STATE REGISTRATION TO HELP CONTROL RELIGIOUS SECTS – ARMENIAN PM

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14 Oct 04

13 October: At today’s question time in parliament, MP Agasi Arshakyan
from the opposition National Unity bloc expressed his concern about
the registration of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious sect.

“Prostitution, drug addiction and now sectarianism” are on the increase
in Armenia after the country became a member of the Council of Europe,
Arshakyan said. ”Are we more Europeans than the French, who outlawed
the Jehovah’s Witnesses?” Arshakyan said.

Before Justice Minister David Arutyunyan reached the platform, Prime
Minister Andranik Markaryan said that he shared the MP’s criticism,
adding that ”we proved to be truly democratic and consented to
its registration”. Explaining the reasons for the registration, he
said: ”The fight against them should be within the law. Registering
Jehovah’s Witnesses, we have given them an opportunity to operate in
line with the law, and their registration would be scrapped if they
were to act illegally. We could end their activities by registering
them.”

The prime minister said that apart from Jehovah’s Witnesses, 30 other
religious sects had been registered. The appropriate bodies should
keep their eyes open and follow their activities very closely, he
said. Their registration should be scrapped if they act illegally.

The prime minister urged MPs to support the government on this. To
recap, he highlighted the importance of bringing ties closer with
the church and enhancing its role.