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apparent support for the creation of a local muftiate separate from his own was due to
his insistence upon the return to believers of the historical mosque in Stavropol city.
Response from the Government dated 15 August 2005
322.
The Government informed that under Article 22 of the Freedom of
Conscience and Religious Associations Act, only a religious organization registered
as a corporation was entitled to request that places of worship belonging to the State
be transferred to it. At the time of the application, the Greek Orthodox Brotherhood
of SS Constantine and Elena had not been re-registered in order to confirm its status
as a corporation and as such the building could not be transferred to it.
323.
The Synagogue is a site of historical and cultural importance. The issue of
transferring title of the building has never been brought before the courts. In 2005,
Krasnodar’s Deputy Chief Executive has justified the refusal to approve the transfer
on the grounds that the building is encumbered by contractual obligations with a
regional voluntary organization of law enforcement officers, security guards, police
and detective organizations.
324.
The Mosque is a federally listed historical and cultural monument, which
houses the G.N. Prozritelev and G.K. Prave Stavropol Local Museum. The Federal
Ministry of Culture does not object to a religious heritage site being used for its
originally intended purpose. However, such a transfer would only be possible if the
museum gave its consent and was provided in advance with comparable premises. To
date no comparable premises have been offered to the Museum and as such, the
transfer of the Mosque to the Muslim religious organization is not possible at the
present time.
Observations
325.
The Special Rapporteur is grateful for the Government’s responses to these
communications and would appreciate being notified of the progress of the
investigation regarding the incident at Uralmash sports stadium on 10 March 2004.
Furthermore she would like to draw the Government’s attention to paragraph 4(b) of
Resolution 2005/40 of the Commission on Human Rights in which States are urged to
exert the utmost efforts, in accordance with their national legislation and in
conformity with international human rights law, to ensure that religious places, sites,
shrines and religious expressions are fully respected and protected.
326. The Special Rapporteur would also like to take this opportunity to insist on
receiving an invitation from the Government to visit the Russian Federation. As she
underlined in her previous report to the General Assembly (A/60/399), the
Government has been reminded of this request for an invitation on many occasions
since 1998.
Saudi Arabia
Urgent appeal sent on 13 May 2005 with the Working Group on Arbitrary
Detention and the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the
right to freedom of opinion and expression