistered Vatican-affiliated Catholic Church claims a
> membership far larger than the 4 million persons registered with the
> official Catholic Church (which does not recognize the authority of
> the Pope), although no precise figures are available. Government
> officials estimate that there are about 15 million Protestant
> worshipers in China; other estimates indicate that approximately 10
> million people belong to the official church, while perhaps as many as
> three to seven times more worship in house churches that are
> independent of government control.
>
> While officially-registered groups offer a growing range of services
> to their members and their communities, they are subject to government
> guidance, and have limits on their doctrinal teachings and activities.
> Bibles are printed in increasing numbers--three million in 1996, up
> from one million in 1995--and are distributed by official
> organizations in cooperation with foreign groups. Social services,
> including those that benefit from foreign cooperation, are permitted
> through designated quasi-official charitable organizations, as well as
> through some individual churches.
>
> Communist Party officials state that party membership and religious
> belief are incompatible. This places a serious limitation on religious
> believers, since party membership is required for almost all
> high-level positions in government and state-owned businesses. This
> requirement is enforced unevenly; according to a 1995 government
> survey, 20 percent of Communist Party members engage in some form of
> religious activity.
>
> The 1994 regulations also codified many existing rules involving
> foreigners, including a ban on proselytizing by foreigners. However,
> the regulations allow foreign nationals to preach to foreigners, bring
> in religious materials for their own use, and preach to Chinese at
> churches, mosques, and temples at the invitation of registered
> religious organizations.
>
> The Government exercises control over the education of Christian and
> other religious clergy. According to the Government, there are now
> 68,000 religious sites in China and 48 religious colleges.
> Government-sanctioned religious organizations administer more than a
> dozen Catholic and Protestant seminaries and a limited number of
> institutes to train scholars of other religions. Students who attend
> these institutes must demonstrate "political reliability," and pass an
> examination on their political knowledge to qualify for the clergy.
> The Government is permitting growing numbers of religious leaders to
> go abroad for religious studies and allowing foreign organizations to
> provide training and materials in China. Unofficial churches, however,
> have significant problems training clergy. Hebei's underground church
> seminary was closed down in 1996. The Government bars the Vatican from
> designating bishops and appoints them directly instead.
>
> Increased government concern about the potential impact of ethnic
> separatist movements has also led to restriction on the religious
> freedom of other believers. In Tibet, for example, the authorities
> tightened restrictions on the practice of Tibetan Buddhism, including
> public expression of reverence for the Dalai Lama. In the
> predominantly Muslim Xinjiang Autonomous Region, the government
> tightened control of religious activities in response to a separatist
> bombing campaign. A number of mosques have been closed or destroyed,
> unsanctioned religious classes have been canceled, and some local
> officials have been dismissed.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has made freedom of
> religion a major focus of its human rights policy toward China and has
> raised the issue frequently in bilateral discussions with Chinese
> officials. President Clinton raised human rights issues with President
> Jiang Zemin at the November 1996 Asian Pacific Economic Conference.
> Vice President Gore discussed U.S. concerns about restrictions on
> freedom of religion with senior government officials during his March
> 1997 trip to Beijing. Secretary Albright, during her visit to Beijing
> in February 1997, discussed U.S. concerns about restrictions on
> freedom of religion with senior government officials.
>
> In January 1997, a U.S. Government delegation underscored the
> importance that the United States attaches to fundamental freedoms,
> including freedom of religion, and specifically expressed concern
> about the persecution of Christians in China. The United States also
> has raised specific cases of Christians with the Chinese Government,
> expressing our view that all those incarcerated for the peaceful
> expression of their religious (or political) views should be released
> immediately. For example, after Pastor Xu Yongze was arrested in March
> 1997 and reports circulated of his possible execution, the U.S.
> Embassy in Beijing raised his case with Chinese officials, who
> responded by providing information regarding Xu's activities and
> assurances that he would not be executed.
>
> During Secretary Christopher's November 1996 trip to China, both he
> and Assistant Secretary Shattuck raised with senior Chinese leaders a
> range of human rights concerns and called for the release of political
> prisoners incarcerated for the peaceful expression of their religious,
> political, or social views. Secretary Christopher also emphasized that
> our relationship with China will not realize its fullest potential
> without significant progress in China's human rights situation. In
> addition, Secretary Christopher extensively discussed these problems
> with his counterpart, China's Vice Premier Qian Qichen, in their four
> meetings in April, July, September, and November 1996.
>
> With regard to Tibet, the Administration has strongly encouraged
> dialogue between the Chinese Government and the Dalai Lama. During
> their April 1997 meeting with the Dalai Lama, President Clinton and
> Vice President Gore expressed their continuing concern for the
> situation of the Tibetan people, including the need to preserve the
> religious freedom of Tibetan Buddhists. Secretary Albright and members
> of her Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad reemphasized
> these in their meeting with the Dalai Lama.
>
> The United States has continued its efforts to address the issue of
> freedom of religion in its public diplomacy. The Department of State
> has issued official statements on the issue of religious persecution
> on a regular basis.
>
> We have also actively promoted human rights in multilateral fora. We
> co-sponsored a resolution on China's human rights situation at the
> UNHRC in Geneva in April that included the issue of religious freedom.
> We also delivered a statement on religious freedom at the Commission,
> which contained references to China.
>
> In 1997 the first annual Best Global Practices Award was given to a
> company recognized for its aggressive advocacy before the business
> community and the Chinese public in encouraging respect for human
> rights, including interventions on behalf of religious prisoners.
>
> Colombia
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for complete religious
> freedom, and the Government respects this right in practice. Roman
> Catholic religious instruction is no longer mandatory in state
> schools, and a Constitutional Court decision in 1994 found
> unconstitutional any official government reference to religious
> characterizations of the country. The Government permits proselytizing
> among the indigenous population, provided that it is welcome and does
> not induce members of indigenous communities to adopt changes that
> endanger their survival on traditional lands. The law on the freedom
> of cults provides a mechanism for religions to be recognized as legal
> entities.
>
> Although overt religious discrimination is rare, the work of many
> church organizations to promote peace and nonviolent action in the
> midst of Colombia's internal conflict has led to attacks on church
> personnel. On May 19, two employees of the Jesuit-run human rights
> organization, the Center for Investigation and Popular Education, were
> murdered. Although the Colombian Government launched an immediate
> investigation, no suspects have so far been identified.
>
> In April 1997, the Ministry of Education ordered the Mennonite
> Biblical Seminary of Colombia closed, ostensibly because it did not
> meet educational requirements. However, it is the Mennonite Church's
> belief that the order was aimed at the 75 draft-age youth enrolled in
> the Seminary's peacemaker training program, even though the law allows
> young men pursuing religious education programs to have their military
> service deferred. The Ministry's order has since been suspended but
> not rescinded, thereby leaving the status of the students in limbo.
>
> In January 1993, three members of the New Tribes Mission were
> kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), and
> have yet to be released. Although they are thought to be alive, their
> precise whereabouts and welfare are unknown.
>
> U.S. Government actions: Both the Ambassador and senior officials at
> the Department of State have persistently called on the Colombian
> authorities to take more aggressive measures to reduce the high level
> of impunity for human rights abuses committed by all parties to the
> internal conflict.
>
> The U.S. Embassy has raised the matter of the Mennonite Biblical
> seminary with the Colombian government, but has not yet received a
> response.
>
> In accordance with U.S. policy against negotiating with hostage-takers
> and thereby encouraging further acts of terrorism, the United States
> Government has offered the FARC no ransom payments, prisoner
> exchanges, or any other concessions in the New Tribes Mission case.
> However, U.S. Government representatives have kept in close touch with
> the victims' families and continue to work to gain the cooperation and
> assistance of the Colombian government, the Costa Rican government,
> Colombian law enforcement agencies, and numerous non-governmental
> organizations in urging the FARC to release these hostages.
>
> Comoros
>
> Current situation: An overwhelming majority of the population is Sunni
> Muslim. The constitution prohibits discrimination before the law based
> on religion or religious belief but establishes an ulamas council,
> which advises the President, Prime Minister, President of the Federal
> Assembly, the Council of Isles, and the island governors on whether
> bills, ordinances, decrees, and laws are in conformity with the
> principles of Islam. The Government permits non-Muslims to practice
> their faith; Christian missionaries work in local hospitals and
> schools, however, they are not allowed to proselytize.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has discussed religious
> freedom with the Government of Comoros in the overall context of the
> promotion of human rights.
>
> Democratic Republic of the Congo
>
> Current situation: The current regime, newly installed in power after
> an unexpectedly quick victory over the Mobutu government, has yet to
> formally establish its religious policies. The Kabila Government has
> on several occasions declared its commitment to broad principles of
> tolerance and respect for human rights. Credible accounts of
> systematic and continuing human rights abuses in eastern Congo,
> including massacres, appear to be based on ethnic division and
> intolerance, as well as the intervention of neighboring nations. De
> facto practices point toward religious tolerance; there were no known
> instances of religious persecution of Christian churches or church
> personnel during the march across the former Zaire by the armed forces
> of the new Government.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government has made the human rights
> policies of the new Kabila Government, including religious tolerance,
> a cornerstone of its relationship with the new regime. The Ambassador,
> and such visitors as U.N. Ambassador Bill Richardson and Assistant
> Secretary of State for Human Rights Shattuck, have made clear to the
> Government that assistance to the Congo will depend on the human
> rights performance, including religious tolerance, of the new
> Government.
>
> Croatia
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion
> and the Government respects this right in practice. There is no state
> religion. Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, are the
> major faiths in Croatia, and there are also smaller Muslim, Protestant
> and Jewish communities. Croatian Protestants from a number of
> denominations actively practice and proselytize.
>
> Religion as a reflection of ethnicity, however, is often used to
> identify non-Croats, particularly Serbs and Bosniaks, who experience
> discrimination in citizenship, employment, administration of justice,
> and housing. The close identification of religion with ethnicity
> sometimes causes religious institutions to become targets of violence.
> For example, last year two Orthodox churches were bombed by unknown
> persons and a Catholic church in Eastern Slavonia was attacked by a
> Serb mob during its Christmas services, which were attended by a group
> of ethnic Croats.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government has repeatedly urged the
> Government of Croatia to respect the human rights of its citizens,
> including religious freedom, and to work for a lasting settlement of
> the regional conflict that ensures that all human rights are
> respected.
>
> Cuba
>
> Current situation: Although the Government of Cuba has eased the
> harsher aspects of its repression of religious freedom in recent
> years, religious persecution continues. In 1996 there were several
> instances of persecution of Christians in Cuba.
>
> In December 1995, the Cuban Government issued a resolution preventing
> any Cuban or joint enterprise from selling computers, fax machines,
> photocopiers, or other equipment to any church. A December 1, 1995
> decree signed by Politburo member Jose Ramon Machado Ventura
> prohibited Christmas trees and decorations in public buildings, except
> those related to the tourist or foreign commercial sector, and
> completely prohibited Nativity scenes. The Government ended official
> recognition of all religious holidays in 1961.
>
> In February 1996, the Union of Communist Youth (UJC) affiliate within
> the lawyers' collective in the town of Palma Soriano, expelled
> attorney Cesar Antonio Martinez Melero from his long-standing
> membership in the UJC because of his active involvement in the Roman
> Catholic Church. In April 1996 a disciplinary board of the Julio Mella
> Polytechnic Institute suspended Raul Leyva Ameran's student stipend
> for 6 months for refusing on religious grounds to participate in a
> February 27 rally in support of the Government's February 24 shootdown
> of two civilian U.S. aircraft. Leyva had said that as a Catholic, he
> "did not support the violent death of anyone and for reasons of
> conscience (he) could not go to the rally."
>
> Government restrictions on religious activities include limitations on
> access to the media, establishment of schools, and sponsorship of
> social activities. Government harassment of private houses of worship
> continued throughout 1996, with evangelical denominations reporting
> evictions from, and bulldozing of, houses used for these purposes. In
> the province of Las Tunas, neighbors of one private house of worship
> tried to provoke fights with parishioners, blared music during
> religious services, and tried to pour boiling water through the
> windows during a religious service. In the western mining town of Moa,
> a group of evangelical leaders submitted a written appeal to the local
> Communist Party to stop the harassment of church members and the
> demolition of houses of worship, and to lift the prohibition on the
> construction, expansion, or remodeling of churches. The authorities
> warned religious leaders in Havana that they would impose fines
> ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 pesos ($500 to $2,500), imprison
> leaders, and withdraw official recognition from the religious
> denomination itself, unless the private houses of worship were closed.
>
> The Cuban Government, however, relaxed restrictions on members of
> Jehovah's Witnesses, whom it has considered "active religious enemies
> of the revolution" for their refusal to accept obligatory military
> service or participate in state organizations. The Government
> authorized small assemblies of Jehovah's Witnesses, the opening of a
> Havana central office, and the publishing of the group's "Watchtower"
> magazine and other religious tracts.
>
> The Castro regime authorized a public mass for the first time since
> 1961 on June 29. This unprecedented outdoor event outside Havana's
> Cathedral celebrated the 19th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's
> election as Pope and served to kick off preparations for the Pope's
> January 1998 visit to Cuba. Jaime Cardinal Ortega celebrated mass for
> about 4,000 persons, while the regime provided polite yet pervasive
> security, drinking water, and sanitary facilities, and covered the
> mass in both televised and print reports.
>
> U.S. Government actions: U.S. policy toward Cuba is to promote
> peaceful, democratic change and respect for human rights, including
> religious freedom. The United States does not have diplomatic
> relations with Cuba, and the U.S. Interests Section in Havana is
> unable to intervene formally regarding cases of religious
> discrimination and harassment in Cuba. However, the Interests Section
> reports on such cases, maintains regular contact with religious
> leaders of all faiths throughout the country, and supports
> non-governmental organization initiatives that aid religious groups.
> The U.S. Government continuously marshals international pressure on
> the Cuban Government to cease its repressive practices.
>
> Djibouti
>
> Current situation: Islam is the state religion of Djibouti, and
> virtually the entire population is Sunni Muslim. The Government
> imposes no particular sanctions on citizens who do not follow Islamic
> teachings. Foreign clergy and missionaries are permitted to perform
> charitable works, but proselytizing is discouraged, although not
> illegal. Various Christian churches operate for the benefit of the
> expatriate community.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy encourages and advocates a
> broad-based democratic system with respect for human rights, including
> the free expression of religious values.
>
> Egypt
>
> Current situation: Egypt's constitution provides for freedom of belief
> and the practice of religious rites. For the most part, members of the
> non-Muslim minorities worship without harassment and maintain links
> with co-religionists abroad. However, Christians face discrimination
> based on tradition and some aspects of the law, and there have been
> instances of persecution of Christians in Egypt in recent years. In
> addition, Christians have been the target of terrorist groups seeking
> to overthrow the Government and establish an Islamic state, and
> terrorists have killed dozens of Christians, as well as hundreds of
> other citizens, in the past few years, despite government efforts to
> protect the population.
>
> While technically proselytizing is not a crime, authorities have
> charged a few Muslim converts to Christianity under provisions of the
> Penal Code that prohibit the use of religion to "ignite strife,
> degrade any of the heavenly religions or harm national unity or social
> peace." At least one Christian was detained in 1996 on charges of
> ridiculing or insulting heavenly religions and/or inciting secular
> strife under this law. In other cases authorities have used laws
> against falsifying documents to prosecute Muslim converts to
> Christianity, since such persons sometimes attempt to change their
> names and religious affiliation on their identification cards and
> other official documentation to reflect their conversion. There were
> credible reports that in 1996 state security officers in Cairo
> detained, interrogated, and, in at least two cases, physically abused
> several converts to Christianity in an effort to obtain information
> about the identities and activities of other converts. There were also
> credible reports of at least one similar case in 1995 involving
> several Christians and converts to Christianity.
>
> An 1856 Ottoman Decree still in force requires non-Muslims to obtain
> what is now a presidential decree to build or repair a place of
> worship. Coptic Christians maintain that they have frequently been
> unable to obtain such authorization, that such permits have been
> delayed, or that they have been blocked by the security forces from
> using authorizations that have been issued. The situation improved
> somewhat in the 1990's, as the Government increased the number of
> permits issued to Christian communities. However, Egyptian Protestants
> who are members of evangelical churches reportedly believe that they
> currently face greater difficulties than Coptic Christians in
> obtaining permission from the Government to build new churches and
> repair old ones. Muslim and Christian reformers urge the abolition of
> the Ottoman decree, but Islamists who oppose the spread of
> Christianity defend the building restrictions. A local human rights
> organization brought a legal case during 1996 requesting the abolition
> of the Ottoman Decree against Copts. The case remains before the
> court.
>
> In December 1996, the army demolished buildings under construction at
> a Coptic farm and training center for mentally disabled children. The
> Cheerful Heart Center had not obtained all necessary building permits,
> which are strictly controlled due to Egypt's scarce supply of
> agricultural land.
>
> There were reports of forced conversions of Coptic children to Islam,
> but human rights groups find it extremely difficult to determine the
> actual degree of compulsion used, as most cases involve a Coptic girl
> converting to Islam to marry a Muslim boy. There are credible reports
> of government harassment of Christian families attempting to regain
> custody of their daughters, and of the failure of the authorities to
> uphold the law prohibiting marriages of minors without the approval of
> the guardian.
>
> The Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood--an illegal political
> organization--stated in April 1997 that once Egypt became "an Islamic
> state" Coptic Christians could not serve in the army because in a
> conflict with a Christian country they "could change their allegiance
> and become agents of the enemy." This statement aroused a furor among
> Egyptians, and President Hosni Mubarak, in his Labor Day speech later
> that month, emphasized that the Copts are "an integral part" of the
> "national fabric," and "honorable citizens" who enjoy "equal rights
> and duties."
>
> Both extremists and ordinary citizens have committed acts of violence
> against churches and Copt-owned businesses. Rumors of church repairs
> or building without permits occasionally have resulted in
> anti-Christian rioting by citizens. In one incident in the village of
> Kafr Demyan, local newspapers reported that the rioters were incited
> by Muslim preachers who utilized mosque loudspeakers to call for
> retaliation against the perceived violations. Copts also report
> extortion of money by terrorists, who threaten to kill the person or
> his family if money is not paid. The Government, the media, and senior
> Muslim clergy have strongly and publicly condemned such acts.
>
> Terrorists continue to attack churches and properties belonging to
> Christians and to target and kill Christian believers. In February
> 1997, gunmen attacked a prayer meeting at a Coptic church in the
> village of Al Fikriya, killing nine young Christians and wounding six.
> The gunmen killed another Christian while escaping, and the bodies of
> three others were found in nearby fields 24 hours later. After this
> incident, the Muslim clergymen in the four highest religious positions
> in Egypt visited the scene to express their condolences to the
> families and Christian clergy. The Government condemned the attack and
> agreed to pay restitution to the victims' families. Police routinely
> guard Coptic churches; however, no police were on duty at the time of
> this incident. The Government is investigating the absence of police.
> In a shoot-out in April, police killed two alleged perpetrators of the
> attack.
>
> In March 1997, suspected Muslim extremists opened fire in the
> predominantly Christian village of Ezbet Dawoud, killing 9 Coptic
> Christians and 4 Muslims, and wounding 15 others. Later that night,
> gunmen fired at a Cairo-bound train outside the village, killing one
> person and wounding six others. The Government and the media strongly
> condemned the attack, and the nation's leading Muslim clergymen also
> visited the scene. Terrorists killed 22 Coptic Christians in 1996,
> including a group of 8 in Assiyut in February. Terrorists killed at
> least 30 Christians in 1995 and at least 9 in 1994.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Ambassador and senior embassy
> officials maintain contacts with the various Christian communities at
> the highest levels, including Pope Shenouda III, leader of the Coptic
> Church, and Dr. Samuel Habib, President of the Council of the
> Protestant Churches of Egypt. Through these contacts and through
> contacts with human rights organizations, the Embassy monitors reports
> of religious persecution and discrimination. For example, in April
> 1997, in response to a request from Religious Freedom International,
> the Embassy investigated allegations of discrimination against the
> Kasr Al-Dobara Evangelical Church in an ongoing legal case. Embassy
> officers, in talking with church officials and attorneys, found that
> the church was not suffering discrimination. They continue to monitor
> the case.
>
> The Embassy also maintains a continuous dialogue with the Government
> of Egypt on all human rights issues. Embassy actions regarding
> individual human rights cases are part of this ongoing dialogue. The
> U.S. Government publicly and firmly condemned the killings of Coptic
> Christians by terrorists.
>
> Equatorial Guinea
>
> Current situation: The Government generally respects freedom of
> religion. There is no state religion, and the Government does not
> discriminate against any faith. Religious organizations must be
> formally recognized by the Ministry of Justice and Religion before
> they can pursue their activities. Missionaries in 1996 reported a
> significant easing of government pressure on their activities during
> the year. The Government does restrict the freedom of expression of
> Catholic clergy; there were several incidents in 1996 involving the
> arrest, beating, and expulsion from parishes of priests accused of
> "political sermons."
>
> U.S. Government actions: There is no resident U.S. Ambassador in
> Equatorial Guinea. The U.S. Embassy in neighboring Cameroon has
> encouraged a general liberalization of Equatorial-Guinean political
> culture, involving greater respect for the public expression of
> alternate points of view, including views of church leaders.
>
> Eritrea
>
> Current situation: A draft constitution provides for the freedom to
> practice any religion and to manifest such practice. However the
> Government has banned religious organizations from any involvement in
> politics, and has issued specific guidelines regarding the role of
> religious organizations, stating that development, politics, and
> public administration are the sole responsibility of government and
> the people. These guidelines also govern relations between religious
> organizations and foreign sponsors.
>
> Government action against Jehovah's Witnesses occurs, as the
> Government considers their refusal to participate in national service
> or vote in national referenda a collective shirking of civic duty. The
> sanctions consist of revocation of business licenses, and dismissal of
> civil servants who are Jehovah's Witnesses, and also denial of
> identification cards, passports, and government housing.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The Ambassador and other embassy officers
> continue to express to the Eritrean Government U.S. Government concern
> over the treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses, and to work closely with
> Jehovah's Witnesses to achieve fair treatment.
>
> Estonia
>
> Current situation: The Constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and the Government respects this right in practice. The 1993 Law on
> Churches and Religious Organizations requires all religious
> organizations to have at least 12 members and to be registered with
> the Interior Ministry and the Board of Religion. Leaders of religious
> organizations must be citizens with at least 5 years' residence in
> Estonia.
>
> People of varying ethnic backgrounds profess Orthodoxy, including
> communities of Russian Old Believers who found refuge in Estonia in
> the 17th century. In 1993, the synod of the Estonian Apostolic
> Orthodox Church (EAOC) in exile, independent since 1919, subordinate
> to Constantinople since 1923, and exiled under the Soviet occupation,
> re-registered as the legal continuation of the pre-war EAOC; it has
> subsequently been recognized by Tallinn courts as the heir to the EAOC
> name and properties. This claim is disputed by the Russian Orthodox
> Church supported by the Patriarch in Moscow, which has sought to
> register under the EAOC name and has refused to register under any
> other name. During 1996 representatives of the Moscow and
> Constantinople Patriarchates formed a joint commission to resolve the
> question. The dispute, which centers on property issues, is the
> subject of ongoing discussions. The Government has taken a hands off
> approach to the issue, but has assured parishes aligned with the
> Russian Orthodox Church that they may continue to worship unimpeded.
> Free worship has occurred in practice.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy monitors the registration
> process for discrimination against certain religious groups.
>
> Ethiopia
>
> The Ethiopian constitution provides for freedom of religion, including
> the right of conversion, and freedom of worship exists in practice.
> Accurate information on the complex relationships among Ethiopia's
> religious groups is difficult to obtain, especially because religious
> differences are often related to ethnic distinctions. Religious
> tensions between Christians and Muslims, particularly in certain
> regions (most notably the Oromiya and Somali regions) persist, and
> anti-Christian sentiment is sometimes fueled by historical perceptions
> of Christians as elite. According to reports from non-governmental
> organizations, tension at the local level between and among Christians
> and Muslims has led to incidents of harassment, intimidation, and in
> some cases, violence.
>
> Tension--and some incidents of harassment--also occur among Christian
> groups, for example, between Orthodox Christians and Protestants and
> "newly arrived" Pentecostals. Such problems reportedly stem to a
> considerable degree from cultural differences, rather than religious
> intolerance per se. Pentecostals reportedly have difficulty gaining
> acceptance in local communities because they are fairly new in
> Ethiopia and are extremely active in seeking converts. In one incident
> in early 1997, there was a clash between some Orthodox Christians and
> a group of Pentecostals and Evangelicals who had planned a peaceful
> rally. The authorities jailed an Orthodox priest for one night for
> inciting violence.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Ambassador has traveled throughout
> Ethiopia and has met with leaders of the various religious traditions.
> He has discussed societal religious tension with senior Ethiopian
> officials. The problem of religious persecution is addressed in the
> overall context of the protection of human rights, though government
> officials and some independent observers insist that there is a
> general atmosphere of religious harmony throughout Ethiopian society.
>
> France
>
> Current situation: The law provides for separation of church and
> state, and the Government respects this provision in practice. The
> State subsidizes private schools, including those that are
> church-affiliated. Central or local governments also own and provide
> upkeep for other religious buildings constructed before 1905, the date
> of the law separating church and state. Cultural associations with
> religious affiliations may also qualify for government subsidies.
> Contrary to practice in the rest of France, the Jewish, Lutheran,
> Reformed, and Roman Catholic religions in three departments of Alsace
> and Lorraine enjoy special legal status. Adherents of these four
> religions may choose to have a portion of their income tax allocated
> to their church in a system the central Government administers.
>
> A Parliamentary Commission on Sects identified 172 groups as sects,
> including Jehovah's Witnesses, which was categorized as a "criminal
> sect" for its prohibition against blood transfusions. The Commission's
> Vice President has stated that certain elements characterize sect
> behavior, including the mental manipulation of members especially as
> pertains to money and sex, and the cultivation of an anti-social
> mentality that leads to rupture with the family. The Commission is
> studying legislative proposals to regulate sect activity without
> intruding upon individual liberties.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government is following the work of
> the Parliamentary Commission on Sects. The United States would be
> concerned if individuals were to be denied rights on the basis of
> their belief or mere affiliation with a certain group, rather than on
> the basis of illegal acts.
>
> Germany
>
> Current situation: The Basic Law provides for religious freedom, and
> the Government broadly respects this right in practice. Numerous
> religious groups are active in Germany; many organizations, including
> many Christian groups, enjoy tax-exempt status. Most of the population
> belongs to the Catholic or Lutheran churches. These denominations and
> the Jewish community hold a special legal status as corporate bodies
> under public law, giving them, for example, the right to participate
> in a state-administered church tax system. State governments subsidize
> church-affiliated schools and provide religious instruction in schools
> and universities for those belonging to the Protestant, Catholic, or
> Jewish faith. Groups of religious character, including some Christian
> groups, which are not granted special legal status, do not benefit
> from the privileges granted by the State.
>
> Recently, a federal administration court in Berlin denied Jehovah's
> Witnesses the status of a "public body" on the grounds that the church
> did not offer the "indispensable loyalty" towards the State, because,
> for example, it refused to acknowledge public elections. Jehovah's
> Witnesses are appealing this ruling in the Constitutional Court.
> Scientologists, including American citizens, have reported
> discrimination and harassment in Germany. In June 1997, German
> authorities placed the Church of Scientology under observation for one
> year, a decision Scientologists indicated they would appeal.
>
> In some German state governments and state/local-level church
> organizations, sect observers work within some political,
> administrative, and church structures to "educate" the public and
> other officials about how to recognize members of sects. A German
> Parliamentary "Commission of Inquiry on So-Called Psychogroups and
> Sects" is preparing a report on sects and the potential dangers they
> may pose to society and to individuals. One Christian Charismatic
> Church led by an American pastor reported that it had been subjected
> over several years to vandalism, threats of violence, and public
> harassment or scrutiny by sect commissioners. The church is
> challenging a 1995 ruling by authorities in Cologne, who revoked its
> tax exempt status on the grounds that it was not a charitable
> organization and did not contribute to the cultural, religious, or
> spiritual value of German society.
>
> In May and June 1997, five Catholic and Protestant churches in
> northern Germany were the targets of graffiti and arson attacks.
> Government officials have condemned these acts, arrests have been made
> in connection with some of the attacks, and investigations are
> continuing.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government has expressed concern to
> the German Government about efforts to monitor religious
> organizations. The U.S. Government also has told the German Government
> that it would be concerned if persons were placed under observation or
> denied rights on the basis of mere membership in a group, rather than
> suspicion of illegal acts by individuals.
>
> Greece
>
> Current situation: The constitution establishes the Greek Orthodox
> Church as the prevailing religion, but it prohibits discrimination
> against adherents of other religions. The Greek Orthodox Church wields
> significant influence though its relationship with the Ministry of
> Education and Religion. Religious training is mandatory in public
> schools for Greek Orthodox pupils. Non-Orthodox students are exempt
> from this requirement. However, some teachers suspended members of
> Jehovah's Witnesses for not participating in school national day
> parades. The constitution limits religious practice by prohibiting
> proselytizing; four members of Jehovah's Witnesses were harassed by
> the authorities, who arrested and held them for several hours at
> police headquarters but subsequently released them without pressing
> charges. Several cases involving proselytizing were pending before the
> European Court of Human Rights at the end of 1996.
>
> Non-Orthodox religious groups must be recognized as a "known religion"
> before they can obtain a "house of prayer" permit necessary to hold
> services. There is no formal mechanism for newly arrived religious
> groups to apply for the prerequisite government recognition. Such
> groups, including Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, cannot obtain
> permits to operate a house of prayer without first having the status
> of a "known religion," but this status can only be obtained if the
> Greek Government brings legal action against the group and a court
> deems the group's beliefs worthy of recognition as a religion. In
> practice, this means that non-Orthodox religious groups exist in a
> legal twilight zone until they come into conflict with the Greek
> Government over house of prayer permits, their tax-exempt status, or
> conscientious objection; only then, and only if the group wins the
> case, is recognition as a religion granted.
>
> "House of prayer" permits are submitted to the Ministry of Education
> and Religion, which bases its decision on the perceived merit of a
> group's beliefs, as well as the advisory opinion of the Orthodox
> bishop. Obtaining this permit can be problematic for religious groups
> that have been present in Greece for centuries, such as Roman
> Catholics; the process is even more onerous for recently-arrived
> groups. In recent years, such permission has been granted to some
> groups only after long delays, and withheld altogether from other
> denominations. Two members of Jehovah's Witnesses were charged in
> February with the illegal use of a house of prayer in Komotini.
>
> Traditionally, ministers of communities of Jehovah's Witnesses were
> not granted the exemption from military service accorded under the law
> to clergy of "known religions," and thus served prison sentences for
> refusing military service. Since 1990-1991, the Council of State, the
> highest court dealing with civil and administrative matters (and whose
> opinions are binding on the Government), has ruled that Jehovah's
> Witnesses were a "known religion" and has ordered the release of
> ministers who had refused induction. However, the recruiting service
> of the armed forces regarded these rulings as applying only to
> individual appellants, rather than as binding precedents for
> subsequent instances in which ministers of communities of Jehovah's
> Witnesses were called up. It thus continued to rely, in the first
> instance, on the opinion of the Ministry of Education and Religion,
> which in turn accepted the view of the Greek Orthodox Church, that
> Jehovah's Witnesses are not a "known religion." As a consequence, for
> the past few years, ministers of communities of Jehovah's Witnesses
> have been called up for military service and prosecuted for refusal to
> serve; only after conviction could they appeal to the Council of
> State.
>
> In September 1996, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor
> of four members of Jehovah's Witnesses who had been found guilty by
> the Supreme Court in 1991 of illegally operating a house of prayer.
> The Court found that the house of prayer authorization procedure
> allowed the Government to limit the exercise of religious freedom by
> members of non-Orthodox religions, and was therefore contrary to
> Article 9 of the European convention on human rights. The Government
> nevertheless denied after the verdict that any restrictions were
> imposed.
>
> In May 1996, an appeals court considering the case of former Greek
> Orthodox priest Nikodomos Tsarknias overturned three of his previous
> convictions for "pretense of authority." Human rights monitors noted
> that the language of the court's decision implied recognition of the
> Macedonian Orthodox Church. A permit request for construction of a
> Macedonian Orthodox Church is pending with the Ministry of Education
> and Religion.
>
> In 1993 the Greek Government granted recognition as a club to the
> Church of Greek Christians, a Christian nondenominational group. In
> the years since, its members and leaders on the island of Crete have
> come under attack by members of the Orthodox Church and the media, who
> have accused club members of practicing black magic and club leaders
> of stealing money. The Minister of Education ordered an investigation
> of the group on charges that it was proselytizing among children in
> public schools. Two teachers were removed from their jobs and a
> principal in a public school was told that he would be removed from
> his job if he did not cross himself in the manner that the Orthodox
> religion demands.
>
> The Greek Parliament this year created several new taxes on religious
> groups, one of which appears to hit non-orthodox religious groups much
> harder than the Greek Orthodox Church. The first law, passed in
> February 1997, related to the "abolition of tax exemptions." The
> second law, passed in May 1997, dealt with taxes on "large real estate
> holdings." These taxes pertain to property and the income of
> institutions, such as schools and hospitals, which previously had been
> considered non-profit and tax-exempt. Leaders of the Roman Catholic
> Church and the Greek Jewish community have protested these laws in
> various European fora and have raised their concerns with U.S.
> Government officials.
>
> U.S. Government actions: U.S. Embassy officials meet frequently with
> representatives of Christian groups that have experienced difficulties
> in Greece to discuss their concerns about religious freedom. U.S.
> officials also meet with Greek Government officials to discuss these
> matters. U.S. officials have attended the trials of Christian church
> adherents charged with offenses that relate to religious practice, and
> have used multilateral fora to express concerns about the treatment of
> minority religious groups in Greece.
>
> India
>
> Current situation: The State is secular. The constitution provides for
> religious freedom, and this right is respected in practice. There is
> no national law to bar proselytizing by Indian Christians, but the
> Government has refused since the mid-1960s to admit new resident
> foreign missionaries. Missionaries who arrive now do so on tourist
> visas and stay for short periods only. As of 1993, there were more
> than 1,900 registered foreign Christian missionaries.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy discusses a wide range of
> issues with the Government of India, including respect for human
> rights.
>
> Indonesia
>
> Current situation: The Indonesian constitution provides for religious
> freedom and belief in one Supreme God. The Government recognizes
> Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and permits
> the practice of the mystical, traditional beliefs of "Aliran
> Kepercayaan." There are 170 million Muslims making Indonesia the
> largest Muslim Country. There are also 12 million Protestants and 6
> million Catholics. However, the practice and teachings of all
> recognized religions are generally respected, and the Government
> actively promotes mutual tolerance among them. Non-Muslims hold
> positions of importance in the military, the government, and in the
> business sector.
>
> There are some restrictions on religious freedom, including a ban on
> atheism and some restrictions on the activities of unrecognized
> religions. The Government has also banned some religious groups,
> including Jehovah's Witnesses.
>
> The law allows conversions between faiths, and such conversions occur.
> The Government views proselytizing by recognized religions in areas
> heavily dominated by another recognized religion as potentially
> disruptive and discourages it. Foreign missionary activities are
> relatively unimpeded, although in East Timor and occasionally
> elsewhere missionaries have experienced difficulties and delays in
> renewing residence permits, and visas allowing the entrance of new
> foreign clergy are sometimes difficult to obtain. Laws and decrees
> from the 1970's limit the number of years that foreign missionaries
> can spend in Indonesia, with some extensions granted in remote areas
> like Irian Jaya.
>
> There were several instances of religion-related mob violence during
> 1996. In July several Christian churches were burned in Surabaya. On
> October 10, rioters destroyed 24 churches and a Buddhist temple on the
> East Java coast, to protest the leniency of a sentence given to a
> Muslim by an Indonesian judge for slandering Islam. In the course of
> the riots a Protestant minister, his wife and child, and a church
> worker were burned to death.
>
> After the riots the Government and local religious leaders took a
> number of actions. Fifty individuals were arrested, of whom five were
> tried and sentenced to 1 to 5 months in prison. Abdurahman Wahid, the
> chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)--Indonesia's largest Islamic
> organization--took moral responsibility for the riots, because many of
> the rioters were NU members. The churches destroyed in the October
> riots are being rebuilt with financial assistance from the provincial
> government. Through the efforts of Abdurahman Wahid, confidence and
> cooperation between these Christian and Muslim communities has been
> restored and become stronger.
>
> In addition, in response to a riot in Situbondo, eight mass national
> student and youth organizations founded the Nationality Forum for
> Indonesian Youth (FKPI), an organization that brings together Hindu,
> Islamic, Protestant, and Catholic youth groups. The goals of the forum
> are to create a new spirit of nationality, to create a place for the
> expression of youth aspirations, and to provide a forum for
> cooperation between religious groups and for communication to the
> grass roots level to prevent further unrest.
>
> The reported police beating of Islamic teachers in December 1996,
> along with the false rumor that one of the teachers had been killed,
> apparently was the cause of serious rioting in Tasikmalaya, West Java,
> which involved thousands of people. Although sparked by anger over
> police abuse, the rioting reportedly targeted businesses, factories,
> and shops, including those owned by members of the Chinese community,
> churches, and police offices. In September 1996, a group of young
> people burned a Catholic church in east Jakarta. The group was
> apparently Muslim, and was seeking to eliminate non-Muslim influences
> in the area.
>
> The proportion of Catholics in East Timor is much higher today than it
> was when it was a Portuguese colony. The number of churches has
> increased substantially as well. In previous years, Bishop Belo and
> other Catholics have expressed concern that the government may be
> attempting to Islamize in East Timor through promoting migration of
> Muslim Indonesians from other islands. In August 1996, in Viqueque,
> East Timorese demonstrated against government-sponsored Muslim
> migrants to the area, and burned a number of shops owned by these
> migrants. In June, also in East Timor, the desecration of either a
> picture or statue of the Virgin Mary in Baucau sparked rioting on the
> part of the Catholic East Timorese. This led to numerous arrests and
> at least one serious injury. In October, President Soeharto dedicated
> a 90-foot statue of Christ in Dili.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy engages the Government of
> Indonesia on a wide range of human rights issues and concerns. During
> his March 1997 trip to Indonesia, Assistant Secretary Shattuck raised
> the issue of tension between groups of different religious faiths, and
> expressed concern about violent incidents on Java, such as the
> Situbondo riot. In response, Indonesian officials emphasized that they
> were working to promote better relations between members of different
> religions. In 1997 the U.S. co-sponsored a UNHRC resolution concerning
> the human rights situation on East Timor.
>
> Iran
>
> Current situation: The Iranian constitution declares that Islam is the
> "official religion" of Iran and that "the sect followed is Ja'fari
> Shi'ism." The Government restricts freedom of religion both for other
> Muslim sects and other religious minorities, including Christians. The
> constitution states that other Islamic denominations "shall enjoy
> complete respect," and also recognizes Christianity, Judaism, and
> Zoroastrianism. Members of these religions elect representatives to
> reserved parliamentary seats. They may practice their religion and
> instruct their children, but the Government interferes with the
> administration of their schools and harassment by government officials
> is common. The law also stipulates penalties for government workers
> who do not observe "Islamic principles and rules."
>
> Non-Muslims may not proselytize Muslims. Muslims who convert to
> another faith are considered apostates and may be subject to the death
> penalty. Four Baha'is remain in prison under death sentences,
> convicted on charges of apostasy in 1996. There have been no reports
> in recent years of Christians convicted on apostasy charges.
>
> Official oppression of evangelical Christians increased in 1996. In
> early July 1996, a Muslim convert to Christianity, Shahram
> Sepehri-Fard, was arrested on charges of having "sensitive
> information." He has been denied visitors since shortly after his
> arrest, and his condition is unknown. In late September 1996, another
> Muslim convert to evangelical Christianity, Pastor Mohammed Yussefi
> (also known as Ravanbaksh), was found dead in a public park. He is
> widely believed to have been murdered by Iranian authorities. Yussefi
> had been imprisoned by the Government on several occasions prior to
> his death. Three members of an opposition movement, Mojahadin-e-Khaleq
> (MEK), Farohnaz Anami, Betoul Vaferi Kalateh, and Maryam Shahbazpoor,
> are currently in prison for the 1994 murder of Reverend Tatavous
> Michaelian, an evangelical Protestant pastor. The three women claim
> that two other Christian pastors murdered in 1994, Reverend Mehdi
> Dibaj and Reverend Haik Hovsepian Mehr, were also killed by the MEK.
> However, many observers believe that it is more likely that the
> Government is responsible for these deaths.
>
> In January 1997, two Christian evangelists, Daniel Baumann and Stuart
> Timm, were arrested and detained under suspicion of espionage, a
> charge which is often levied against persons who proselytize in Iran.
> Baumann is a Swiss/American dual national and Timm holds South African
> citizenship. Both eventually were released without having been
> charged.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States does not have diplomatic
> relations with Iran and is therefore unable to directly monitor the
> serious problems of religious persecution that exist in the country.
>
> In coordination with the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, the United States
> worked to obtain the release of Daniel Baumann, who was freed in
> March. Stuart Timm was released in February.
>
> In 1996 the U.S. Government publicly condemned Iran's persecution of
> Christians, Baha'is, and other religious minorities on a number of
> occasions at international fora, in policy statements, and through
> radio broadcasts.
>
> At the UNHRC, the UNGA, and the International Labor Organization, the
> United States strongly supported resolutions condemning human rights
> violations in Iran, including the persecution of Christians. The
> United States also called for extending the mandates of the U.N.
> Special Representative for Iran, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on
> Religious Intolerance, and the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of
> Opinion and Expression, each of whom visited Iran in 1995 to ascertain
> details about conditions there. The U.N. Special Representative on
> Iran is awaiting an invitation from the Government and has been unable
> to visit the country.
>
> The State Department spokesman has issued statements on the
> mistreatment of Baha'is and Christians in Iran and several Voice of
> America editorials have focused on this problem.
>
> Iraq
>
> Current situation: The provisional constitution of 1968 states that
> "Islam is the religion of the State," but the Government of Iraq
> severely limits freedom of religion. Ethnic and religious communities,
> including the majority Shi'a population and the Kurds in northern
> Iraq, not associated with the ruling clique have suffered massive
> repression for decades.
>
> The U.N. Special Rapporteur on Iraq and others report that the Iraqi
> Government has engaged in various abuses against the country's 350,000
> Assyrian Christians. Most Assyrians traditionally live in the northern
> governorates, and the Government often has suspected them of
> "collaborating" with Kurds. Assyrians are an ethnic group as well as a
> Christian community. They speak a distinct language--Syriac--which is
> banned de facto in public. The U.N. Special Rapporteur reported
> continued discrimination and persecution against Assyrians throughout
> 1996. Other sources also report that the Government continued in 1996
> to harass and kill Assyrian Christians throughout the country, using
> forced relocations, terror, and artillery bombardments.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States does not have diplomatic
> relations with Iraq and thus does not have bilateral channels in which
> to raise human rights issues. However, the United States has
> vigorously led the international community's condemnation of human
> rights violations in Iraq. At the UNGA, the U.S. led successful
> efforts to adopt a resolution condemning Iraq's human rights record.
> The U.S. Government has also strongly supported the U.N. Special
> Rapporteur on Iraq and assisted his staff in their interviews of
> refugees from northern Iraq, including Assyrian Christians, who were
> in Guam awaiting resettlement in the United States.
>
> Israel
>
> Current situation: The law provides for freedom of religion, and the
> Government respects this right. The Jewish, Christian, and Muslim
> communities each have legal authority over their members in matters of
> marriage and divorce, although Christians have the choice of religious
> or civil courts in some matters. In civic areas where religion is a
> determining criterion, such as the religious courts and centers of
> education, non-Jewish institutions receive less state support than
> their Jewish counterparts.
>
> The status of a number of Christian organizations with representation
> in Israel has heretofore been defined by a collection of ad hoc
> arrangements with various government agencies. Several of these
> organizations are negotiating with the Government in an attempt to
> formalize their status. Attempts to establish meaningful negotiations
> are ongoing.
>
> Missionaries are allowed to proselytize, although Mormons are
> specifically prohibited from doing so by mutual agreement between the
> Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Government. A 1977
> anti-proselytizing law prohibits anyone from offering or receiving
> material benefits as an inducement to conversion.
>
> In the spring of 1997, a private member's bill was introduced in the
> Israeli Knesset (parliament) to restrict proselytizing, apparently in
> reaction to an evangelical Christian group's mass mailing of brochures
> to thousands of Israelis. If passed in its current form, this bill
> would amend the current anti-proselytization law, and prohibit the
> production, import, or dissemination of religious materials "in which
> there is an inducement to religious conversion," and would provide for
> confiscation of the materials and one-year prison sentence.
>
> Local civil rights activists and legal scholars strongly oppose the
> bill, which they state contravenes freedom of expression and freedom
> of religion provided for in Israel's basic laws. They note that the
> bill's sweeping language theoretically could prohibit even the
> ownership of a New Testament. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has
> publicly stated his government's opposition to the bill, which is
> still under preliminary consideration in the Knesset.
>
> The small community of Jehovah's Witnesses has faced harassment and
> occasional violent attacks by private citizens opposed to religious
> prosyletization. On March 8, 1997, a mob of over 250 Haredim
> (ultra-conservative Orthodox Jews) attacked the Lod meeting hall,
> broke into the building, destroyed the interior, and burned religious
> literature, books, and furnishings. The police stated that they were
> notified by bystanders too late to intervene.
>
> Members of Jehovah's Witnesses have reported being followed, and have
> also reported death threats. Police have occasionally evinced
> indifference to complaints, sometimes alleging that members of
> Jehovah's Witnesses proselytize without a permit (although there is no
> requirement or provision under Israeli law for such a permit). Police
> have warned that they would act to uphold the law if there was any
> further interference with anyone's right to worship.
>
> U.S. Government actions: In March, after the attack on the Lod meeting
> hall, the U.S. Embassy raised the issue of police protection for
> Jehovah's Witnesses with the head of the Foreign Liaison Division of
> the Israeli National Police. The head of the division assured the
> Embassy that police patrols would be stepped up while the facility was
> being rebuilt, and that the police had already advised communities of
> Jehovah's Witnesses to notify them of any planned meetings so that
> adequate security could be provided. The Embassy inquired whether the
> Lod police had made any arrests or had filed charges against suspected
> perpetrators of the March 8 attack on the Lod meeting hall, and was
> informed that individuals had been detained, questioned, and warned,
> but that no charges had been brought. The Embassy emphasized that
> while assurances of police protection in the future for Jehovah's
> Witnesses were welcome, since the identity of those involved in the
> March 8 attack was apparently known, we expected active prosecution of
> those who had violated the law.
>
> Jordan
>
> Current situation: Jordan's constitution designates Islam as the state
> religion, but also prohibits discrimination based on religion and
> provides for "personal freedom." The Government does not interfere
> with public worship by Jordan's Christian minority.
>
> The Government does not officially recognize Jehovah's Witnesses, the
> United Pentecostal Church, the Church of Christ, and the Church of
> Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but it allows them to conduct their
> activities without interference. Other, more established religious
> groups, which include Muslims, Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox,
> Baptists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Syriacs, and Armenian Orthodox,
> require official government recognition in order to register property
> in the name of the organization, but members may practice their
> religion without government recognition. The law prohibits non-Muslims
> from proselytizing. Muslims who convert to other faiths report social
> and government discrimination. In general, however, Christians do not
> suffer discrimination.
>
> Christians hold cabinet and other government positions and are
> represented in the media and academia in numbers greater than their
> proportion in the overall population. Of the 80 seats in the lower
> house of Parliament, 9 are reserved for Christians.
>
> Christian children in public schools are not required to participate
> in Islamic religious instruction. The Government announced in October
> 1996 a plan to teach Christianity as a religion in Jordan's public
> schools, but there has been no official announcement on when the plan
> is to be implemented.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States maintains an ongoing
> dialogue with Jordan and provides assistance on human rights issues.
>
> Kazakstan
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and various denominations worship without government interference.
> However, the constitution also requires that the appointment by
> foreign religious centers of the heads of religious associations must
> be carried out "in coordination with the Government," as must the
> activities of foreign religious associations. In practice the
> Government does not interfere with the appointment of religious
> leaders. Foreign missionaries have complained of harassment by
> low-level government officials, but the extent of the problem is
> unknown. In 1996 the government-controlled television complained about
> conversions to foreign religions and proposed stopping missionaries
> from preaching "Christianity and Krishna ideas on our soil." However,
> no action has been taken against missionaries.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy discusses a wide range of
> issues with the Government of Kazakstan, including respect for human
> rights.
>
> Kenya
>
> Current situation: The Constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The
> Government requires new churches to register. Government officials
> harshly criticized the Catholic Church, and the National Council of
> Churches in Kenya (NCCK) in 1996 for pastoral letters calling for
> constitutional reform and fair elections. The Government also accused
> the NCCK in 1996 of subversive activities and incitement of ethnic
> clashes in the rift valley.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy and the State Department
> have continued to advocate a broad-based democratic system with
> respect for human rights, including the free expression of religious
> values.
>
> Democratic People's Republic of Korea
>
> Current situation: The North Korean Government continues to firmly
> discourage all organized religious activity except that which serves
> the interests of the State. As late as the early 1980's, foreign
> visitors to North Korea were told that there were no churches in the
> country. However, in recent years, the regime has facilitated the
> formation of several government-sponsored religious organizations.
> These serve as interlocutors with foreign church groups and
> international aid organizations. Some foreigners who have met with
> representatives of these organizations are convinced that they are
> sincere believers; others claim that they appeared to know little
> about religious dogma, liturgy, or teaching.
>
> Three Christian churches--two Protestant and one Catholic--have been
> opened since 1988 in Pyongyang. These appear to be the only active
> Christian churches in the country. Many visitors say that church
> activity appears staged. Foreign Christians who have attempted to
> attend services at these churches without making prior arrangements
> with the authorities report finding them locked and unattended, even
> on Easter Sunday. There are reportedly no Catholic priests resident in
> the country to celebrate mass and administer the sacraments.
>
> The North Korean Government claims that there are 10,000 Christians
> who worship in 500 "house churches," and that the Chondogyo Young
> Friends Party, a government-sponsored group based on a native Korean
> religious movement, is still in existence. The authorities have told
> foreign visitors that one Protestant seminary exists, accepting six to
> nine pupils every three years.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States does not maintain
> diplomatic relations with North Korea, and thus can not formally
> intervene with the North Korean Government regarding religious
> persecution. However, the U.S. Government has publicly condemned
> religious persecution in North Korea at international fora and in
> public statements.
>
> Kuwait
>
> Current situation: Islam is the state religion of Kuwait. The
> constitution states that Islamic law (or Shari'a), is "a main source
> of legislation." The constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and there are several legally recognized expatriate congregations and
> churches, including a Catholic diocese and several Protestant
> churches. The Government prohibits missionaries from proselytizing
> among Muslims; however, they may serve expatriate congregations. The
> law prohibits religious education for religions other than Islam,
> although this law does not appear to be rigidly enforced.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Ambassador and his staff closely
> monitor freedom of religion in Kuwait and raise U.S. concerns with the
> Kuwaiti Government. The U.S. Government made a significant effort in
> the case of Qambar "Robert" Hussein, a Kuwaiti citizen who converted
> to Christianity and in May 1996 was found by a Kuwaiti court to be an
> "apostate." Robert Hussein was a Shi'a Muslim before his conversion. A
> group of private Kuwaiti citizens brought Hussein before a Shi'a
> family law court, challenging his inheritance and child custody
> rights. The Government of Kuwait did not incarcerate Hussein or press
> charges against him. The family law court denied Hussein any rights on
> the two issues of child custody and inheritance, and the presiding
> judge, in handing down his decision, referred to a traditional Koranic
> law that states that "the Imam should kill the Muslim who commits
> apostasy." Although that comment was not part of the formal sentence,
> it had the potential to incite others to harm Hussein.
>
> The U.S. Ambassador discussed Hussein's welfare with senior Kuwaiti
> officials, members of Parliament, and influential figures in Kuwaiti
> society. He urged the Government of Kuwait to affirm publicly that
> Hussein's civil rights and his safety would be protected.
> Subsequently, an official Kuwaiti statement that Hussein's rights and
> person are protected under law appeared in the Kuwaiti press. The
> Kuwaiti Government's legal adviser was quoted in the press as saying
> that "the Government guarantees his (Robert Hussein's) personal safety
> and his right to live."
>
> Robert Hussein received a nonimmigrant visa from our Embassy in Kuwait
> and traveled to the United States in August 1996. He reportedly
> returned to Kuwait in January 1997, and press reports indicate that he
> converted back to Islam after his return.
>
> Kyrgyz Republic
>
> Current situation: All religious organizations must register with the
> State Commission on Religious Affairs. Groups wishing to own property
> must register with the Justice Ministry. The constitution provides for
> freedom of religion but the Government does not always protect this
> right in practice. A Baptist congregation in Naryn oblast, an ethnic
> Kyrgyz area, has been denied registration and harassed by police.
> Ethnic groups that are traditionally Christian can practice their
> religion without interference, but the conversion of ethnic Kyrgyz
> from Islam to Christianity remains controversial.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has urged senior Kyrgyz
> officials to stop the harassment of the Baptists in Naryn.
>
> Laos
>
> Current situation: Although the Laotian constitution contains
> provisions for religious freedom, in practice, the Government
> continues to restrict freedom of religion, especially for some
> Christian denominations. Buddhists are the dominant majority among
> religious adherents.
>
> Links with co-religionists and religious associations in other
> countries require government approval. Although the Government permits
> foreign non-governmental organizations with religious affiliations to
> work in the country, it prohibits foreigners from proselytizing. The
> Government also restricts the import of foreign religious publications
> and artifacts.
>
> The enforcement of these regulations varies by province. For example,
> the Catholic Church is unable to operate in the highlands and much of
> the north, but Catholics can openly attend churches and chapels in
> central and southern Laos. Several Protestant denominations operate
> more than 100 churches throughout the country. There continued to be
> credible reports during 1996 that local authorities detained some
> clergy for allegedly criticizing other religions and harassed,
> arrested, and jailed other religiously active clergy. The persistence
> of such reports underscores the continuing suspicion on the part of
> authorities toward some parts of the Lao Christian community, and
> authorities' suspicion that the Lao Christian community may be
> associated with "foreign influences." There were also unconfirmed
> reports that Lao Christians were sometimes barred from the People's
> Revolutionary Party or from government employment. By comparison, the
> Government openly encourages Buddhism and supports Buddhist
> organizations.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has raised the issue of
> religious freedom with the Government of Laos in the overall context
> of the protection of human rights. The Embassy maintains a dialogue
> with the Government on a wide range of human rights issues, including
> religious freedom.
>
> Latvia
>
> Current situation: The Constitutional Law provides for freedom of
> religion, and the Government generally respects this right in
> practice. Although the Government does not require the registration of
> religious groups, the 1995 Law on Religious Organizations specifies
> that religious organizations can enjoy certain rights and privileges
> only if they register. Under this law, the Justice Ministry has
> registered over 800 religious congregations, including Mormons, whose
> previous lack of official registration had created difficulties in
> obtaining visas and residence status. The only group denied
> registration was Jehovah's Witnesses.
>
> Foreign evangelists and missionaries are permitted to hold meetings
> and proselytize, but the law stipulates that only religious
> organizations in Latvia may invite them to carry out such activities.
> After the widely reported death of a member of Jehovah's Witnesses,
> whose religious beliefs affected her choice of medical treatment,
> President Guntis Ulmanis sent a letter to the Saeima (parliament)
> asking lawmakers to specify the rights and responsibilities of
> unregistered religious organizations. He also suggested that the
> Saeima supplement the Criminal Code "with norms about inflicting
> physical or psychological damage on a person and about threatening a
> person's legal rights as a result of activities by a religious
> organization." The Saeima Human Rights and Legal Committees
> subsequently began considering a draft amendment to the Administrative
> Code that would have prescribed fines for undefined "activities" by
> unregistered religious organizations. The National Human Rights Office
> and Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out that the provisions would
> violate international obligations in the area of religious freedom.
> The Saeima took no final action on this matter.
>
> In July 1996, the Saeima adopted amendments to the Law on Religious
> Organizations, one of which reduced the number of persons necessary to
> seek registration of a religious group from a minimum of 25 citizens
> to 10 persons residing permanently in Latvia. Another amendment
> stipulated that religious education may be provided to students in
> public schools on a voluntary basis only by representatives of
> Evangelical Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Old Believer, Baptist, and
> Orthodox religious organizations. Students at state-supported national
> minority schools may also receive education in the religion
> "characteristic of the national minority." Other denominations may
> provide religious education, but may not do so in state-funded
> schools.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has actively supported the
> efforts of Mormons and other U.S. missionaries to obtain Latvian
> residency permits. These efforts have produced positive results, as
> most missionaries have resolved their visa problems with Latvia's
> Citizen and Immigration Department.
>
> The U.S. Embassy has also facilitated meetings between senior Latvian
> Government officials and representatives of Jehovah's Witnesses.
> Meetings held in October 1996 in the aftermath of the death of a
> member of Jehovah's Witnesses enabled representatives of Jehovah's
> Witnesses to present their case directly to the appropriate officials
> of the Latvian Government. They also provided the U.S. Government with
> another opportunity to express its strong views about freedom of
> religion, opposition to discriminatory measures against Jehovah's
> Witnesses, and the important role of continuing dialogue in addressing
> respective concerns.
>
> U.S. Government officials have used multilateral fora to express
> concerns about restrictions that apply in Latvia to religious
> education by non-traditional religious groups, including some
> Christian religious organizations, in public schools.
>
> Lebanon
>
> Current situation: The Lebanese constitution provides for freedom of
> religion, and the Government respects this right in practice. However,
> discrimination based on religion is built into the system of
> government. The President is by tradition a Maronite Christian, the
> Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the Chamber of
> Deputies a Shi'a Muslim. The Parliament consists of 128 deputies,
> equally divided between Christian and Muslim representatives.
>
> The amended Constitution of 1990 embraces the principle of abolishing
> religious affiliation as a criterion for filling all government
> positions, but few practical steps have been taken to accomplish this,
> with the exception of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), which, through
> universal conscription and an emphasis on professionalism, has
> significantly reduced religious sectarianism within its ranks.
>
> The 1975-1990 civil war had sectarian components, and Syrian and
> Israeli troops, as well as militias and armed Palestinian factions,
> remain in control of parts of Lebanon.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy in Beirut works with all of
> Lebanon's 18 recognized religious factions or confessions and has
> supported the development of a non-confessional LAF.
>
> Lithuania
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for religious freedom,
> and the Government usually respects this provision in practice. The
> Law on Religious Communities and Associations was passed in October
> 1995. It grants religious communities, associations, and centers
> property rights to prayer houses, homes, and other buildings, and
> permits construction necessary for their activities. Article 5 of this
> law mentions nine religious communities that have been declared
> "traditional" by the law and therefore are eligible for governmental
> assistance: Latin Rite Catholics, Greek Rite Catholics, Evangelical
> Lutherans, Evangelical Reformers, Orthodox, Old Believers, Jews, Sunni
> Muslims, and Karaites. There are no restrictions on the activities of
> other religious communities.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy monitors the registration
> process for discrimination against certain religious groups.
>
> Malaysia
>
> Current situation: Islam is the official religion. Religious
> minorities, which include large Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Christian
> communities, generally are permitted to worship freely but are subject
> to some restrictions. There continued to be allegations that some
> state governments are slow in approving building permits for
> non-Muslim places of worship or land for cemeteries for non-Muslims.
>
> The Government discourages the circulation of a popular Malay-language
> translation of the Bible. Some states have laws prohibiting the use of
> Malay-language religious terms by Christians, but the authorities do
> not actively enforce them.
>
> The Government permits but discourages conversion to religions other
> than Islam. Some states have long proscribed by law proselytizing of
> Muslims, and other parts of the country strongly discourage it as
> well. In a March 1990 decision, the Supreme Court upheld the primacy
> of the constitution over inconsistent state laws by ruling that
> parents have the right to determine the religion of their minor
> children under the age of 18. The decision eased fears in the
> non-Muslim community over state laws that in religious conversion
> cases set the age of majority at puberty based on Islamic law.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy engages the Government of
> Malaysia on a wide range of human rights issues
> and concerns, including the issue of religious freedom.
>
> Maldives
>
> Current situation: Islam is the state religion and all citizens are
> required to be Muslims. The practice of any religion other than Islam
> is prohibited by law. However, foreign residents are allowed to
> practice their religion if they do so privately. Conversion from Islam
> may result in loss of citizenship, but this law has never been applied
> in practice.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has diplomatic relations
> with Maldives but does not maintain an Embassy in Male.
>
> Mauritania
>
> Current situation: Under its 1991 constitution, Mauritania is an
> Islamic republic, with Islam established as the religion of the State
> and its people. The vast majority of citizens are Sunni Muslims. The
> Government prohibits proselytizing by non-Muslims. Christian churches
> exist in several cities for the benefit of the tiny Christian
> community. Expatriate Christians and citizens of Christian birth
> practice their religion freely. Authorities have on occasion detained
> and harassed individuals who have passed on Christian religious
> materials to Muslim citizens.
>
> Slavery has been officially abolished in Mauritania three times, most
> recently in 1980. Nevertheless, there are many individuals (including
> Christians, animists, and Muslims) who continue to live in conditions
> of paid or unpaid servitude, and many persons still consider
> themselves to be slaves.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy encourages and advocates a
> broad-based democratic system with respect for human rights, including
> the free expression of religious values.
>
> Mexico
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for the right to practice
> the religion of one's choice, and the authorities generally respect
> this right in practice. The Federal Government's Office of Religious
> Affairs actively promotes religious tolerance and held symposiums in
> July 1996 in the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas emphasizing the
> constitutional right of freedom of religion. However, local
> authorities sometimes infringed on this right. In the highlands of
> Chiapas and other indigenous areas, traditional leaders sometimes
> acquiesced in, or actually ordered, the expulsion of Protestants
> belonging primarily to evangelical groups. In many cases such
> expulsions involved the burning of homes and crops, beatings, and,
> occasionally, killings.
>
> In San Juan Chamula, Chiapas, where local authorities have expelled an
> estimated 30,000 evangelicals over the past 30 years, the evangelicals
> and the local authorities reached a truce in December 1995. Since that
> time, there have been no further expulsions of evangelicals from San
> Juan Chamula. The local authorities agreed that children of the
> evangelicals would be allowed to return to public school, from which
> they had been excluded for three years. However, in September 1996 the
> children of evangelicals were once again excluded, and in retaliation,
> evangelical groups occupied these schools. By October the situation
> for the most part had been resolved, and by the end of 1996 the
> evangelicals' children were attending public school in all but one
> community, Arvenza II, where the parents chose to keep their children
> at home.
>
> In July 1996, the evangelicals began constructing a temple in the
> community of Arvenza I. Following protests by the local authorities,
> and in order to avoid a collapse of the December 1995 truce, the
> evangelicals agreed to halt temporarily construction of the temple. In
> September the traditional leadership in San Juan Chamula forced the
> mayor to step down and replaced him with a new leader who opposed
> construction of the temple. By the end of the year, however, temple
> construction was allowed to resume.
>
> Several members of evangelical groups were jailed and fined in San
> Juan Yahe, Oaxaca. In addition, reliable press reports noted continued
> expulsions of evangelicals by that community because the evangelicals'
> faith violated the "customs and traditional practices" of the
> community.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has reported on and
> intervened in cases of religious discrimination and harassment,
> particularly in Chiapas. Over the last two years, Embassy officials
> have intervened in the case of Father Loren Riebe and two non-American
> priests who were expelled from Chiapas. Father Riebe denies the
> charges against them, which include inciting indigenous peasants to
> take over land, engaging in "political activities," and being
> associated with the Zapatista movement. The U.S. Ambassador raised the
> case with the Secretary of Government (Interior), presidential Chief
> of Staff, and the Archbishop of Mexico. In addition, Embassy officials
> and consular officers held meetings with the Secretariat of Foreign
> Relations, the U.S. Bishops' Conference, and the Papal Nuncio in
> Mexico concerning the case. The U.S. Embassy in Rome has raised the
> case with the Vatican. In addition, U.S. officials approached Mexico's
> Immigration Commissioner to request a favorable resolution to this
> case, including the granting of a visa for Father Riebe to return to
> Mexico. The case was also brought to the Inter-American Commission on
> Human Rights by Father Riebe. The U.S. Embassy has maintained regular
> contact with Father Riebe and his supporters.
>
> Moldova
>
> Current situation: The Government generally permits the free practice
> of religion. A 1992 law on religion codifies religious freedoms,
> although it contained restrictions that could inhibit the activities
> of some religious groups. The law requires that religious groups
> register with the Government in order to hire non-citizens, and it
> also prohibits proselytizing.
>
> Some Protestant denominations are concerned that the prohibition on
> proselytizing could inhibit their activities, although many
> denominations hold revival meetings apparently without official
> interference. To date, the authorities have taken no legal action
> against individuals for proselytizing. The Salvation Army, however,
> was unable to register as a religious denomination because it did not
> meet the requirement of having a Moldovan citizen as the
> organization's legal head. However, it continues to operate.
>
> Although Eastern Orthodoxy is not designated the official religion, it
> continues to be a strong religious force and exert significant
> influence. In 1992 a number of priests broke away from the Moldovan
> Orthodox Church, which is subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate, in
> order to form the Bessarabian Orthodox Church. The Bessarabian
> Orthodox Church, which sees itself as the legal and canonical
> successor to the pre-World War II Romanian Orthodox Church in
> Bessarabia (the part of Moldova between the Dniester and Prut rivers),
> subordinated itself to the Bucharest Patriarchate of the Romanian
> Orthodox Church. The Government has consistently refused to register
> the Bessarabian Church, citing unresolved property claims as the
> principal reason.
>
> U.S. Government actions: U.S. Government officials have not raised the
> issue of religious freedom with the Moldovan Government because of the
> lack of complaints about curtailment of religious activity. The U.S.
> Embassy continues to monitor the human rights situation, including
> religious freedom.
>
> Morocco
>
> Current situation: Islam is the official religion. Although the
> constitution provides for freedom of worship, only Islam,
> Christianity, and Judaism are tolerated in practice. Members of the
> Christian community, which consists mostly of foreigners, are allowed
> to practice their faith.
>
> Islamic law and tradition call for strict punishment of any Muslim who
> converts to another faith, and any attempt to induce a Muslim to
> convert is illegal. Ordinarily, foreign missionaries either limit
> their proselytizing to non-Muslims or conduct their work quietly.
>
> In 1995, at least seven Moroccans were arrested, and in some cases
> sentenced to jail terms, for offenses related to their Christianity.
> In addition, a Salvadoran man and an American family were deported for
> evangelistic activities.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States maintains an ongoing
> dialogue with Morocco and provides assistance on human rights issues.
>
> Nepal
>
> Current situation: The constitution describes Nepal as a Hindu kingdom
> but permits the practice of all religions. This right is respected in
> practice, although conversion and proselytizing are prohibited.
> Foreigners convicted of proselytizing can be expelled from the
> country. In 1995, 11 Christians were convicted of proselytizing and
> were sentenced to 2 years' imprisonment. They were pardoned by the
> King and released unconditionally 2 months later.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy discusses a wide range of
> issues with the Government of Nepal, including respect for human
> rights.
>
> Nicaragua
>
> Current situation: The Nicaraguan constitution provides for freedom of
> religion, and the Government respects this right in practice.
>
> There were credible reports of instances of harassment of church
> officials, particularly in Managua, Leon, and Masaya. Cardinal Miguel
> Obando y Bravo and other church officials reported receiving anonymous
> telephone threats. Sporadic bombings of Catholic churches occurred
> during 1996, involving small explosive devices that caused minor
> damage to structures, but no casualties. Church officials believe that
> the harassment and attacks are the work of extremists who seek to
> intimidate the Church and halt its human rights and civic education
> and training campaigns. There have been no bombings since August 1996.
> In November 1996 a criminal court in Leon convicted 12 men for a
> number of the bombings and sentenced them to between 3 and 15 years in
> prison. Following the convictions, Sandinista National Liberation
> Front assembly deputies unsuccessfully tried to pass legislation
> pardoning the 12 persons.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has discussed cases of
> religious harassment, particularly in Managua, Leon, and Masaya, with
> Nicaraguan Government officials. A team of U.S. experts traveled to
> Nicaragua to train the police in investigative techniques for bombing
> incidents. The U.S. Ambassador and his staff have traveled throughout
> Nicaragua to meet with leaders of the various religious traditions.
> Religious persecution is addressed in the overall context of the
> promotion of human rights through regular contact with government
> officials, religious leaders, NGO representatives, and other
> interested groups and individuals.
>
> Nigeria
>
> Current situation: The Government generally respects freedom of
> religious belief, practice, and education, while taking measures to
> lessen the prospects for religious tension. State and local
> governments are prohibited from adopting a state religion. A 1987 ban
> on religious organizations in primary schools remains in effect,
> although individual students retain the right to practice their
> religion in recognized places of worship. Distribution of religious
> publications is generally unrestricted, although there is a lightly
> enforced ban on published religious advertisements, and religious
> programming remains closely controlled on television and radio. The
> Government discourages proselytizing, while not outlawing the
> practice. The Government bans open-air religious services away from
> places of worship. Christian and Muslim organizations accuse the
> government of restricting the entry of certain religious
> practitioners, particularly persons suspected of proselytizing.
>
> In Kwara state in March 1996, state authorities ordered the closing of
> Christian schools that refused to teach Islamic studies. These schools
> supposedly had reacted to Islamic schools that were not required to
> teach Christian studies. After the transfer of the military
> administrator for the state, the schools were reopened. Also in Kwara
> state, in March 1997, soldiers beat and whipped members of the
> Christian Association of Nigeria during their annual Palm Sunday
> procession in Ilorin. An army captain had parked his car along the
> route, blocking the procession, and when asked to move it, the captain
> enlisted several soldiers stationed nearby to attack the procession.
> Several of the Christian Association members were detained for 2 days.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy encourages and advocates a
> broad-based democratic system with respect for human rights, including
> the free expression of religious values. Through many means (State
> Department press releases, testimony at hearings, public statements,
> Voice of America editorials, embassy demarches, visa restrictions and
> other sanctions, etc.) the U.S. Government has made clear U.S.
> opposition to the present regime's oppressive human rights policies.
>
> Pakistan
>
> Current situation: Pakistan's constitution establishes Islam as the
> state religion. Since 1986, Section 295(c) of the Penal Code has
> stipulated the death penalty for blaspheming the Prophet Mohammed.
> According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, police opened
> one case against a Christian, Ayub Masih, under Section 295(c) in
> 1996. This blasphemy provision contributes to inter-religious tension,
> intimidation, fear, and violence.
>
> The Government permits Muslims to convert to other faiths, but
> proselytizing among Muslims is illegal. Islamic extremists have
> assaulted, raped, and even murdered members of religious minorities.
> In many cases, police fail to take necessary precautions or
> investigate or prosecute those responsible.
>
> This failure has contributed to a feeling of insecurity in many
> minority religious communities. In October 1996, in one
> well-publicized case, 14 (some say 19) Christian families fled the
> Punjab village Number 35 Eb Arfiwala following the arrest of one
> member of their community for alleged blasphemy. The families
> reportedly feared attack by Muslim neighbors angered by the alleged
> incident. By December, the families had not returned to their homes in
> the village.
>
> In February 1997, Muslim mobs destroyed homes and churches belonging
> to Christians in the Khanewal area. Local police failed to take
> adequate steps to control the mobs and thousands of people were
> rendered homeless. Following the attack, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
> and other officials visited the affected area, promised reparations
> for the victims, and publicly voiced support for minority rights.
>
> Discriminatory religious legislation has led to acts of violence
> directed at Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, and Zakris. Although the
> constitution prohibits discrimination in government employment,
> religious minorities are reportedly underrepresented at all levels of
> government service, especially in the senior ranks.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government has repeatedly urged
> Pakistan to repeal the blasphemy law. The issue has been raised with
> Pakistani officials on several occasions in recent years. Although
> Pakistan has responded by adopting administrative procedures to soften
> the effect of the law, the problem remains a matter of concern and the
> U.S. Government continues to press the issue. The U.S. Government has
> also expressed concern to the Pakistani Prime Minister and other
> officials over the February 1997 Khanewal riot, and urged equal legal
> protection for religious minorities.
>
> U.S. Embassy and Consulate officials monitor individual cases of
> persecution and intervene with Pakistani government agencies when
> appropriate. In addition, U.S. Embassy officers meet regularly with
> leaders of religious communities, including
> Christians.
>
> Peru
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and the government respects this right in practice. Although the
> constitution establishes the separation of church and state, it does
> recognize Roman Catholicism as "an important element" in the
> historical, cultural, and moral development of the nation. Conversion
> to other religions is respected, and missionaries are allowed to enter
> the country and proselytize.
>
> The Sendero Luminoso (SL) and Movimiento Revolucionario Tupac Amaru
> (MRTA) terrorist factions reject the concept of religious faith, and
> continue to threaten and intimidate religious workers. During a period
> of some years prior to 1996, these terrorist groups particularly
> targeted North American officials of the Mormon Church: 24 Mormon
> Church houses were bombed; several Mormon Church administrators of
> food programs in Huancayo were murdered; and a number of officials at
> the Mormon Church regional headquarters in Lima were subjected to
> extortion, threatened with death unless they handed over large amounts
> of money.
>
> According to the Mormon Church, its North American officials were not
> similarly targeted or victimized in 1996. Church officials believe
> this is due both to the fact that SL has geographically downsized its
> area of operations and to the fact that the Church no longer sends its
> North American missionaries into the highlands and upper Huallaga
> valley where the SL is most active.
>
> U.S. Government actions: Both U.S. Embassy and State Department
> officials met with leaders of the Mormon Church on a number of
> occasions to discuss the targeting of Mormons by terrorist groups. The
> Embassy raised the matter with Peruvian government officials and
> encouraged them to do whatever they could to address the problem
> through their own contacts in the areas where harassment, threats, and
> bombings occurred. The Embassy also facilitated talks between Mormon
> leaders and Peruvian officials. The United States has supported the
> Peruvian Government's long-standing campaign to eliminate the
> terrorist threat in Peru, and U.S. Embassy officials have stressed the
> importance of ensuring that human rights are protected.
>
> Romania
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for religious freedom,
> and the Government does not generally impede the observance of
> religious belief. However, members of some groups, such as Baptists
> and Greek Catholics, who proselytize in traditionally Orthodox
> regions, have faced harassment and even violence. Several Protestant
> denominations, including Jehovah's Witnesses, made credible
> allegations that low-level government officials harassed them and
> impeded their efforts to proselytize and worship. In particular,
> foreign missionaries often experienced delays in obtaining long-term
> visas. An international conference of Jehovah's Witnesses scheduled
> for June 1996 in Bucharest was banned by the Government following
> public attacks by the Romanian Orthodox Church; a national conference
> later took place without incident in Cluj.
>
> Under the provisions of a 1948 decree, the Government recognizes 15
> religions, whose clergy may receive state financial support. (The
> Romanian Orthodox Church predominates.) The State Secretariat for
> Religious Affairs has licensed 385 other faiths, organizations, and
> foundations as religious associations under two 1924 laws on juridical
> entities, entitling them to juridical status as well as to exemptions
> from income and customs taxes, but not recognizing them as religions.
> As a result, these religious associations may not found churches and
> are not permitted to perform rites of baptism, marriage, or burial.
> The official registration of faiths and organizations is extremely
> slow because of bureaucratic delays.
>
> U.S. Government actions: U.S. Embassy officials meet with
> representatives of Christian groups that have experienced difficulties
> in Romania to discuss their concerns about religious freedom. U.S.
> officials also meet with Romanian Government officials to discuss
> these matters. The U.S. Embassy expressed concern to the Romanian
> Government about its decision to ban the conference of Jehovah's
> Witnesses initially scheduled for June 1996, and assumed a very active
> role in winning approval for a subsequently scheduled conference. The
> U.S. Embassy has strongly supported the efforts of U.S. missionaries
> to obtain proper Romanian visas.
>
> Russia
>
> Current situation: Russia's new constitution and a 1990 Soviet law on
> religion still in force provide for religious freedom and a strict
> separation of church and state. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union,
> the overall climate for religious freedom in Russia has improved
> dramatically, and made possible a large increase in the activities of
> foreign missionaries. This has troubled some sectors of Russian
> society, particularly nationalists and factions of the Russian
> Orthodox Church. During 1996 and 1997, the Russian Orthodox Church
> used its political influence to promote official actions that
> discriminate against religious groups and sects.
>
> Most notably, the Duma and Federation Council recently passed
> legislation which, if enacted, would replace the 1990 law and
> introduce significantly more government regulation over religious
> organizations. While the law is not directed against Russia's
> established major faiths (Orthodoxy, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism), it
> would impose registration requirements on religious groups, provide
> significant official discretion in decisions on registration, and
> would restrict the activities of foreign missionaries, as well as
> confessions, sects or religions, that are relatively new to Russia or
> that have relatively small numbers of adherents. These groups would
> have to wait up to 15 years before attaining full legal status, making
> it impossible for them to own property or have a bank account during
> this period. The draft legislation enjoys broad public support, but
> will not become law unless and until President Yeltsin signs it.
> (President Yeltsin previously rejected a similar proposal as
> unconstitutional.)
>
> Some regional officials also have sought at times to limit the
> activities of foreign missionaries, many of whom are Christians. About
> one-fourth of Russia's 89 regional governments have passed restrictive
> laws and decrees that violate the 1990 law on religion by limiting or
> restricting the activities of religious groups, or by requiring
> registration. Enforcement is uneven, but there are reports that local
> governments have prevented religious gatherings. As a result,
> denominations that do not have their own property were denied the
> opportunity to practice their faith in large groups or to hold prayer
> meetings. In 1996 the Constitutional Court refused to consider a
> challenge to the constitutionality of one such law on procedural
> grounds.
>
> There have been numerous instances in which local authorities have
> refused to register the passports (a requirement under Russia's visa
> laws) of foreign missionaries, effectively denying them the ability to
> function in some regions. Non-Orthodox faiths, including the Catholic
> Church, have also had difficulties recovering properties that were
> confiscated during the Soviet era, although some progress was made in
> 1996.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has acted consistently to
> encourage Russia to fulfill completely its constitution and pledges of
> religious tolerance. In June 1997, President Clinton expressed concern
> to President Boris Yeltsin about the restrictive law on religion then
> pending in the Duma. Assistant Secretary of State Shattuck also voiced
> concern about the draft law and local restrictions on religious
> freedom to his Russian counterpart during bilateral consultations on
> human rights in May. President Clinton expressed concern about
> Aleksandr Lebed's inflammatory statements on missionary activities of
> the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when he met with Prime
> Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin at the G-7 Summit in Lyon in June 1996.
> Vice President Gore reiterated those U.S. concerns the following month
> at a session of the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission.
>
> The U.S. Embassy in Moscow and U.S. consulates have also been active
> in emphasizing the importance of freedom of conscience and religion.
> U.S. officials have voiced concern about initiatives by local and
> provincial governments to restrict the activities of missionary
> groups, and urged parliamentary deputies considering the new draft law
> on religion to uphold the principles of tolerance and separation of
> church and state embodied in the constitution and in the 1990 law.
>
> The Embassy has frequently objected to attempts by the Russian
> authorities to administer visa regulations in a manner that restricts
> the freedom of movement of U.S. citizens, including missionaries,
> inside Russia.
>
> Saudi Arabia
>
> Current situation: Freedom of religion does not exist in Saudi Arabia.
> Islam is the official religion, and all citizens must be Muslims. The
> Government of Saudi Arabia believes that it has a unique position as
> guardian of the two holiest shrines of Islam, so it prohibits the
> public and private practice of other religions. Persons wearing
> religious symbols risk confrontation with the Mutawwa'in (religious
> police). The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh reports that both citizens and
> foreigners are targets of harassment by members of the Mutawwa'in and
> by religious vigilantes acting independently. Non-Muslim worshipers
> risk arrest, lashing, and deportation for engaging in any religious
> activity that attracts official attention. There are isolated reports
> of harassment and arrest of foreign workers conducting clandestine
> worship services, but precise numbers of such incidents can not be
> determined. However, most non-Muslim religious services are conducted
> without any interference.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has repeatedly raised human
> rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian Government. The U.S. Ambassador
> and other embassy officers have recently raised the issue of religious
> freedom with high government officials.
>
> The U.S. Government regularly protests incidents in which U.S.
> citizens are improperly accosted by the Mutawwa'in. In 1996 the U.S.
> Consul General in Jeddah called on the governor of Medina region, and
> pressed him to curtail Mutawwa'in harassment in the region. The Consul
> General also discussed this issue with American community leaders, the
> Director of the Royal Commission in Yanbu, the chief of investment
> promotion, the Board of the Chamber of Commerce, and Mutawwa'in
> officials. The U.S. Government strongly protested an incident in late
> 1993, in which Mutawwa'in violently broke up a children's winter
> concert at the Yanbu International School. Soon after, the Saudi
> Arabian Government formally notified the U.S. Government that it
> neither approved nor agreed with such behavior by members of the
> Mutawwa'n, and that necessary measures had been taken to ensure that
> there would be no repetitions.
>
> Privately-run religious services, attended by both U.S. Government
> employees and private Americans, are held regularly on the grounds of
> at least one U.S. diplomatic facility in Saudi Arabia. In instances
> where religious services are not presently held at U.S. diplomatic
> facilities, religious services take place at other locations locally.
>
> Serbia-Montenegro
>
> Current situation: There is no state religion, but the Government
> gives preferential treatment, including access to state-run television
> for major religious events, to the Serbian Orthodox Church to which
> the majority of Serbs belong.
> Religion and ethnicity are so closely intertwined as to be
> inseparable. All of Serbia's religious/ethnic minorities face serious
> discrimination and harassment, including the Catholic minority in
> Vojvodina, largely made up of ethnic Hungarians and Croats.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government has repeatedly urged the
> Government of Serbia to respect the human rights of its citizens, and
> contribute to a settlement of the Bosnian conflict that ensures that
> human rights are respected, including religious freedom.
>
> Singapore
>
> Current situation: All religious groups are subject to government
> scrutiny and must be legally registered. The Government restricts some
> religious groups and has banned others, such as Jehovah's Witnesses
> and the Unification Church. The 1990 Maintenance of Religious Harmony
> Act made illegal what the Government deems to be the inappropriate
> involvement of religious groups and officials in political affairs.
> The act also prohibits judicial review of any possible denial of
> rights arising from the act, and it specifically denies judicial
> review of its enforcement. Missionaries are permitted to work and to
> publish religious texts.
>
> The Government banned Jehovah's Witnesses in 1972 on the grounds that
> the group opposes military service, and its roughly 2,000 members
> refuse to perform military service, salute the flag, or swear oaths of
> allegiance to the State. In July 1996, a 72-year-old woman was
> arrested and convicted for possession of banned Jehovah's Witness
> literature. She was sentenced to a $500 fine. She refused to pay and
> was ordered to jail for 7 days. She was first arrested in February
> 1995, along with 69 other suspected Jehovah's Witnesses, at which time
> the police seized books, magazines, periodicals, and other materials
> believed to be related to the group. Of the 69 persons arrested, 28
> were tried and found guilty of holding a meeting of a "banned society"
> and were fined between $500 and $2,000.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy has discussed religious
> freedom with the Government of Singapore in the overall context of the
> protection of human rights. The Embassy maintains a dialogue with the
> Government on a wide range of human rights issues, including religious
> freedom, and raised its concern in 1996 about the arrest of the
> 72-year-old woman.
>
> Slovakia
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religious
> belief and faith, and the Government respects this provision in
> practice. Under existing law, only registered churches and religious
> organizations have the explicit right to conduct public worship
> services and other activities, although no specific religions or
> practices are banned or discouraged by the authorities. The State
> provides financial subsidies only to registered churches and religious
> organizations, of which there are 15.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy monitors the registration
> process for discrimination against certain religious groups.
>
> Somalia
>
> Current situation: In the absence of a recognized national government,
> religious freedom has become a matter of local custom and practice.
> Nearly all Somalis are Sunni Muslims. Local tradition and past law
> make proselytizing a crime for any religion except Islam. Some local
> administrations have made Islam the official religion, and adopted
> Islamic (Shari'a) judicial systems. The Sunni majority often views
> non-Muslims with suspicion, and there is strong pressure to respect
> Muslim traditions in fundamentalist enclaves. There is a small
> Christian community that maintains a low profile; Christian
> international relief organizations generally operate without
> interference.
>
> U.S. Government actions: In the absence of any organized government
> with which to engage, the U.S. Government focuses its efforts on
> effecting a reconciliation of the various warring parties in Somalia,
> and the reconstruction of democratic institutions on a national basis.
>
> Sri Lanka
>
> Current situation: Buddhism is the official national religion.
> However, the Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and this
> right is respected in practice. There is a thriving Christian
> community with more than a million members, mostly Roman Catholics.
> Foreign clergy are allowed to enter and work in Sri Lanka but the
> Government prohibits the entry of new Jesuits (foreign Jesuits already
> in the country are permitted to remain). Evangelical Christians have
> reported that their proselytizing efforts often meet with hostility
> and harassment from local Buddhist clergy.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy discusses a wide range of
> issues with the Government of Sri Lanka, including respect for human
> rights.
>
> Sudan
>
> Current situation: Although the military regime in Sudan has stated
> that all religions should be respected, in practice the Sudanese
> Government treats Islam as the de facto state religion. Forced
> conversion to Islam of Christians, animists, and other non-Muslims
> takes place as part of government policy. The 14-year-old civil war
> between the mainly Islamic north and the largely animist and Christian
> south has claimed more than a million lives. In war zones, government
> efforts to restrict religious freedom are particularly
> heavy-handed--churches are closed or permission to build them is
> denied, clergy are harassed, and members of indigenous faiths are
> persecuted. There are reports that many Christians are victims of
> slave raids and forced conversion, and that some Christian children
> have been forced into reeducation camps where they are given Arab
> names and raised as Muslims.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has been at the forefront
> of efforts to highlight and seek rectification of continuing
> systematic human rights abuses, including religious persecution. At
> the 1997 UNHRC, the United States led efforts to adopt a resolution
> strongly condemning Sudan's human rights record, including religious
> persecution and forced conversion of Christians and animists. In 1996
> the U.S. Government led efforts to pass tough resolutions at the UNHRC
> and the UNGA to condemn Sudan for human rights abuses and to urge
> redress.
>
> At the UNHRC, the U.S. delegation helped secure from the Sudanese
> Government an invitation to visit the country for the U.N. Special
> Rapporteur for Human Rights in Sudan, whom the Government had barred
> from visiting for two years. In his February 1996 report, the
> Rapporteur concluded that people of all faiths "are equally exposed to
> violations and abuses" stemming from the civil war. The Rapporteur's
> report cited the "severe religious persecution of Christians" in
> government-controlled major towns, especially Kadugli and Dilling. To
> stem these abuses the U.S. Government continues to play a leading role
> in efforts to obtain a negotiated settlement of the civil war.
>
> In 1996 the U.S. Ambassador expressed U.S. concerns about religious
> freedom, including reports of the persecution of Christians, to
> Sudanese officials, including the Minister of Justice and the
> Rapporteur of Sudan's Advisory Council on Human Rights. The Ambassador
> also traveled to Juba, a city in southern Sudan and a garrison town of
> the Government. He met with a large group of southern clergy--Muslims,
> Anglican bishops, and Catholics, and with Governor Agnes Lokudu, a
> practicing Christian Dinka woman and government official who has
> strong influence in the region. The U.S. Government has received
> reports attesting to persecution of Christians, as well as reports
> from Lokudu asserting that Christians are not persecuted in areas
> under her jurisdiction.
>
> The United States suspended its resident diplomatic presence in Sudan
> in February 1996. Infrequent visits to Sudan by the Ambassador and the
> absence of a reporting staff limit the ability of the U.S. Government
> to identify emergent human rights situations.
>
> Syria
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion,
> and the Government generally respects this right in practice. All
> religions and sects must register with the Government, which monitors
> fundraising and requires permits for all meetings by religious groups,
> except for worship. Credible observers report that churches, as well
> as mosques and synagogues, are closely controlled by the Government,
> including monitoring of sermons and worship services. There is no law
> prohibiting proselytization, but the Government discourages such
> activity. There is mandatory religious instruction in schools, with
> government-approved teachers and curriculum. Although there is a
> significant amount of religious tolerance, religion or ethnic
> affiliation can be contributing factors in determining career
> opportunities.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Government has urged Syria to cease
> its domestic repression, to improve its human rights practices, and to
> grant citizens basic human rights.
>
> Tunisia
>
> Current situation: Islam is the state religion, but the Government
> permits the practice of other religions and there are harmonious
> relations among the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities. The
> Christian community, estimated at about 2,000, is composed mainly of
> foreigners. It freely holds church services and operates a small
> number of schools. In a gesture toward tolerance and ecumenism,
> Tunisia hosted a visit by the Pope in April 1996.
>
> The Government views proselytizing as an act against "public order."
> Authorities ask foreigners suspected of proselytizing to depart the
> country and do not permit them to return. There were no reported
> arrests for proselytizing within the last 5 years, although in 1994
> the authorities did not renew the residency permits of some foreigners
> suspected of proselytizing.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has raised the issue of
> religious freedom with the Government of Tunisia, and maintains an
> ongoing dialogue with Tunisia on human rights issues.
>
> Turkey
>
> Current situation: The constitution establishes Turkey as a secular
> state and provides for freedom of belief, freedom of worship, and
> private dissemination of religious ideas. The Government generally
> observes these provisions in practice. About 99 percent of the
> population are Muslim. Under the law, religious services may take
> place only in designated places of worship.
>
> Although Turkey is a secular state, religious instruction in state
> schools is compulsory for Muslims. Upon written verification of their
> non-Muslim background, Lausanne Treaty minorities (Greek, Armenian,
> and Jewish) are exempted by law from Muslim religious instruction,
> although students who wish to attend may do so with parental consent.
> Syriac Christians are not officially exempt because they are not an
> official Lausanne Treaty minority. However, according to a church
> official, because the community is mentioned in the Treaty, its
> members have not been forced to follow any specific curriculum.
>
> Many prosecutors regard proselytizing and religious activism on the
> part of either Islamic extremists or evangelical Christians with
> suspicion, especially when they deem such activities to have political
> overtones. Since there is no law explicitly prohibiting proselytizing,
> police sometimes arrest Islamic extremists and evangelical Christians
> for disturbing the peace. Courts usually dismiss such charges. If the
> proselytizers are foreigners, they may be deported, but generally they
> are able to reenter the country easily.
>
> Most religious minorities are concentrated in Istanbul. The number of
> Christians in the south has been declining as the younger Syriac
> generation leaves for Europe and North America. Minority religions not
> recognized under the Lausanne Treaty may not acquire additional
> property for churches. The Catholic Church in Ankara, for example, is
> confined to diplomatic property. The State must approve the operation
> of churches, monasteries, synagogues, schools, and charitable
> religious foundations, such as hospitals and orphanages.
>
> The Government formed in July 1996 has sought a more cooperative
> relationship with religious minorities, particularly in Istanbul,
> according to prominent members of these communities. The state
> ministry responsible for the religious minority communities gave the
> Armenian Patriarchate permission to rebuild a church in Anatolia and
> informed the Patriarchate that requests to restore some other
> properties would be approved immediately. These requests have all been
> approved without delay.
>
> The authorities monitor the activities of Eastern Orthodox churches
> and their affiliated operations. The Ecumenical Patriarchate in
> Istanbul has consistently expressed interest in reopening the seminary
> on the island of Halki in the Sea of Marmara. The seminary has been
> closed since the 1970's when the State nationalized most private
> institutions of higher learning.
>
> Bureaucratic procedures relating to historic preservation impede
> repairs to some religious facilities. Under the law, religious
> buildings that become "extinct" (because of prolonged absence of
> clergy or lay persons to staff local religious councils or for lack of
> adherents) revert to government possession. Some non-Muslim
> minorities, particularly the Greek Orthodox and, to a lesser extent,
> the shrinking Armenian Orthodox and Jewish communities, are faced with
> the danger of losing some of their houses of worship.
>
> During the past few years, there have been instances of graffiti,
> stones tossed over the walls, and press attacks on the Ecumenical
> Patriarchate and the Patriarch. In September 1996, a hand grenade was
> thrown over the wall of the Ecumenical Patriarchate compound in
> Istanbul causing minor damage. In December, a small pipe bomb exploded
> at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Istanbul. The police responded
> promptly in both cases and investigated the incidents. The Armenian
> Patriarchate also reported incidents of harassment against Armenian
> churches in Istanbul, and church officials complain of growing
> encroachment by certain Muslim extremist groups on lands belonging to
> the Armenian community, especially on the Princes' Islands in the Sea
> of Marmara. The police have responded with intensified security
> measures.
>
> Turkey is a party to the U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of
> Refugees, but is not party to the related Protocol. As a consequence,
> it has not extended its obligations concerning refugees to cover those
> refugees who arrive from outside Europe. The Government does not
> provide durable settlement solutions to non-European asylum seekers
> and requires that they register with the authorities within 5 days of
> entering the country. The Government screens these applicants to
> determine those that it considers bona fide, and then refers them to
> the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for settlement
> elsewhere. A negative decision usually leads to immediate expulsion.
> Under this policy, Iranian and Iraqi asylum seekers have been turned
> back, many of whom claimed to be fleeing religious persecution in
> their home countries due to their conversion to Christianity.
>
> U.S. Government actions: U.S. Embassy officers--as well as other U.S.
> Government officials who visit Turkey--meet frequently with the
> Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox faith, the Armenian Patriarch,
> and other religious leaders to discuss their concerns about religious
> liberty in Turkey. U.S. officials also meet with Turkish government
> officials to discuss these matters. In March 1996, First Lady Hillary
> Rodham Clinton, the U.S. Ambassador, and other U.S. officials convened
> an ecumenical meeting of religious leaders in Turkey to address
> specific concerns and promote greater tolerance among religious
> groups. The meeting was lauded by all participants as an historic
> event.
>
> The U.S. Government has protested Turkey's practice of turning back
> Iranian and Iraqi asylum seekers. On numerous occasions, U.S.
> officials have expressed serious concern to Turkish government
> officials about inadequate opportunities for asylum applicants to
> register with Turkish authorities. The United States has urged the
> Government of Turkey to extend the registration period beyond the
> current 5-day limit, and to permit applicants to register at
> facilities staffed by professionally-trained officials in population
> centers. Turkish officials have agreed to meet with UNHCR officials to
> discuss the handling of applications in the future.
>
> Turkmenistan
>
> Current situation: The citizenry is overwhelmingly Muslim, though
> organized Islam does not play a prominent role in government or
> society. The constitution provides for freedom of religion. Religious
> organizations are required to register with the Government, but the
> Government has not denied registration to any group. There is no law
> specifically addressing religious proselytizing. The Government
> requires permission for any mass meetings for this purpose. Orthodox
> churches operate without interference and offer a variety of religious
> literature.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy discusses a wide range of
> issues with the Government of Turkmenistan, including respect for
> human rights.
>
> Ukraine
>
> Current situation: The 1996 Constitution and the 1991 Law on Freedom
> of Conscience and Religion provide for separation of church and state
> and permit religious organizations to establish places of worship and
> to train clergy. The Government respects these rights in practice.
> However, the law restricts the activities of non-native religious
> organizations. Religious organizations are required to register with
> local authorities and with the Government's Committee for Religious
> Affairs, a process that generally takes about one month. There is no
> official state religion.
>
> A 1993 amendment to the 1991 law restricts the activities of
> non-native religious organizations. It requires that members of the
> clergy, preachers, teachers, and other foreign citizen representatives
> of foreign organizations preach, administer religious ordinances, or
> practice other canonical activities "only in those religious
> organizations which invited them to Ukraine and with official approval
> of the governmental body that registered the statutes and the articles
> of the pertinent religious organization."
>
> In addition, local officials have occasionally impeded the activities
> of foreign religious workers. All regional administrations have
> departments responsible for registration of various denominations and
> religious groups, and for supervision of compliance with the Law on
> Freedom of Conscience and Religion. Neither the State Committee on
> Religious Affairs, nor its regional departments have the authority to
> de-register religious groups; they can be de-registered only by court
> decision.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy continues to monitor the
> human rights situation, including religious freedom.
>
> United Arab Emirates
>
> Current situation: Islam is the official religion of all the emirates.
> Citizens are predominantly Sunni Muslims. Non-Muslims are free to
> practice their religion but may not proselytize publicly or distribute
> religious literature. Major cities have Christian churches, some built
> on land donated by the ruling families. The Government permits foreign
> clergy to minister to expatriate congregations.
>
> Mrs. Mona Ghaleb, a United Arab Emirates Muslim woman, has said that
> her husband, Elie Dib Ghaleb, a Lebanese Christian, was jailed for
> marrying a Muslim. The Government states that he was convicted for
> fornication that occurred prior to his wedding, not on other charges.
> Mrs. Ghaleb denies this charge. Her husband remains in jail, although
> his term was completed. He reportedly has been beaten in prison. His
> sentence of 39 lashes has not been carried out, but remains under
> consideration.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has an ongoing dialogue
> with the United Arab Emirates concerning human rights. U.S. Government
> officials have raised the case of Elie Dib Ghaleb at a high level with
> the U.A.E. Government, and will continue to follow the case.
>
> United Kingdom
>
> Current situation: The conflict in Northern Ireland between unionists,
> who are primarily Protestant and want the province to remain part of
> the United Kingdom, and nationalists, who are primarily Catholic and
> want Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland,
> continues, and inter-communal violence remains a problem.
>
> U.S. Government actions: In keeping with its commitment to help people
> of different faiths find common ground, the United States seeks to
> contribute to a peaceful resolution of this conflict. The U.S.
> Government has strongly supported the multi-party talks, which began
> in June 1996 in Belfast under the chairmanship of former Senator
> George Mitchell. Representatives of the nationalist and unionist
> communities in Northern Ireland are participating.
>
> Since the inception of the talks, the U.S. Government has attempted to
> move the process forward, and has made clear to all participants its
> view that there can be no alternative to this peace process.
>
> Uzbekistan
>
> Current situation: The constitution provides for freedom of religion
> and the separation of religion and state. Russian Orthodox and several
> other Christian denominations operate freely. However, tensions arise
> when churches attempt to convert across ethnic lines, particularly the
> conversion of Muslims to Christianity. Missionary activity and
> proselytizing are illegal.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The U.S. Embassy discusses a wide range of
> issues with the Government of Uzbekistan, including respect for human
> rights.
>
> Vietnam
>
> Current situation: Although the Vietnamese constitution and government
> decrees provide for freedom of worship, the regime continues to
> restrict severely religious activities that it defines as being at
> variance with state laws and policies. The 1992 constitution provides
> for the "freedom of religious belief," including "the right to build
> buildings for religious use." However, the same article adds that "no
> one can use religion as a means to drag in foreign powers" or to
> disrupt the social order. In practice, the regime permits organized
> religious activity except that which it perceives as challenging the
> interests of the State.
>
> All religious organizations are required to obtain government
> permission to hold training seminars and conventions, to build or
> remodel places of worship, to engage in charitable activities or
> operate religious schools, and to ordain, promote, or transfer clergy.
> Religious groups continue to face difficulty in obtaining teaching
> materials, expanding training facilities, and publishing religious
> materials. There do not appear, however, to be significant constraints
> on the rights of individuals to attend Government approved churches to
> worship, and Christian holidays are publicly observed.
>
> There are two Christian denominations approved by the Government in
> Vietnam: the Catholic Church and the Christian Missionary Alliance.
> The Christian Missionary Alliance of Vietnam is the only
> government-approved Protestant organization in the country. The
> Government places restrictions on proselytizing activity but church
> attendance continues to grow. Arrests and government harassment of
> some ethnic Hmong Protestants for proselytizing in northern Vietnamese
> villages has occurred from time to time. Some Catholic priests and
> Buddhist monks remain in prison serving sentences for preaching
> outside the Government approved church organizations.
>
> The Government insists on the right to approve Vatican appointments,
> and this issue remains under discussion. The Government maintains
> restrictions on other activities of the Protestant and Catholic
> churches including the right to assemble, speak, and teach.
>
> In the past two years several U.S. citizens have been charged and
> detained for disseminating religious materials. In 1996, Mrs. Man Thi
> Jones, a U.S.-Vietnam dual national citizen, was accused by local
> authorities in Phan Rang of distributing religious materials without
> authorization and found guilty of "activities in Vietnam not in
> accordance with the reason for her entry." The alleged violation
> involved administrative law and was not a criminal matter. Local
> authorities interrogated Mrs. Jones on several occasions and
> threatened her with imprisonment, although she was not arrested or
> incarcerated. Mrs. Jones was fined 30 million dong (approximately
> $900). Her passport was held by the police during the investigation.
>
> U.S. Government actions: President Clinton's decision to normalize
> relations with Vietnam helped to facilitate and strengthen U.S.
> Government efforts to expand the pursuit of human rights objectives in
> that country. The United States has raised the issue of religious
> freedom with the Vietnamese Government on numerous occasions. National
> Security Adviser Anthony Lake and Assistant Secretary of State Winston
> Lord raised human rights issues, including freedom of religion, when
> they visited Vietnam in July 1996. In March 1997, a State Department
> delegation traveled to Hanoi to participate in the fifth bilateral
> human rights dialogue. The issue of religious freedom, including
> persecution of Christians, was mentioned repeatedly. Treasury
> Secretary Robert Rubin raised human rights throughout his visit to
> Vietnam in April 1997, as did Secretary Albright during her July 1997
> visit.
>
> The U.S. Embassy frequently discusses religious freedom issues with
> the Vietnamese Government. The State Department has forwarded to the
> U.S. Embassy a list of Christians who allege government persecution.
> The United States has expressed its deep concern about these problems
> and has also urged the Vietnamese Government to establish a dialogue
> with the country's religious institutions in order to resolve some of
> these issues. The U.S. Government is exploring ways to cooperate with
> other like-minded governments on human rights in Vietnam, and also has
> followed closely the Vatican's efforts to resolve its differences with
> the Vietnamese Government. The United States has asked the Government
> of Vietnam for a clear explanation of its restrictions on normal
> religious activity--the right to assemble, speak, and teach--by the
> Protestant and Catholic churches, particularly since both churches are
> recognized by the Government.
>
> The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi actively followed the case of Mrs. Man Thi
> Jones met with Mrs. Jones, Vietnamese authorities in Hanoi, and the
> provincial authorities in Phan Rang as soon as the Embassy became
> aware of the case. A consular officer traveled twice to the village
> where she was being interrogated. The U.S. Charge raised this case
> with senior Vietnamese officials, stating that this case raises
> serious questions regarding protection of religious freedom in Vietnam
> and emphasizing that both the restriction on Mrs. Jones and the fine
> imposed were unreasonable. He urged that Mrs. Jones's fine be waived
> and her money returned. He also said that Mrs. Jones's case
> underscored U.S. concerns about mistreatment of leaders of the Unified
> Buddhist Church of Vietnam and restrictions on the Protestant and
> Catholic churches.
>
> The U.S. Embassy sent three diplomatic notes to the Vietnamese
> Government requesting information on Mrs. Jones's situation. Mrs.
> Jones appealed the decision and requested a reduction in the fine.
> However, the fine, as initially imposed, was paid. Mrs. Jones's appeal
> stands and can be considered even though she departed Vietnam in
> December 1996. The U.S. Government has urged the Vietnamese Government
> to refund Mrs. Jones's money.
>
> Yemen
>
> Current situation: Islam is the state religion, and there are
> restrictions on the practice of other religions. Virtually all
> citizens are Muslims. Most Christians are foreign residents, except
> for a few families of Indian origin in Aden. There are several
> churches in Aden, which hold regular services, but no non-Muslim
> public places of worship in the former North Yemen. Church services
> are, however, regularly held there without harassment in private homes
> or facilities such as schools.
>
> Christian clergy who minister to the foreign community are employed in
> teaching, social services, and health care. A hospital in Jibla
> operated by the Baptist Church has, in the past, experienced
> occasional threats and harassment from local Islamic extremists who
> feared that the hospital might be used to spread Christianity. Since
> an August 1995 incident of mob violence at the hospital, which was
> eventually controlled by the authorities, the hospital has not been
> threatened. Mother Theresa has active charity operations in three
> cities.
>
> U.S. Government actions: The United States has an ongoing dialogue
> with Yemen concerning human rights, and has provided assistance in
> this area as well. The U.S. Embassy assisted the hospital in Jibla
> when it experienced harassment, threats, and a mob attack.
> _________________________________________________________________
>
> * This report was prepared pursuant to the Managers Statement which
> accompanies the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal
> Year 1997, House Report 3610: "that the Department of State report to
> the Congress on or before January 15, 1997 with a detailed summary of
> United States policies designed to reduce and eliminate today's
> mounting persecution of Christians throughout the world." By agreement
> with the Managers, the publication date for this report was extended
> to facilitate the gathering of additional information.
>
> (###)
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