E/CN.4/1996/95
page 11
52.
With reference to the contents of the replies, Cyprus has sent the
Special Rapporteur information on its legislation, in particular the procedure
for recognition of conscientious objector status, and a forthcoming initiative
of the Attorney-General for a thorough study of that legislation to explore to
what extent the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ demands might be satisfied and perhaps to
submit a new bill on the subject if necessary.
53.
Egypt informed the Special Rapporteur of its legislation on freedom
of belief and worship, on the status of Egyptian Christians and on the
cases of Mr. I. Ali Mohammed Sharaf el-Din, Mr. Nashwaa Abd El Aziz and
Mr. Hanan al-Safti.
54.
Eritrea expressed disagreement about the alleged violations of the rights
of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and transmitted a communiqué from the Ministry of
the Interior. India attributed responsibility for the destruction of the
Holy Shrine of Sharar-e-Sharif to mercenaries aided by Pakistan. Nepal
confirmed the arrest and detention of individuals for attempted conversions.
Turkey provided a detailed reply, in particular about the Assyrian-Chaldean
community, the Halki Theological School, the Orthodox Patriarchate, the
Armenian Orthodox Church and the Alevis. Viet Nam replied on particular
cases, including those of Dinh Nhaim, Dang Phuc Tue, Thich Long Tri,
Pham Ngoc An, Pham Van Tuong, Pham Van Xua and Nguyen Thi Em.
55.
In regard to late replies, the Special Rapporteur received letters from
the following 17 States in response to his reminders: Albania (process of
restitution of religious property and objects confiscated under the previous
regime; use of the Greek language in the liturgy of the autocephalous Church
of Albania), Germany (legislation guaranteeing freedom of religion;
non-recognition of Scientology as a religious community, in particular
pursuant to a decision by the Federal Labour Court on the commercial aims of
Scientology; no discrimination against it), Bangladesh (non-discriminatory
legislation in the religious field; cases of violations of the rights of
religious minorities on non-religious grounds; no discrimination; case of
Taslima Nasreen, in particular the Government’s position sanctioning fatwahs),
Belarus (legislation guaranteeing freedom of religion and conscience and
stipulating restrictions established by law and compatible with international
law - maintenance of security, public order, etc.; legal procedure for
registration of religious communities allowing for the possibility of appeal
in court against refusal of registration; no religious intolerance of the
Hare Krishna), Greece (legislation on freedom of religion and conscience;
prohibition against proselytism; conscientious objection linked to the
opportunity to perform unarmed military service; no religious intolerance, in
particular, of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the school system - case of
Charalambos Andreopoulos, Theofilos, Theofilos Tzenos, case of
Jehovah Witnesses in Alexandroupolis, in Gazi, Malevizion, case of the Muslim
minority in Thrace), Indonesia (legal prohibition on the Jehovah Witnesses and
Baha’is; case of Djoni Purwoto, Sugiri Cahyono, Bambab Nahya Nirbita,
Ambar Widi Atmoko), Islamic Republic of Iran (non-recognition of the Baha’i
faith as a religion; inquiry into the assassination of clergymen Mikailian and
Debbaj and arrests and trials of the three individuals allegedly responsible),
Iraq (legislation guaranteeing freedom of religion; non-interference in the
internal affairs of religious communities, in particular in the case of
Assyrian-Chaldean priest E. Yuhanna who was dismissed by his bishop),