U.S. Newswire (press release), DC
July 19 2004
Helsinki Commission Briefing Reviews Religious Freedom in the
Caucasus; Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia Examined by Expert Panel
To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor
Contact: Dorothy Douglas Taft of the Helsinki Commission,
202-225-1901, Web:
News Advisory:
The United States Helsinki Commission will hold a briefing on the
current state of religious freedom in the Caucasus due to recent
events in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia.
Religious Freedom in the Caucasus
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
340 Cannon House Office Building
Panelists:
— Eric Rassbach, counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty,
represents Azerbaijani Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu and the Juma Mosque
Community before the European Court of Human Rights
— Andre Carbonneau, attorney, Jehovah’s Witnesses, represents
Armenian and Georgian Jehovah’s Witnesses before the European Court
of Human Rights
— Dr. Paul Crego, senior cataloging specialist, Library of Congress,
is responsible for materials in Georgian and Armenian and recently
traveled to Georgia
On June 30, Azerbaijani authorities forcibly seized the independent
Juma Mosque, with police reportedly expelling worshipers before
taking control of the place of worship. The authorities imposed a new
imam appointed by the Muslim Board of the Caucasus, a Soviet-era
Muftiate backed by the government, to replace the community’s leader,
Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu. Other unregistered religious communities,
such as Adventists and Baptists, have also experienced repeated
harassment from authorities.
Armenian policy toward religious freedom also conflicts with the
government’s commitments to respect human rights. Government
registration restrictions make it more difficult for religious groups
to rent property, publish newspapers or magazines, or officially
sponsor visas of visitors. The approval system has proven extremely
problematic, as on June 17 when the government again refused to
recognize the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an official religion because of
their proselytizing activities. Other small religious groups,
including Hare Krishnas and many Baptist communities, are frequently
unable to attain the minimum number of members required by the
government and are barred from applying for registration. Armenia has
currently imprisoned 20 Jehovah’s Witnesses for their conscientious
refusal of military service — a principle of their religious
beliefs.
The situation for religious freedom in Georgia improved substantially
with the long overdue arrest on March 12 of renegade Orthodox priest
and mob leader, Basili Mkalavishvili, who instigated violent assaults
against religious minorities. But, Georgian authorities need to
investigate and prosecute others known to have perpetrated similar
criminal acts. Legal problems also persist, as some minority
religious communities are unable to obtain legal entity status or to
build new worship facilities. In addition, a concordat with the state
granted the Georgian Orthodox Church special privileges to the
detriment of other confessions.
An un-official transcript will be available on the Helsinki
Commission’s Internet Web site at within 24 hours
of the briefing.
The United States Helsinki Commission, an independent federal agency,
by law monitors and encourages progress in implementing provisions of
the Helsinki Accords. The Commission, created in 1976, is composed of
nine Senators, nine Representatives and one official each from the
Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.