A/HRC/4/21/Add.1 page 67 Response from the Government dated 10 March 2006 280. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan reported that the synagogue of the Jewish community in Dushanbe is an ordinary adobe residential building dating from the 1930s, occupying 0.13 hectares at 27, N. Khikmat Street in Dushanbe. The current synagogue building has absolutely no historical or architectural value and is the communal property of the Ismoili Somoni district in Dushanbe. In 1980 the premises were placed at the disposal of Tajikistan’s Jewish community. 281. The synagogue is currently scheduled for demolition under a plan to build a new Government residence. In this connection, representatives of Jewish communities and organizations, including the chief rabbi of Central Asia, Mr. Abe Dovid Gurevich, visited Dushanbe on a number of occasions. On 4 June 2004 Mr. Gurevich held one of a series of meetings with senior officials at Dushanbe city hall, during which it was agreed to allocate a 0.15-hectare plot at 38/1, Negmat Karabaev street in Dushanbe to Jewish communities and organizations for the construction of a new synagogue. 282. This proposal (one of six submitted for the consideration of Jewish community leaders) was approved by the chief rabbi of Central Asia, Mr. Abe Dovid Gurevich, in his letter dated 5 July 2004 addressed to the mayor of Dushanbe. It should be noted that the rabbi of the Dushanbe synagogue, Mr. M.I. Abdurakhmonov, attended these meetings and talks between the chief rabbi of Central Asia and senior officials of the city of Dushanbe. 283. At the same time, pending the completion of the new synagogue, Dushanbe city hall proposed that the synagogue be temporarily moved to 48a, Negmat Karabaev Street in Dushanbe, and arranged for the distribution of free food to elderly and indigent members of the congregation. 284. Unfortunately, despite the agreement between the two sides and the chief rabbi’s letter of 9 July 2004, the decision of 26 July 2004 allocating a plot of land, and mayoral decision No. 398 of 23 August 2004 giving the go-ahead for the design of a new synagogue, the Dushanbe Jewish community has to date taken no specific steps to draw up plans for the construction of this building. 285. The Ministry notes that Jewish community leaders have recently sought to exploit this situation by kicking up an unjustified fuss about this so-called “issue” in the media. It must also be stressed that no members of the Jewish congregation in Dushanbe, who number several dozen, have to date submitted any specific complaints or statements regarding this matter to the Tajik Government or the city of Dushanbe. Photographs of the existing Jewish synagogue in Dushanbe were annexed to show its current state of repair and provide an unbiased assessment of its historical and architectural significance. Communication sent on 18 May 2006 286. The Special Rapporteur sent this communication in relation to the draft law entitled “About the freedom of conscience and religious unions”. The Committee on Religious Affairs has produced a draft law “About the freedom of conscience and religious unions”. Article 16 of the draft stipulates that all non-registered religious activity is deemed illegal. Article 18 of the