A/HRC/7/10/Add.2 page 13 37. The legal framework concerning proselytism and missionary work might significantly change if the draft law on freedom of conscience and religious association is adopted in its initial wording. Article 7 of the draft law provides that actions directed at converting believers of one confession to others are prohibited, as is any other charitable or missionary activity that exerts intellectual, mental or other pressure on citizens in proselyte aims. A virtual ban on foreign leaders of religious associations, as envisaged in the draft law, would adversely affect the smaller religious minority groups that have only foreign priests serving in Tajikistan. F. Places of worship 38. In addition to the above-mentioned violent attacks on churches and on the synagogue, both the Muslim communities (see paragraphs 23 and 24 above) and religious minorities face challenges from the authorities with regard to their places of worship. The case of the synagogue in Dushanbe was the object of an allegation letter sent by the Special Rapporteur on 1 March 2006 (A/HRC/4/21/Add.1, para. 279). According to the information received, on 7 February 2006, the authorities in Dushanbe began the demolition of the city synagogue, which was also the only functioning synagogue in the country. The authorities have offered the Jewish congregation a plot of land on the edge of Dushanbe to build a new synagogue. However, they have not provided any compensation and the congregation does not have the funds to build a new one. 39. In its response dated 10 March 2006 (A/HRC/4/21/Add.1, paras. 280-285), the Government indicated that the synagogue of the Jewish community in Dushanbe was an ordinary adobe residential building dating from the 1930s with no historical or architectural value. The Government maintained that the Dushanbe city administration had reached an agreement with the Jewish community to allocate a plot of land in a suburb of Dushanbe. However, the Jewish community allegedly had taken no specific steps to draw up plans for the construction of the synagogue and decided to inform the media about the issue. 40. The Special Rapporteur was informed that, to date, the Jewish community’s bathhouse for ritual purification (mikvah), an office and a classroom had been destroyed, whereas the 100-year-old synagogue building was still intact. Approximately 20,000 Jews used to live in Tajikistan before the civil war; there are currently some 350 Jews left in Dushanbe. Members of the Jewish community denied that there was a full agreement on the destruction and on the designation of an alternative site. Moreover, they flagged the importance of their synagogue as a cultural centre and humanitarian canteen at its current location. They stressed the fact that the plot of land offered would not be within walking distance of the old site, which would impose a burden, especially on the old and poorer members of the Jewish community. In addition, they voiced their fear that the destruction of the synagogue building was imminent. 41. Another case involving problems of a religious community with regard to their place of worship was the premises of the Grace Sunmin Mission Centre in Dushanbe. The controversy relates to the details of the contract by which the Sunmin community bought a building in which to establish their church, a humanitarian centre and a school. Since 2002, the Grace Sunmin community has allegedly been facing administrative and legal pressure to hand back the building. The case is ongoing.