E/CN.4/2006/5/Add.1 Page 11 44. The Special Rapporteur was also informed that following the deadline for compulsory state re-registration on 16 November 2004, under the law on religions, it was uncertain what would happen to a number of religious communities who were either still in the process of re-registering or who had been refused re-registration. Without state re-registration, it was reportedly legally impossible for religious communities to meet for worship, or to engage in other religious activities. It was further reported that the State monitors, restricts and prevents the activity of religious communities in several other ways. Registered religious organizations could not, for instance, engage in activities outside the place where they were registered and violations of the law could result in a religious community being formally liquidated. 45. The following situations were also brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur: - The 40-strong Word of Truth Church was the second member of the Full Gospel Association to be denied re-registration under the 2002 Belarusian law on religion. The Church was meeting unhindered at private homes in Dzerzhinsk (Minsk region) as no court order had been issued for its liquidation. According to the church’s pastor Nikolai Kozel, Word of Truth tried to re-register at an alternative address after being expelled from its rented premises. In addition to the absence of approved premises, the church was reportedly subsequently denied re -registration on the grounds that its application was late, even though it was alleged that they had submitted it before the 16 November 2004 deadline. - The third Full Gospel Association congregation to be refused reregistration was the 35-strong Church of Jesus Christ in Kozenki village which was hoping to register as a new religious organization. After simultaneously submitting documents to the Mozyr district executive committee in which the same address was stipulated for re-registration of the church and the adoption of two children, officials reportedly responded that the children could not be placed at an address where there would be church services. As the deadline for re-registration expired during these deliberations, the authorities then suggested that the church disband and register anew at a different address, while the issue of adoption was "practically resolved." - On 24 January 2005, the Belarusian Supreme Court upheld a 21 December 2004 ruling by the Minsk City Court, stating that the Minsk Society for Krishna Consciousness had rightly been refused re-registration under the 2002 law. Similar to the New Life Church mentioned above, the Minsk Krishna Consciousness Society did not have the State approval required by the 2002 religion law to use its own premises for worship, and was refused re-registration as a result. On 3 November 2004, the Minsk's Central District Court also issued an official warning after a police officer observed Krishna devotees praying at their temple without state permission. - Two other Krishna Consciousness communities in Bobruisk (Mogilev region) and Mogilev could not re-register and register respectively. The state authorities allegedly kept changing the reasons for not re-registering

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