THERE IS NO STATE STRUCTURE CONTROLLING ACTIVITIES OF RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATIONS IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, October 22 (Noyan Tapan). “The registration neither made the
activities of the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” sectarian organization active
nor passive. They always worked in an active way, and the more the
number of the adherents of the sect was, the more their state
increased and the more the number of doors they knocked at grew,” said
ethnographer Hranush Kharatian, Chief of the Department on Issues of
Religions and National Minorities attached to the RA government,
during a meeting held at the “Pakagits” (“Brackets”) club on October
21. According to her, the Department studied the statutes of the
“Jehovah’s Witnesses” sect before the registration and indicated many
theses contradicting to the current legislation. But the RA Ministry
of Justice registered the sect, it thinks that the statutes is
amended, and there are no grounds to refuse registration to
them. Hranush Kharatian mentioned that there is the necessity to
introduce amendments into the law “On Freedom of Conscience” approved
in 1991. According to her, there is no state structure controlling
the activities of the religious organizations in Armenia today, and
naturally they will operate without any control. At the same time, it
was mentioned that the amendments into the current law will not be
directed at the restriction of the activities of the operating
religious organizations. The fact how tolerant are these or those
registered religious organizations to the state religion of Armenia is
an important circumstance. Hranush Kharatian also mentioned that
Armenia has many religious organizations having state registration
today, whose activities aren’t almost felt.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress