A/54/386 28. Uganda. The national legislation reportedly does not guarantee the right to conscientious objection on grounds of religious belief. 29. Uzbekistan. An official of the Seventh Day Adventists was reportedly arrested in November 1998 on the grounds that his congregation was not registered and that he had no pastoral qualifications. He is said to have been released after paying $1,000 and to have left the town where he was arrested. In the town of Navoi, the Seventh Day Adventists are reported to have built a church which the authorities are refusing to register. 30. In a detailed reply dealing with the case of arrest summarized above, the Government of Uzbekistan explained that the individual in question had violated the legislation on religious organizations by reason of the activities he engaged in without the Seventh Day Adventists being officially registered in the town of Karshi. It confirmed that he had been sentenced to a fine in accordance with the Code of administrative responsibility, and explained that he had left the town to return to his place of residence. It added that the Seventh Day Adventists were registered by the Justice Department in Navoi region on 13 January 1999. In that respect, the Government explained that any religious organization could be established on the initiative of at least 100 citizens aged 18 or over and permanently resident in the territory. For the coordination and supervision of religious activities, a central administrative body could be established by the Constituent Assembly of representatives of the religious organization registered, operating in at least eight territorial divisions of Uzbekistan. A religious organization acquired legal status and could carry on its activities only after being registered by the Ministry of Justice and its representatives in the province. The Special Rapporteur wishes to draw attention to the fact that regulation of the exercise of worship, while being useful and very often necessary, must not constitute an obstacle to freedom of religion. 31. Pakistan. In Karachi, four men were reportedly murdered by Shiites in January 1999 while at prayer in a mosque. The police are said to have arrested members of the Sipah-e-Sahaba extremist group, who reportedly denied any responsibility. In December 1998, a bomb is said to have exploded in the cathedral, injuring a worshipper. In addition, an Ahmadi was reportedly murdered by a member of an anti-Ahmadi organization. 32. Peru. Following an order of May 1998 amending the legislation on exemption from property tax for religious organizations recognized by the State, a number of 6 Christian congregations, particularly Evangelist ones, reportedly ceased their activities because of the absence of financial resources needed to pay taxes. In Lima, some of these organizations are said to have filed a complaint against the municipal authorities on the grounds that the order did not apply to the Catholic church, which was contrary to the constitutional principle of equality before the law. 33. Syrian Arab Republic. The right to conscientious objection on grounds of religious belief is reportedly not recognized by law. The Government of the Syrian Arab Republic replied that there were no cases of conscientious objectives on grounds of religion and belief in its territory. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic for its reply, and would like to know whether Syrian legislation guarantees conscientious objection. 34. Republic of Korea. The national legislation reportedly does not guarantee the right to conscientious objection on grounds of religious belief. 35. In its reply, the Government of the Republic of Korea emphasized the importance it attaches to freedom of religion and belief, while recalling its sovereign right and responsibility for defence of the territory and maintenance of public order in conformity, according to its representatives, with the provisions of article 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights providing for limitations for purposes of public order and the general welfare. It explained that the unique security situation of the Korean peninsula made the maintenance of a system of compulsory and universal conscription inevitable. It added that the introduction of an alternative form of service would be difficult because public opinion was sensitive to equity in the performance of military service. 36. The Special Rapporteur, while understanding the concerns of the Government of the Republic of Korea, wishes to recall that the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, in several resolutions such as resolution 1998/77, recognized the right of everyone to have conscientious objections to military service as a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion as laid down in article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and General Comment No. 22(48) of the Human Rights Committee. It also reminded States with a system of compulsory military service, where such a provision has not already been made, of its recommendation that they provide for conscientious objectors various forms of alternative service which are compatible with the reasons for conscientious objection,