E/CN.4/2000/65 page 11 organizations belonging to more than 60 persuasions. Since the adoption of the law in question, 1,170 religious organizations belonging, inter alia, to the Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, Pentecostal, Adventist and Methodist churches, had been registered or had had their registration renewed. The communities which received official authorization include the Neo-Apostolic Church, the Mormons, the disciples of Vishnu (Krishna) and the followers of the Baha’i faith. In 1998, the Government’s Commission on Religious Associations concluded that the above-mentioned Act was being implemented normally and that the religious situation was stable. Finland 38. The duration of alternative service for conscientious objectors gives the appearance of being punitive. In a very detailed reply, Finland recalled, inter alia, that conscientious objection was legally recognized in 1931 and that requests for conscientious objector status are approved without any inquiry. As to the amendments to the Military Service Act (in 1998) and the Civilian Service Act (in 1999) and following the reductions in the duration of certain forms of military service, it was explained that Parliament had decided to maintain the duration of non-military service. The duration of that civilian service had been discussed in Finland. “Military service has been estimated to be more straining both physically and psychologically, the actual daily/weekly time of duty is longer, there are fewer financial benefits and freedom of movement and other aspects of personal freedom are more restricted. Furthermore, persons who complete military service are under an obligation to do refresher training later. There is no equivalent to this for persons performing civilian service. Due to the different nature of the types of service, comparing is difficult. Finland will follow closely the functioning of the current system.” Finland also took the initiative of indicating its position on the application of the 1981 Declaration in the area of education. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the Government for its detailed, closely argued and balanced response and for the extremely useful information relating to education. Gabon 39. Notwithstanding a satisfactory situation in the area of freedom of religion and belief, the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses is reportedly subject to a government ban which is not applied de facto, but is formally maintained, weakening the community in the long term. Where women are concerned, some legislation, influenced by traditional beliefs, is said to be discriminatory, in particular the requirement for a woman wishing to travel abroad to obtain her husband’s permission. Georgia 40. The 1997 Alternative Service Act was apparently never applied or accompanied by the mechanisms required for its implementation. The duration of the service established by law was punitive in character. It was reported that the procedure for the restitution of religious property confiscated during the Soviet era continued to be fraught with serious difficulties; it did not apply to the Armenian and Catholic churches. It was reported that a famous Armenian church in Tbilisi is still closed. Despite a court decision calling for the restitution of a synagogue to the Jewish community, the building was allegedly still being used as a theatre by the occupants.