A/55/280 renovate the building throughout and turn it into a public meeting hall and place of worship. This application produced a series of responses from the various municipal authorities. In general, the authorities took the position that since the building in question was located in a residential area and in the immediate vicinity of housing complexes, permission to renovate the building and change its type of occupancy should be subject to the applicability of all regulations and requirements governing building on municipally-owned land. Those regulations and requirements specify, inter alia, that green spaces must be preserved, that additional water supply and drainage pipes must be installed, that access routes must be suitably reconfigured, and that certain urban planning work must be carried out. Furthermore, the authorities considered that the freely expressed views of the residents of the area should be taken into account. Accordingly, a ruling was issued to the effect that a survey should be conducted to determine what the local residents thought of the prospect of a public place of worship on their doorstep. Agreement was reached in May 2000, whereupon the City of St. Petersburg’s Urban Planning and Architecture Committee authorized the head office of the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses to proceed with preliminary studies with a view to the renovation of the building referred to above. At the present time, now that a new municipal administration has taken office following the recent election of the Governor of St. Petersburg, a number of documents relating to the renovation of the building are undergoing further review by the municipal authorities. Georgia 26. On 17 October 1999, a mob led by Bassilists (followers of the teachings of a priest excommunicated by the Georgian Orthodox Church) is alleged to have perpetrated a violent attack on 120 Jehovah’s Witnesses, including women and children, during a religious service in Tbilisi. The police were called, but reportedly refused to protect the Jehovah’s Witnesses, 15 of whom are said to have been hospitalized. These events were reportedly filmed and subsequently 8 broadcast by the local media. The victims are said to have lodged a complaint with the Office of the Public Prosecutor. 27. Georgia has provided the following reply: On 29 February 2000, the Permanent Mission of Georgia received an official reply from the Deputy Secretary of the National Security Council on Human Rights Issues of Georgia, which states that, on 17 October 1999, a group of Bassilists indeed reportedly attacked Jehovah’s Witnesses. Based on this fact, on 18 October 1999, proceedings were instituted by the Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. A number of investigation activities have been carried out and 100 witnesses have been examined. However, additional work which should be done still demands continuation of the case. As soon as further information is available, it will be immediately forwarded to you. India 28. In November 1999, in the state of Orissa, the Government reportedly adopted an order in the form of an amendment to the act on freedom of religion, prohibiting all conversions without prior permission from the local police and the district magistrate. 29. India has provided the following reply: The notification No. 63286 of 26 November 1999 issued by the Government of Orissa relating to the Orissa Freedom of Religion Amendment Rules, 1999, does not require a citizen wishing to convert to seek permission of the local police and the district magistrate. As per the amendment rule, only an intimation is required by way of prior information to the district magistrate. The purpose of the amended rule is to restrict forcible, unlawful, immoral and fraudulent inducement for conversion. 30. According to another communication from the Special Rapporteur, on 20 March 2000, in the village of Chatisinghpura, south of Srinagar, 36 Sikhs were reportedly murdered by Muslim extremists. In New Delhi, the Prime Minister’s security adviser reportedly identified two extremist groups that may have been involved in this massacre, namely the Lashkar-e-Toiba and the Hezbul Mujahedeen.