A/58/296 85. The Special Rapporteur is concerned at the worsening relations between religious communities and at the number of acts of violence committed in the name of religion. He would like to receive information on the measures taken by the Pakistani authorities in order to encourage tolerance among religious groups. Lao People’s Democratic Republic 86. On 12 June 2003, the Special Rapporteur transmitted to the Lao Government information according to which, between 17 and 27 May 2003, 20 Christians were allegedly arrested by the authorities in Muong Nong for refusing to renounce their faith. This would be the third wave of arrests carried out by the Lao Front for National Construction since 3 April 2003. Romania 87. The Special Rapporteur sent a communication dated 11 April 2003 to the Romanian Government relating to certain difficulties encountered by the Greek Catholic community. According to reports, despite a legislative decree of 1990 requiring that all property confiscated from the Greek Catholic Church in 1948, with the exception of large farm lands, should be returned to it, only 5 per cent of that property is said to have been recuperated to date. Serbia and Montenegro 88. The Special Rapporteur sent a letter dated 11 April 2003 to the Government of Serbia and Montenegro relating to information according to which Milan Gligoric, a Jehovah’s Witness, sentenced on 12 December 2002 to a suspended prison term of four months for refusing to perform military service, was allegedly called up again by the army in February 2003, despite the constitutional guarantee of the right to conscientious objection. 89. On 8 May 2003, the Special Rapporteur sent the Government information according to which, during the night of 15/16 January, the Adventist pastor Josip Tikvicki was allegedly severely beaten by persons who were trying to attack his church in Zrenjanin. Acts of vandalism against Adventist churches in Belgrade and Kragujevac were allegedly committed the previous month. 90. The Special Rapporteur reminds the Government that international law, particularly article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, imposes on it a positive obligation to take appropriate measures so that citizens may safely exercise their right to freedom of religion and belief. Sudan 91. The Special Rapporteur sent a communication dated 11 April 2003 to the Sudanese Government providing it with information according to which Abdallah Fadl Alla Abdalla was allegedly arrested on 16 January 2003 for organizing a book exhibition in commemoration of the death of Mahmoud Mohamed Taha, who was executed in 1985 for the crime of apostasy. The police allegedly also confiscated books, photographs and posters and charged Mr. Abdallah with insulting Islam. 15