E/CN.4/1990/46
page 41
"In 1987, for example, the Baptist Church published 5,000 copies of
the Bible.
"Over the last 10 years, the churches attended by believers of
Hungarian origin have imported 50,000 Bibles and those attended by
believers of German origin 6,000 Bibles.
"Members of the clergy play an active part in activities of a social
nature aimed at developing the country and increasing the welfare of the
Romanian people.
"Twenty-three representatives of religions are members of the
National Council of the Democracy and Socialist Unity Front, the most
widely representative body. Four representatives of the clergy are
members of the Romanian parliament, the National Assembly (the Patriarch
of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Teoctiste Arapacu, the Bishop of the
Evangelical Church of the Augustan Confession of Sibiu, Albert Klein, the
Reformed Church Bishop of Oradea, Laszlo Papp, and the Chief Rabbi, Moses
Rosen.
"Members of the clergy also take part in activities aimed at
preserving the country's cultural heritage, given that some 60 per cent
of objects with high artistic value are in the Church's possession.
Saudi Arabia
74. In a communication of 10 March 1989 addressed to the Government
concerned, the following information was transmitted by the Special Rapporteur:
"It has been alleged that about half a million Christian immigrant
workers are forbidden to practise their religion, both in public and in
private, and that the construction of Christian churches or chapels is
prohibited."
75. On 23 November 1989, the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
communicated the reply of the Saudi Arabian authorities to the Special
Rapporteur's letter of 10 March 1989:
"The population of Saudi Arabia is 100 per cent of the Islamic
faith. Non Muslims in Saudi Arabia are free to practise their own faith
in their own homes."
Somalia
76. In a communication of 22 March 1989 addressed to the Government
concerned, the following information was transmitted by the Special Rapporteur:
"It has been reported that a number of religious leaders and
believers are held in detention. Nine religious leaders (sheikhs) are
reportedly serving life sentences after having been condemned to death in
secret trials in Mogadishu on 8 April 1987 under article 12 of Law 54
which provides the death penalty for 'exploiting religion for creating
national disunity or subverting or weakening State authority'. These
persons were reported to have been arrested in May 1986 following the
formation in Mogadishu of the Somali Islamic movement which allegedly