1. Introduction, by Ralph Wagner
The Department of State currently publishes two annual compilations on human rights in individual foreign countries:
- Country Reports on Human Rights Practices covers events in the calendar year and appears in February of the following year. These are available from the State Department websites via the following links: 1999-2001 [www.state.gov] and 1993-98 [www.state.gov]. Earlier editions of Country Reports on Human Rights Practices back to 1978 are available in larger American libraries, especially those that are depositories for Federal Government publications. Future editions of this synopsis will extend coverage back until all are covered.
- Annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom covers the period from July to June and is published in September of the year of the report. This is available for the years 1999-2000 [www.state.gov].
Both are derived from reports by American diplomats, United Nations observers, and private human-rights groups. They are surprisingly objective, including sharp criticisms of many allies of the US. This synopsis includes references to the Bahá'í Faith in
Human Rights Practices from 1991 to 2001 and
International Religious Freedom from 1999 (the first year of publication) to 2001.
Not all of the countries covered restrict the practice of the Bahá'í Faith. Some reports note that the Bahá'ís enjoy religious freedom, while others provide information on the size, demography, or activities of the Bahá'í communities. Reports that simply note the presence of Bahá'ís have not been quoted, since this is now true of nearly all countries. Not all countries that restrict the practice of the Bahá'í Faith are listed here. The reports on Saudi Arabia contain a flat statement that "Freedom of religion does not exist." In some other Muslim countries there seems to be an understanding that the Bahá'ís will not be disturbed if they keep their activities private.
When identical or nearly identical text appears in more than one report,
I have included the most recent version, with a few bracketed addenda noting important differences. The topical headings, which do not necessarily correspond to the headings in the reports, are:
- Freedom of Religion: A general statement on freedom of religion to establish the context, as well as any general statements on violations of the Bahá'ís' freedom of religion.
- Bahá'í Community: Comments on the size, demography, or activities of the Bahá'í community.
- Trials, Imprisonment: In the case of Iran, this has been subdivided into particular cases.
- Education: Policies affecting access to education or discrimination in schools.
- Employment: Discrimination in public or private employment.
- Travel: Policies affecting freedom of travel within the country, availability of passports, or emigration.
- Social Attitudes: Attitudes of the broad public, rather than government action.
- US Government Policy: Official statements, discussions with foreign governments, or contacts between US diplomats and the Bahá'í community.
2. Index by Country
Key:
- HRP = "Human Rights Practices"
- IRF = "International Religious Freedom"
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ALBANIA
Freedom of Religion
-
HRP 1998-2000
-
IRF 1999-2001
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects this right in practice. According to the new Constitution, the state has no official religion, and all religions are equal. The majority of citizens are secular in orientation after decades of rigidly enforced atheism under the communist regime, which ended in 1990.
Foreign clergy, including Muslim clerics, Christian and Bahá'í missionaries, Jehovah's Witnesses, and many others freely carry out religious activities....
Bahá'í Community
There are 50 Christian societies and groups and more than 1,100 [IRF 1999: 2500; IRF 2000: 344] missionaries representing Christian or Bahá'í organizations.
Societal Attitudes
The Bahá'ís are no longer considered a threat by the Sunnis and Orthodox Christians. They have established a good reputation and the community is expanding rapidly.
The Sunnis and Orthodox Christians consider Bahá'ís to be a threat and exercise increasing pressure on authorities to ostracize them. In a press interview, Hazhi Hafiz Savri Koci, the leader of the Sunni Muslim community, declared that " the virus of pseudo-religions, such as the Bahá'í Faith, has infiltrated our weak body. We are at war with them, because they are trying to corrupt our souls through the power of money, spreading religious beliefs and superstition that are totally alien to the Albanian character and tradition."
ARMENIA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion; however, the law specifies some restrictions on the religious freedom of adherents of faiths other than the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has formal legal status as the national church.
Bahá'í Community
Catholics are concentrated in the northern region of Armenia, while most Jews, Mormons and Bahá'ís are concentrated in Yerevan.
AUSTRIA
Freedom of Religion
-
HRP 2000-01
-
IRF 1999-2001
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects
this right in practice....
Religious confessional communities, once they are recognized officially
as such by the Government, have juridical standing, which permits them
to engage in such activities as purchasing real estate in their own names,
contracting for goods and services, and other activities...
The nine religious groups that have constituted themselves as "confessional
communities" according to the 1998 law are: Jehovah's Witnesses, the Bahá'í
Faith, the Baptists, the Evangelical Alliance, the Movement for Religious
Renewal, the Pentecostalists, the Seventh-Day Adventists, the Coptic-Orthodox
Church, and the Hindu Religious Community.
AZERBAIJAN
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides that persons of all faiths may choose and practice their religion without restrictions, and the Government generally respects these rights for most citizens; however, there were some abuses and restrictions. Under the Law on Religious Freedom, each person has the right to choose and change his or her own religious affiliation, including atheism, to join or form the religious group of his choice, and to practice his or her religion. The State generally is prohibited expressly from interfering in the religious activities of any individual or group; however, there are exceptions, including cases where the activity of a religious group "threatens public order and stability."
Bahá'í Community
The population is approximately 90 percent Muslim, 3 percent Christian, and less than 1 percent Jewish. The rest of the population adheres to other faiths or consists of nonbelievers.... There also have been small congregations of Evangelical Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Baptists, and Bahá'ís in Baku for over 100 years.
Confiscation of Property
In March 2000, 132 pounds of books were confiscated from a Baptist returning home from Russia; however, they subsequently were released for entry. Other groups, including Bahá'í and Jewish groups, reported no problems importing religious literature.
The Bahá'ís reportedly are no longer seeking the return of their center, now used as a kindergarten.
Places of worship seized from the Bahá'ís during the Communist era have
not yet been returned to them.
BAHRAIN
Freedom of Religion
-
HRP 1991-99
-
IRF 1999-2000
Islam is the state religion and the population is overwhelmingly Muslim. However, Christians and other non-Muslims, including Jews, Hindus, and Bahá'ís are free to practice their religion, maintain their own places of worship, and display the symbols of their religion.
BARBADOS
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.
Societal Attitudes
Although society is dominated by Christian attitudes, values and mores, individuals respect the rights of religious minorities such as Jews, Bahá'ís, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and others.
BOLIVIA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. Roman Catholicism is the official religion.
Bahá'í Community
There are Buddhist and Shinto communities, as well as a considerable Bahá'í community spread throughout the country.
BOTSWANA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects
this right in practice.
Freedom of religion is guaranteed by law. There is no state religion, and, while the majority of the population is Christian, Hindus, Muslims, and Bahá'ís also practice their faiths freely.
Bahá'í Community
About half of the country's citizens identify themselves as Christians. Anglicans, Methodists, and the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa--formerly the London Missionary Society--claim the majority of Christian adherents.... Most other citizens adhere to traditional indigenous religions, or to a mixture of religions. There is a small Muslim community--about 2 to 3 percent of the population--primarily of South Asian origin, and a very small Bahá'í community as well.
BULGARIA
Freedom of Religion
The right to peaceful assembly is provided for by the Constitution, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. The authorities
require permits for rallies and assemblies held outdoors, but most legally registered organizations were routinely granted permission to assemble. However, on several occasions police broke up gatherings and services of unregistered religious groups, including those of Jehovah's Witnesses, Word of Life, The Unification Church, and Bahá'ís. These religious groups were denied registration by the Council of Ministers....
Although the Constitution provides for freedom of religion, the Government restricts this right in practice for some non-Orthodox religious groups. The ability of a number of religious groups to operate freely continued to come under attack, both as a result of government action and because of public intolerance. The government requirement that groups whose activities have a religious element register with the Council of Ministers remained an obstacle to the activity of some religious groups, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Word of Life, the Unification Church, and Bahá'ís, which have been denied registration....
On several occasions the police shut down religious meetings of unregistered groups.... Also in August, Haskovo municipal authorities banned a public meeting of Bahá'ís and forced them to abandon an apartment in the city.
CAMBODIA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.
Bahá'í Community
Approximately 93 percent of the population is Hinayana and Theravada Buddhist....
Other religious organizations with small followings in
Cambodia include the Vietnamese Cao Dai religion and the Bahá'í Faith, with about 2,000 practicing members in each group.
CAMEROON
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. In general, the Law on Religious Congregations governs relations between the State and religious groups. Religious groups must be approved and registered with the Ministry of Territorial Administration in order to function legally; there were no reports that the Government refused to register any group. The only religious groups known to be registered are Christian and Muslim groups and the Bahá'í Faith, but other groups may be registered.
CHAD
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for religious freedom, and the
Government generally respects this right in practice; however, at times it has limited this right.
Societal Attitudes
Of the total population, 54 percent are Islamic. About one-third are Christian, and the remainder practice traditional indigenous religions or no religion at all....
Adherents of two other religions, the Bahá'í Faith and Jehovah's Witnesses, also are present in the country. Both faiths were introduced after independence in 1960 and therefore are considered to be "new"religions.
COSTA RICA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice. The Constitution establishes Roman Catholicism
as the state religion. However, persons of all denominations freely practice
their religion without government interference.
Bahá'í Community
An April 2001 study by the Institute for Population Studies (IDESPO) of
Costa Rica's National University reported 70 percent of the population
as Catholic with 19 percent claiming membership in other religions and
11 percent claiming no religious affiliation.... NonChristian religions
including Judaism, Islam, Hare Krishna and the Bahá'í Faith claim membership
throughout The country with The majority of worshippers residing in the
country's Central Valley.
CUBA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution recognizes the right of citizens to profess and practice
any religious belief, within the framework of respect for the law; however,
in law and in practice, the Government places restrictions on freedom of
religion....
The Government requires churches and other religious groups to register
with the provincial Registry of Associations within the Ministry of the
Interior to obtain official recognition. Although no new denominations
were registered during the period covered by this report, the Government
has tolerated some new religions on the island, like the Bahá'í Faith.
CYPRUS
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus provides for freedom of religion,
and the Government respects this right in practice. The basic law in the
Turkish Cypriot community also provides for freedom of religion, and the
authorities respect this right in practice.
Bahá'í Community
Ninety-nine percent of the Turkish Cypriot population are at least nominally
Muslim. There is a small Turkish Cypriot Bahá'í community.
DJIBOUTI
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution, while declaring Islam to be the state religion, provides
for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right
in practice; however, proselytizing is discouraged....
Unlike in the previous year, there were no reports that members of the
Bahá'í Faith were detained and questioned by the police for possible proselytizing
activities.
On a few occasions, police have questioned members of the Bahá'í faith
for possible proselytizing activities, but there have been no arrests.
Bahá'í Community
Over 99 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim. There are a small number
of Catholics, Protestants, and followers of the Bahá'í Faith, together
accounting for less than 1 percent of the population.
EGYPT
Bahá'í Community
Most citizens, approximately 90 percent, are Sunni Muslims.... The number
of Bahá'ís has been estimated at between several hundred and a few thousand.
Freedom of Religion
-
HRP 1999-2001
-
IRF 1999-2000
The Constitution provides for freedom of belief and the practice of religious
rites; however, the Government places clear restrictions on this right.
Under the Constitution, Islam is the official state religion and primary
source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with
Islamic law are prohibited....
Confiscation of Property
-
HRP 1999-2001
-
IRF 1999-2001
In 1960, President Gamal Abdel Nasser issued a decree (Law 263 for 1960)
banning Bahá'í institutions and community activities. All Bahá'í community
properties, including Bahá'í centers, libraries, and cemeteries, were confiscated.
This ban has not been rescinded.
Imprisonments and Executions
The Government occasionally prosecutes members of religious groups whose
practices deviate from mainstream Islamic beliefs and whose activities
are believed to jeopardize communal harmony. For example, between January
and April, the Government arrested 18 persons, most of whom were Bahá'ís
and some of whom were Muslims, in the southern Egyptian city of Sohag,
on suspicion of violating Aricle 98(F) of the Penal Code ("insulting a
heavenly religion") and a 1960 law abolishing Bahá'í institutions. Their
detention was renewed several times, but no charges were brought against
them. By mid-October all of the detainees had been released without charge.
By the end of the period covered by this report, 10 Bahá'ís remained in
detention without being formally charged.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Freedom of Religion
The Fundamental Law of 1995 provides
for freedom of religion; however, in practice the Government limited this
right in some respects.
Except for Jehovah's Witnesses, freedom of religion is generally tolerated,though
ministers of religion are prohibited by law from criticizing government
officials or institutions.... The Islamic and Bahá'í faiths are also practiced
openly.
Bahá'í Community
The population is approximately 93 percent
Christian, 5 percent practitioners of traditional indigenous religions,
and less than 1 percent each Muslim, Bahá'í, other religions, and those
who are nonreligious.
GHANA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice. However, the Government does not always
prosecute those responsible for religiously motivated attacks....
Religions considered to be "foreign" include the Bahá'í Faith, Buddhism,
Hinduism, Shintoism, Ninchiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai, Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Sera, Sat Sang, Eckanker, the Divine Light Mission, Hare Krishna, and Rastafarianism.
The Government neither monitors nor advises these organizations.
GREECE
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution establishes the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ (Greek
Orthodoxy) as the prevailing religion; it also provides for the right of
all citizens to practice the religion of their choice. The Government respects
this right; however, non-Orthodox groups sometimes face administrative
obstacles or encounter legal restrictions on religious practice.
In Thessaloniki in late 1999, the Government
Tax Office refused to recognize the Jehovah Witnesses as a non-profit association
(Evangelicals and Bahá'ís are considered non-profit associations) and imposed
an inheritance tax for property willed to them.
Bahá'í Community
Approximately 250 [IRF 1999: 350] members of the Bahá'í Faith are
scattered throughout the country. The majority are Greek citizens of non-Greek
ethnicity.
Employment
In one well-documented case that began in 1991, a middle-ranking official
of the Ministry of Education, in a memorandum to a local educational official
on the issuance of a teaching permit to a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses
or the Bahá'í religion, stated that according to the Ministry's "legal
consultants...it was not permissible to endorse the appointment to Greek
schools of educators who do not believe in the Greek Orthodox religion."
Societal Attitudes
The Orthodox Church has issued a list of practices and religious groups,
including Scientologists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Bahá'ís, which it believes
to be sacrilegious. Officials of the Orthodox Church have acknowledged
that they refuse to enter into dialog with religious groups considered
harmful to Greek Orthodox worshippers; church leaders instruct Orthodox
Greeks to shun members of these faiths.
GUINEA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and permits religious
communities to govern themselves without state interference; and the Government
generally respects this right in practice....
The small Bahá'í community practices its faith openly and freely, although
it is not officially recognized; however, it is unknown whether the community
has asked for official recognition.
ICELAND
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects
this right in practice. The Government at all levels generally protects
this right in full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental
or private actors. The official state religion is Lutheranism.
Bahá'í Community
Of the total population, 248,411 are
members of the state Lutheran Church (88 percent), according to the National
Statistical Bureau.... Some 10,661 individuals (4 percent) are members
of 20 other recognized and registered religious organizations:...
Bahá'í Community 386...
According to the National Statistical Bureau, there were 209,902 Icelanders
16 years of age and over as of December 1, 1999. Of that total, some l65,560,
or about 86 percent, were members of the state Lutheran church. Some 7,277
(3 percent) were members of 19 other recognized and registered religious
organizations:... Bahá'í Faith - 307....
According to the National Register of Persons, as of December 1, 1998,
of a total population age 16 and over of 206,701, membership in religious
organizations was as follows: ...Bahá'í community-325....
INDIA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for secular government and the protection of
religious freedom, and the central Government generally respects these
provisions in practice; however, it sometimes does not act effectively
to counter societal attacks against religious minorities and attempts by
state and local governments to limit that freedom.
Bahá'í Community
According to 1999 government statistics (based on the 1991 national census),
Hindus constitute 82.4 percent of the population, Muslims 12.7 percent,Christians
2.3 percent, Sikhs 2 percent, Buddhists 0.7 percent, Jains 0.4 percent,
and others, including Parsis, Jews, and Bahá'ís, 0.4 percent.
INDONESIA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for religious freedom for members of officially
recognized religions, and the Government generally respects this provisions
in practice; however, there are some restrictions on certain types of religious
activity and on unrecognized religions. The Constitution also requires
the belief in one supreme God.
Some religious minorities, including the Bahá'í and Rosicrucians, were
given the freedom to organize in May when Presidential Decree 69/2000 revoked
Presidential Decree 264/1962, which had restricted their activities.
Members of the Bahá'í Faith generally did not report problems during the
year. However, in May a crowd of Muslims reportedly expelled two Bahá'í
families living in a predominantly Muslim village in the Donggala District
of Central Sulawesi.
-
HRP 1999-2000
-
IRF 1999-2000
Members of the Bahá'í faith did not report problems during the period covered
by this report.
The Government banned some religions, including Jehovah's Witnesses, Bahá'í,
Confucianism and in some provinces the messianic Islamic sect Darul Arqam.
According to official statistics, nearly 400 "misleading religious cults"
are banned, including Jehovah's Witnesses and Bahá'í.
A 1963 ban on the Bahá'í Faith continues in force.
Societal Attitudes
Members of the Bahá'í Faith did not report major problems since the lifting
of the ban on their religious practice...; however, in early May 2001,
a crowd of Muslims reportedly ousted two Bahá'í families living in a predominantly
Muslim village in the Donggala District of Central Sulawesi. The local
branch of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) issued a religious decree
(fatwa) banning the spread of the Bahá'í Faith in the district.
IRAN
Freedom of Religion
- HRP 1998-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
The Government restricts freedom of religion.
The Constitution declares that the "official religion of Iran is Islam and the
sect followed is that of Ja'fari (Twelver) Shi'ism," and that this principle is
"eternally immutable." It also states that "other Islamic denominations are to
be accorded full respect," and recognizes Zoroastrians, Christians, and Jews
(Iran's pre-Islamic religions) as the only "protected religious minorities."
Religions not specifically protected under the Constitution do not enjoy freedom
of religion. This situation most directly affects the nearly 350,000 followers
of the Bahá'í Faith, who effectively enjoy no legal rights.
Over the past 2 years, the Government of Iran
took some positive steps in recognizing the rights of Bahá'ís, as well as other
religious minorities.
In November 1999, President Khatami publicly stated that no one in Iran
should be persecuted because of his or her religious beliefs. He added that he
would defend the civil rights of all citizens, regardless of their beliefs or
religion. Subsequently, the Expediency Council approved the "Right of
Citizenship" bill, affirming the social and political rights of all citizens and
their equality before the law. In February 2000, following approval of the bill,
the head of the judiciary issued a circular letter to all registry offices
throughout the country, which permits any couple to be registered as husband and
wife without being required to state their religious affiliation. This measure
effectively permits the registration of Bahá'í marriages in Iran. Previously,
Bahá'í marriages were not recognized by the Government, leaving Bahá'í women
open to charges of prostitution. Consequently, children of Bahá'í marriages were
not recognized as legitimate and, therefore, were denied inheritance rights. The
impact of the new registration policy on the status of Bahá'í families remains
unclear.
- HRP 1998-2001
- IRF 1999, 2001
Bahá'ís may not teach or practice their
faith or maintain links with coreligionists abroad. The fact that the Bahá'í
world headquarters is situated in what is now the state of Israel (established
by the founder of the Bahá'í Faith in the 19th century in what was then
Ottoman-controlled Palestine) exposes Bahá'ís to government charges of
"espionage on behalf of Zionism," in particular when Bahá'ís are caught
communicating with or addressing monetary contributions to the Bahá'í Faith
headquarters.
- HRP 1999-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
In his 1996 report to the U.N. Commission on
Human Rights, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Question of Religious
Intolerance recommended "that the ban on the Bahá'í organization should be
lifted to enable it to organize itself freely through its administrative
institutions, which are vital in the absence of a clergy, so that it can engage
fully in its religious activities." In response to the Special Rapporteur's
concerns with regard to the lack of official recognition of the Bahá'í Faith,
government officials stated that Bahá'ís "are not a religious minority, but a
political organization that was associated with the Shah's regime, is against
the Iranian Revolution, and engages in espionage activities." The Government
asserted to the Special Representative that, as individuals, all Bahá'ís were
entitled to their beliefs and protected under other articles of the Constitution
as Iranian citizens.
- HRP 1999-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
Adherents of recognized religious minorities
are not required to register individually with the Government, although their
community, religious, and cultural organizations, as well as schools and public
events are monitored closely. Bahá'ís are not recognized by the Government as a
legitimate religious group but are considered an outlawed political
organization. Registration of Bahá'í adherents is a police function.
- HRP 1999-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
Recognized religious minorities are allowed
by the Government to establish community centers and certain cultural, social,
sports or charitable associations which they finance themselves. This does not
apply to the Bahá'í community which, since 1983, has been denied the right to
assemble officially or to maintain administrative institutions. Because the
Bahá'í Faith has no clergy, the denial of the right to form such institutions
and elect officers has threatened its existence in Iran.
- HRP 1999-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
The Government is highly suspicious of any
proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims and can be harsh in its response, in
particular against Bahá'ís and evangelical Christians. The Government regards
the Bahá'í community, whose faith originally derives from a strand of Islam, as
a "misguided" or "wayward" sect. The Government has fueled anti-Bahá'í and
anti-Jewish sentiment in the country for political purposes.
- HRP 1998-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
Broad restrictions on Bahá'ís appear to be
aimed at destroying them as a community. Bahá'ís repeatedly have been offered
relief from mistreatment if they were prepared to recant their faith.
- HRP 1998-1999
- IRF 1999-2000
Bahá'í marriages are not recognized by the
Government, leaving Bahá'í women open to charges of prostitution. Children of
Bahá'í marriages are not recognized as legitimate and, therefore, are denied
inheritance rights.
- HRP 1998-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
In 1993 the U.N. Special Representative
reported the existence of a government policy directive on the Bahá'ís.
According to the directive, the Supreme Revolutionary Council instructed
government agencies to block the progress and development of the Bahá'í
community, expel Bahá'í students from universities, cut the Bahá'ís' links with
groups outside Iran, restrict the employment of Bahá'ís, and deny Bahá'ís
"positions of influence," including those in education. The Government claims
that the directive is a forgery. However, it appears to be an accurate
reflection of current government practice.
The year was particularly difficult year the
Bahá'í community. The Government regards the Bahá'í community of 300,000 to
350,000 members, whose faith originally derives from a strand of Islam, as a
"misguided" or "wayward" sect. The Special Representative noted in his September
report that pressures on Bahá'ís from the judiciary apparently increased during
the year. The execution of Ruhollah Rouhani and the death sentences confirmed
against two other Bahá'ís in Mashad..., along with the arbitrary roundup of
students and faculty associated with the Bahá'í Institute of Higher Learning,
marked a renewed level of persecution and state-directed intimidation of a
community that is always at risk, but particularly so during times of political
ferment.
Bahá'ís face severe repression, and are
particularly vulnerable during times of social and political unrest....
Bahaiis are forbidden to participate in social
welfare organizations, and they may not teach their faith.
The Government continues to discriminate
against the Bahaii community, Iranis largest non-Muslim minority (300,000 to
350,000 members). The Bahaii religion is considered a "misguided sect" by the
authorities and is not officially recognized....
In legal matters, the Government has stated that it will protect the "social
and legal rights" of Bahaiis as "normal citizens." However, the Government has
continued to attack the Bahaii community as a front for political and espionage
activities and prohibits the community from electing leaders or conducting
religious activities. The actual treatment of Bahaiis varies depending on the
jurisdiction. Bahaii marriages are still not recognized. Bahaiis are now
generally able to bury their dead in Bahaii cemeteries, although this remains a
problem in a number of areas.
In his February 1991 report, the the Special
Representative noted that "the situation of the Bahá'ís is moving towards quite
broad de facto tolerance."
However, widespread discrimination against the community persists.
Bahá'í Community
The population is approximately 99 percent
Muslim, of which 89 percent are Shi'a and 10 percent are Sunni.... Bahá'í,
Christian, Zoroastrian, and Jewish communities compose less than 1 percent of
the population.
- HRP 1999-2001
- IRF 1999, 2001
The largest non-Muslim minority is the
Bahá'í Faith, which has an estimated 300,000 to 350,000 adherents throughout the
country.
The Bahá'í Faith originated in Iran during the 1840's as a reformist movement
within Shi'a Islam. Initially it attracted a wide following among Shi'a clergy.
The political and religious authorities of that time joined to suppress the
movement, and since then the hostility of the Shi'a clergy to the Bahá'í Faith
has remained intense. Bahá'ís are considered apostates because of their claim to
a valid religious revelation subsequent to that of the Prophet Mohammed. The
Bahá'í Faith is defined by the Government as a political sect historically
linked to the Shah's regime and, therefore, as counterrevolutionary, and
characterized by its espionage activities for the benefit of foreign entities,
particularly Israel. Historically at risk in Iran, Bahá'ís often have suffered
increased levels of persecution during times of political ferment. [HRP
1999 and IRF 1999 add: Bahá'ís also faced discrimination under the
Shah.]
Trials, Imprisonment, Executions
1. In General
- HRP 1997-2001
- IRF 1999, 2001
The Government appears to adhere to a
practice of keeping a small number of Bahá'ís in arbitrary detention, some at
risk of execution, at any given time.
Sources claim that such arrests are carried out to
"terrorize" the community and to disrupt the lives of its members. Most of those
arrested are charged and then quickly released. However, the charges against
them are often not dropped, forcing them to live in a continuing state of
uncertainty and apprehension
- HRP 1997-99, 2001
- IRF 1999
The Government frequently charges members of
religious minorities with crimes such as "confronting the regime" and apostasy
[IRF 1999 and HRP 1997 add: drug offenses], and conducts trials in
these cases in the same manner as is reserved for threats to national security.
Ayatollah Mohammad Yazdi, who resigned as head of the judiciary in August,
stated in 1996 that Bahá'í Faith was an espionage organization. Trials against
Bahá'ís have reflected this view.
Two Bahá'í men reportedly died under circumstances
that led some observers to believe that the men were killed because of their
religious beliefs.
As it has over the past few years, the government
continued to mitigate its repression of individual Bahá'ís. No Bahá'ís were
executed in 1991....
2. Numbers of detainees
There were 10 Bahá'ís reported to be under arrest
for the practice of their faith at the end of the period covered by this report,
2 of them under sentences of death.
According to the National Spiritual Assembly of
the Bahá'ís of the United States, since 1979 more than 200 Bahá'ís have been
killed and 15 others have disappeared and are presumed dead....
According to Bahá'í sources, five Bahá'ís remained in prison as of the end of
October, including two who were convicted of either apostasy or "actions against
God" and sentenced to death. In October authorities released two Bahá'ís from
prison in Mashad.
There were at least 10 Bahá'ís reported to be
under arrest for practicing their faith at year's end, 2 under sentence of
death....
According to the U.N. Special Representative and Bahá'í groups, at least 10
Bahá'ís are in prisons, including 2 who were convicted of either apostasy or
"actions against God" and sentenced to death. In March 1999, the four remaining
detainees from the 1998 raid on the Bahá'í Institute of Higher Learning were
convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to 10 years....
Four Bahá'ís are currently on death row--two for
"Zionist Bahá'í activities" and two for apostasy....
There were 11 Bahá'ís reported to be under arrest for the practice of their
faith as of June 1999, 4 under sentence of death.
According to the U.N. Special Representative and
Bahá'í groups, at least 12 Bahá'ís are in prisons, including 5 who were
convicted of either apostasy or "actions against God" and sentenced to death. In
March the four remaining detainees from the 1998 raid on the Bahá'í Institute of
Higher Learning were convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to
10 years....
There were 14 Bahá'ís reported to be under arrest
in Iran for practice of their faith as of June 1999, 4 under sentence of death.
According to the U.N. Special Representative and
Bahá'í groups, at least 14 Bahá'ís are in prisons, including 6 men, convicted of
either apostasy or "actions against God" and sentenced to death. Thirty-six
Bahá'ís associated with the Bahá'í Institute of Higher Learning were detained
arbitrarily in a September government raid on offices and residences associated
with the Institute.... Four of those arrested remained in custody at year's end.
According to the Special Representative and Bahá'í
groups, at least 21 Bahá'ís are currently in Iranian prisons, including 2 men
convicted of apostasy and sentenced to death. Two other Bahá'í men are in prison
and sentenced to death for espionage and Zionist activities. Eleven Bahá'ís were
arrested between May and December, two on unknown charges, one for proselytizing
a Muslim, four for holding Bahá'í meetings, and four for working without
permits.
As of August, about eight Bahá'ís were imprisoned
because of their beliefs.
Bahaiis continued to face arbitrary arrest and
detention. As of August 1992, there were nearly 20 Bahaiis in prison, as the
Government continued its practice of detaining a small but relatively steady
number of Bahaiis at any time.
Bahá'ís continued to face arbitrary arrest and
detention. A total of 31 Bahá'ís were detained for various lengths of time in
1991, although the number of detaineees at any one time was around 10.
3. Khulusi, Manuchehr
Manuchehr Khulusi was arrested in June 1999 while
visiting fellow Bahá'ís in the town of Birjand, and was imprisoned until his
release in May 2000. During his imprisonment, Khulusi was interrogated, beaten,
held in solitary confinement, and denied access to his lawyer. The charges
brought against him still are unknown, but they were believed to be related to
his faith. The Islamic Revolutionary Court in Mashhad held a 2-day trial in
September 1999 and then sentenced him to death in February 2000. Despite
Khulusi's release, it is unclear if the conviction and death sentence against
him still stand.
4. Mahrami, Zabihullah
In January 1995, a Revolutionary Court in city of
Yazd found Zabihullah Mahrami, a member of the local Bahá'í community, guilty of
apostasy after he refused to sever his ties to the Bahá'í community. The court
sentenced Mahrami to death and also ordered the confiscation of his assets, on
grounds that he did not have any Muslim heirs. Mahrami's wife and children are
Bahá'ís. Mahrami appealed to the Supreme Court, which in February rejected the
verdict and referred the case back to a civilian court, rather than a
revolutionary court, for further consideration.
In January it was learned that the Supreme Court
of Iran had confirmed the death sentences against Zabihullah Mahrami and Musa
Talabi, two Bahá'ís convicted of apostasy.
5. Faculty of Bahá'í Open University
- HRP 1999, 2001
- IRF 1999-2001
In September 1998, authorities began a
nationwide operation to disrupt the activities of the Bahá'í Institute of Higher
Learning, also known as the "Open University," which was established by the
Bahá'í community shortly after the revolution to offer opportunities in higher
education to Bahá'í students who had been denied access to the country's high
schools and universities. The Institute employed Bahá'í faculty and professors,
many of whom had been dismissed from teaching positions by the Government as a
result of their faith, and conducted classes in homes or offices owned or rented
by Bahá'ís. In the assault, which took place in at least 14 different cities, 36
faculty members were arrested, and a variety of personal property, including
books, papers, and furniture, either were destroyed or confiscated. Government
interrogators sought to force the detained faculty members to sign statements
acknowledging that the Open University now was defunct and pledging not to
collaborate with it in the future. Bahá'ís outside the country report that none
of the 36 detainees would sign the document. All but four of the 36 subsequently
were released.
In March 1999, Dr. Sina Hakiman, Farzad Khajeh Sharifabadi, Habibullah
Ferdosian Najafabadi, and Ziaullah Mirzapanah, the four remaining detainees from
the September 1998 raid, were convicted under Article 498 of the Penal Code and
sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to 10 years. In the court verdict, the
four were accused of having established a "secret organization" engaged in
"attracting youth, teaching against Islam, and teaching against the regime of
the Islamic Republic." According to Bahá'í groups outside Iran, the four taught
general science and Persian literature courses. HRP 2001: Mirzapanah, who
had been sentenced to 3 years in prison, became ill and was hospitalized. Prison
authorities allowed him to return home upon his recovery on the understanding
that they could find him whenever necessary. The other three were released in
December 1999.
In July 1999, Mirzapanah, who had been
sentenced to 3 years in prison, became ill and was hospitalized. Prison
authorities allowed him to return home upon his recovery on the understanding
that they could find him whenever necessary. The other three were released in
December 1999.
In October [1999] Bahá'í groups outside the
country reported that all four were released from prison. There was no
explanation for the release.
6. Rowhani, Ruhollah
- HRP 1998-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
Ruhollah Rowhani, a Bahá'í, was executed in
July 1998 after having served 9 months in solitary confinement on a charge of
apostasy, which arose from his allegedly having converted a Muslim woman to the
Bahá'í Faith. The woman concerned held that her mother was a Bahá'í and she
herself had been raised a Bahá'í. Mr. Rowhani was not accorded a public trial,
and no sentence was announced prior to his execution.
7. Zabihi-Moghaddam, Sirus, and Kashefi-Nejafabadi, Hedayat
- HRP 1998-99, 2001
- IRF 1999-2001
Two Bahá'ís, Sirus Zabihi-Moghaddam and
Hadayat Kashefi-Najafabadi, were tried alongside Rowhani and later sentenced to
death by a revolutionary court in Mashad for the exercise of their faith.
In 2000 the sentences were reduced to 7 and 5
years respectively.
Their sentences were affirmed in February 2000.
Unofficial reports received by Bahá'í groups
outside the country in March indicated that the death sentences against
Zabihi-Moghaddam and Kashefi-Najafabadi had been lifted. The two remain in
prison and there is no confirmation of a new sentence.
Their sentences were under appeal before the
Supreme Court of Iran at year's end.
In October a Revolutionary Court in Mashad
sentenced to death Sirus Zabihi-Moghaddam and Hedayat Kashefi-Nejafabadi, two
Bahá'ís arrested in October 1997, in a secret trial on a finding of "waging war
against God." A third defendant in the same trial, Ataollah Hamid-Sasirizadeh,
was given a 10-year sentence. Among the charges against the defendants were
"activism in the administration of the Bahá'í faith; misleading Muslims; and
espionage on behalf of foreign powers." The defendants were denied the right to
choose their own counsel, or to consult family or coreligionists during their
extended pretrial detention period.
8. Zolfaqari, Ramazan Ali
One Bahá'í, Ramazan Ali Zolfaqari, was convicted
of apostasy, imprisoned, and released on January 6. His conviction is still in
effect. As of August, about eight Bahá'ís were imprisoned because of their
beliefs.
9. Samandir, Bahman
The family of Bahman Samandir, a Bahá'í executed
by the Government in 1992, has still been unable to recover his body....
A prominent member of the Bahaii community, Bahman
Samandari, was summarily executed in March 1992, the first such execution of a
Bahaii since 1988.
10. Khalajabadi, Kayvan, and Mithaqi, Bihnam
On February 18, the Iranian court confirmed death
sentences for two Bahá'ís, Kayvan Khalajabadi and Bihnam Mithaqi. When they were
sentenced in 1993, an Iranian member of the U.N. Human Rights Commission stated
that they were sentenced to death not because they were Bahá'ís, but because
they were spies.
Education
The Government allows recognized religious
minorities to conduct the religious education of their adherents. This includes
separate and privately funded Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian schools but not
Bahá'í schools.
In September in conjunction with an appeal
connected to the 1998 raids and property confiscations, the Ministry of Justice
issued a report that reiterated that government policy continued to be to
eventually eliminate them as a community. It stated in part that Bahá'ís could
only be enrolled in schools provided they did not identify themselves as
Bahá'ís, and that Bahá'ís preferably should be enrolled in schools that have a
strong and imposing religious ideology. The report also stated that Bahá'ís must
be expelled from universities, either in the admission process or during the
course of their studies, once it becomes known that they are Bahá'ís.
In 1999 authorities in Khurasan intensified
their efforts to intimidate and undermine Bahá'í education. Two teachers in
Mashhad were arrested and sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment. Their students
were given suspended sentences, to be reinstated if the students again
participated in religious education classes. Three more Bahá'ís were arrested in
Bujnurd in northern Khurasan for participating in religious education
gatherings. After 6 days in prison, they were released with suspended sentences
of 5 years. The use of suspended sentences appears to be a new government tactic
to discourage Bahá'ís from taking part in monthly religious gatherings.
In September 1998 authorities launched a
nationwide operation to disrupt the activities of the Bahá'í Institute of Higher
Learning, also known as the "Open University,"established by the Bahá'í
community shortly after the revolution to offer higher educational opportunities
to Bahá'í students who had been denied access to high schools and universities.
The Institute employed Bahá'í faculty and professors, many of whom had been
dismissed from teaching positions by the Government as a result of their Bahá'í
faith, and conducted classes in homes or offices owned or rented by Bahá'ís.
[More about the arrests and sentences
above.]
- HRP 1998-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
Bahá'í group meetings and religious
education, which often take place in private homes and offices, are curtailed
severely. Public and private universities continue to deny admittance to Bahá'í
students, a particularly demoralizing blow to a community that traditionally has
placed a high value on education. Denial of access to higher education appears
aimed at the eventual impoverishment of the Bahá'í community.
While in recent years the Government has eased
some restrictions, thereby enabling Bahá'ís to obtain food-ration booklets and
send their children to public schools, the prohibition against the admission of
Bahá'ís to universities remains.
Universities continue to deny admittance to Bahá'í
students.
Other government restrictions have been eased, so
that Bahá'ís may currently obtain food ration booklets and send their children
to public schools. However, the prohibition against the admission of Bahá'ís to
universities appears to be enforced.
Bahaii children are now permitted to attend grade
school and high school but are generally not permitted to attend college or be
employed on college faculties.
Bahá'ís generally cannot attend college (the
Special Representative noted that only four have been admitted to universities)
or be employed on college faculties.
Employment
- HRP 1991-92, 1996, 1998-2000
- IRF 1999-2001
Thousands of Bahá'ís who were dismissed from
government jobs in the early 1980's receive no unemployment benefits and have
been required to repay the Government for salaries or pensions received from the
first day of employment. Those unable to do so face prison sentences....
- HRP 1997-99
- IRF 1999-2001
Bahá'ís are prohibited from government
employment. A 1993 law prohibits government workers from membership in groups
that deny the "divine religions," terminology the Government uses to label
members of the Bahá'í faith. The law also stipulates penalties for government
workers who do not observe "Islamic principles and rules."
Some Bahá'ís continue to be denied public
sector (and often private sector) employment on account of their religion; in a
number of cases ration cards have been denied on the same grounds.
Confiscation of Property
In 2000 eight buildings belonging to Bahá'ís were
confiscated in Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan. In 1999 three Bahá'í homes in Yazd
and one in Arbakan were confiscated because their owners were members of the
Bahá'í community.
Bahá'í cemeteries, holy places, historical
sites, administrative centers and other assets were seized shortly after the
1979 revolution. None of the properties have been returned, and many have been
destroyed. Bahá'ís are not allowed to bury and honor their dead in keeping with
their religious tradition. They are permitted access only to areas of wasteland,
designated by the Government for their use, and are not allowed to mark the
graves. Many historic Bahá'í gravesites have been desecrated or destroyed. In
October 1998, three Bahá'ís were arrested in Damavand, a city north of Tehran,
on the grounds that they had buried their dead without government
authorization....
In 2000 in the city of Abadeh, a Bahá'í cemetery
with 22 graves was bulldozed by a Revolutionary Guard officer. In what seemed to
be a hopeful sign, the Government this year offered the Tehran community a piece
of land for use as a cemetery. However, the land was in the desert, with no
access to water, making it impossible to perform Bahá'í mourning rituals. In
addition, the Government stipulated that no markers be put on individual graves
and that no mortuary facilities be built on the site, making it impossible to
perform a proper burial.... In recent months, 14 Bahá'í homes were seized and
handed over to an agency of Supreme Leader Khamene'i. According to sources,
authorities confiscated Bahá'í properties in Kata and forced several families to
leave their homes and farmlands. Authorities also imprisoned some, and did not
permit others to harvest their crops. Sources also report that authorities in
Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz also confiscated private Bahá'í property during the
year. In one instance, a woman from Isfahan who legally traveled abroad found
that her home had been confiscated when she returned home. This year the
Government also seized private homes in which Bahá'í youth classes were held
despite the owners having proper ownership documents....
The property rights of Bahá'ís generally are
disregarded. Since 1979, large numbers of private and business properties
belonging to Bahá'ís have been confiscated.
During the period covered by this report, three
Bahá'í homes in Yazd and one in Arbakan were confiscated because their owners
were members of the Bahá'í community.
In September and October 1998, government
officers plundered more than 500 Bahá'í homes throughout the country and seized
personal household effects, such as furniture and appliances. Seizure of
personal property, in addition to the denial of access to education and
employment, is eroding the economic base of the Bahá'í community.
In 1999 three Bahá'í homes in Yazd and one in
Arbakan were confiscated because their owners were members of the Bahá'í
community.
- HRP 1997-2001
- IRF 1999-2001
Bahá'ís regularly are denied compensation for
injury or criminal victimization. Government authorities claim that only Muslim
plaintiffs are eligible for compensation in these circumstances.
The persecution of Bahá'ís persisted in 1996. The
Government continued to return some property previously confiscated from
individual Bahá'ís, although the amount returned is a fraction of the total
seized.
Property belonging to the Bahá'í community as a
whole, however, such as places of worship, remains confiscated. Other government
restrictions have been eased, so that Bahá'ís may currently obtain food ration
booklets and send their children to public schools. However, the prohibition
against the admission of Bahá'ís to universities appears to be enforced.
Thousands of Bahá'ís dismissed from government jobs in the early 1980's receive
no unemployment benefits and have been required to repay the Government for
salaries or pensions received from the first day of employment. Those unable to
do so face prison sentences.....
Properties belonging to the Bahá'í community as
a whole, such as places of worship and graveyards, were confiscated by the
Government in the years after the 1979 revolution and, in some cases, defiled.
The persecution of Bahá'ís persisted unevenly in
1994. The Government continued to return some property previously confiscated
from individual Bahá'ís, although the amount returned is a fraction of the total
seized. Property belonging to the Bahá'í community as a whole, such as places of
worship, remains confiscated.
In 1993 Tehran municipal authorities built a
cultural center on the site of a Bahá'í cemetery. Immediately after the
1978-1979 revolution, the cemetery's markers were removed (some reportedly were
auctioned off), and the site was turned into a park. The new construction in
1993 involved excavations that reportedly desecrated Bahá'í graves. The U.S. and
other governments condemned the desecration and called on Iran to halt the
project. There is no indication, however, that the Iranian authorities stopped
the construction.
The treatment of Bahá'ís varies somewhat, depending on the jurisdiction; in
other places, Bahá'ís were still able to bury their dead in Bahá'í cemeteries.
The Government continued to return some of the
property of individual Bahá'ís that it had previously confiscated, although the
amount represents a small fraction of the total seized....
Most Bahá'ís are now able to obtain food ration booklets.
Some 25 families, however, were evicted from their
homes in September following court decisions in Tehran, Isfahan, and Yazd.
Property of the community, such as places of worship, remains confiscated.
Travel
The Government often prevents Bahá'ís from
traveling outside the country. In February the Government denied visas to the
Bahá'í delegation to the Regional Preparatory Conference for the World
Conference on Racism, held in Tehran. The delegation was composed of American,
Japanese, South Korean, and Indian nationals. However, it has become somewhat
easier for Bahá'ís to obtain passports in order to travel abroad. In addition
some Iranian embassies abroad do not require applicants to state a religious
affiliation. In such cases, Bahá'ís more likely are able to renew passports.
Bahá'ís often experience difficulty
getting passports.
A small number of Bahá'ís were permitted to
leave the country....
While some Bahá'ís have been issued passports, the Special Representative
reported that the vast majority of such applications are denied.
Societal Attitudes
Iranian Society is accustomed to the presence of
Iran's pre-Islamic, non-Muslim communities. However, government actions create a
threatening atmosphere for some religious minorities, especially Bahá'ís, Jews,
and evangelical Christians.
US Government Policy
President Clinton made a number of statements
regarding the treatment of religious minorities in Iran, including a June 1998
statement criticizing the execution of Ruhollah Rowhani, a member of the Bahá'í
Faith....
The U.S. State Department spokesman on numerous occasions has addressed the
situation of the Bahá'í and Jewish communities, notably following the
Secretary's March 17, 2000 speech on Iran, the execution of Ruhollah Rowhani in
June 1998, the Government's actions against the Bahá'í Institute of Higher
Education in September 1998, and repeatedly after the arrest of 13 members of
the Iranian Jewish community in March 1999. The U.S. Government has encouraged
other governments to make similar statements and has pressed those governments
to raise the issue of religious freedom in discussions with the Iranian
Government.
The Assistant Secretary of State for Near East
Affairs, in testimony before Congress on Iran, has highlighted the plight of
Iran's religious minorities....
ISRAEL
Freedom of Religion
Israel has no constitution; however, the law provides for freedom of worship,
and the government generally respects this right in practice.
The Government has recognized only Jewish holy places under the 1967 Protection
of Holy Sites Law, therefore denying government funding for the preservation
and protection of Christian, Druze, Muslim, Bahá'í, and other religious
sites. Following a 1997 challenge to this practice, the Ministry
of Religious Affairs agreed to consider funding requests for non-Jewish
sites, although none were approved during the year.
US Government Policy
Embassy representatives, including the Ambassador, routinely meet with
religious officials. These contacts included meetings with Jewish, Christian,
Muslim, and Bahá'í leaders at a variety of levels.
JORDAN
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, provided that religious
practices are consistent with "public order and morality;" however, the
Government imposes some restrictions on freedom of religion, and citizens
may not always be allowed to practice the religion of their choice. According
to the Constitution, Islam is the state religion.
-
HRP 1998-2000
-
IRF 1999-2000
Bahá'ís face some societal and official discrimination. Their faith is
not recognized officially, and Bahá'ís are classified as Muslims on official
documents, such as the national identity card.
-
HRP 1991, 1998-2001
-
IRF 1999-2001
The Bahá'í community is too small to sustain its own court, and Bahá'í
family legal matters, including marriage, must be handled in the Shari'a
courts. Most Bahá'ís are unwilling to be married in these courts.
-
HRP 1999-2000
-
IRF 1999-2001
The Government does not recognize the
Druze or Bahá'í faiths as religions but does not prohibit the practice
of the faiths.... The Government does not record the bearer's religion
on national identity cards issued to Druze or Bahá'ís.
The Government notes individuals' religions (except for Bahá'ís) on the
national identity card and "family book" (a national registration record
issued to the head of every family that serves as proof of citizenship)
of all citizens.
In December the Ministry of Interior agreed to accept Bahá'í marriage certificates
as proof of marriage for the issuance of passports and other official identity
documents.
The Government does not recognize the Bahaíi Faith as a religion,
and the small Bahaíi community continues to encounter discrimination....
The Government does not recognize the Bahaíi faith as a religion,
and Bahá'ís have experienced some problems in the past with the registration
of community property.
Education
-
HRP 1998-2000
-
IRF 1999-2001
Religious instruction is mandatory for all Muslim students in public schools.
Christian and Bahá'í students are not required to attend courses in Islam.
The Government does not permit Bahá'ís
to register schools or places of worship.
Bahá'ís suffer various forms of discrimination. An October 1991 government
decree requires all students to be classified on student identification
documents as either "Christian" or "Muslim." Previously, Bahá'í students
were permitted to be so identified. A further stipulation requires
that Bahaíis take national postsecondary examinations on Islam,
unlike Christian religious minorities who take examinations on Christianity.
Bahá'í Community
Over 95 percent of the population are Sunni Muslim. Official government
figures estimate that Christians make up 4 percent of the population; however,
government and Christian officials privately estimate the true figure to
be closer to 2 percent. There also are at least 20,000 Druze, a small number
of Shi'a Muslims, and less than 800 adherents of the Bahá'í faith.
Societal Attitudes
Bahá'ís face some societal and official discrimination.
KAZAKHSTAN
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom
of religion, and the various religious communities worship largely without
government interference; however, the Government's concerns about regional
security threats from alleged religious extremists led it to encourage
local officials to limit the practice of religion by some nontraditional
groups.
Societal Attitudes
Many media outlets (both official and independent), including some of the
most widely distributed, have presented as objective news allegations that
nontraditional religious groups present a threat to national security and
social cohesion. Articles on Jehovah's Witnesses and Bahá'í faiths
were particularly confrontational.
KUWAIT
Freedom of Religion
Islam is the state religion; although the Constitution provides for freedom
of religion, the Government places some limits on this right. The Constitution
also provides that the State protect the freedom to practice religion in
accordance with established customs, "provided that it does not conflict
with public policy or morals." The Constitution states that Shari'a (Islamic
law) is "a main source of legislation."
Bahá'í Community
Among a total population of 2.2 million, approximately 1.5 million persons
are Muslim, including& the vast majority of the 750,000 citizens. The
remainder of the overall population consists of the large foreign labor
force and over 100,000 stateless persons, most of whom are Muslim....
There are also members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran, such
as Hindus (100,000 members), Sikhs (10,000), Bahá'ís (400), and Buddhists
(no statistics available).
LAOS
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom
of religion; however, the Government restricts this right in practice.
Some government officials committed abuses of citizens' religious freedom.
In previous years, followers of Islam and the Bahá'í faith also have been
monitored and arrested, although there were no known cases of monitoring
and arrest of Muslims and Bahá'í believers during the year.
-
HRP 1998-99
-
IRF 1999-2001
In more isolated cases, provincial authorities instructed their officials
to monitor and arrest persons who professed belief in Christianity, Islam,
or the Bahá'í faith.
-
HRP 1998-2001
-
IRF 1999-2001
The enhanced status given to Buddhism in Luang Prabang--famed for its centuries-old
Buddhist tradition and numerous temples--apparently led some local officials
there to act more harshly toward minority religious sects, particularly
toward Christian and Bahá'í, than in other areas of the country....
Two mosques and two Bahá'í centers operate openly in Vientiane municipality;
two other Bahá'í centers are located in Vientiane province and Pakse.
Local spiritual assemblies and the national spiritual assembly routinely
hold Bahá'í 19-day feasts and celebrate all holy days. The national spiritual
assembly meets regularly and is free to send a delegation to the Universal
House of Justice in Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel....
There remains a continuing suspicion on the part of authorities toward
some parts of the Lao religious community other than Buddhism, including
some Christian groups, in part because they do not share a similar high
degree of direction and incorporation into the government structure. Authorities
especially appear to suspect those religious groups that gain support from
foreign sources, aggressively proselytize among the poor or uneducated,
or give targeted assistance to converts. The Government permits major religious
festivals of all established congregations without hindrance. Two mosques
and a Bahá'í center operate openly in Vientiane.
There were also unconfirmed reports that Lao Christians were sometimes
barred from the Party or from government employment and that some rural
Lao were not allowed to convert to the Bahá'í faith.
Bahá'í Community
The Bahá'í Faith has more than 1,200 adherents and four centers: Two in
Vientiane municipality, one in Vientiane province, and one in Pakse.
LEBANON
Freedom of Religion
-
HRP 2000-01
-
IRF 1999-2001
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice; however, there are some restrictions.
Discrimination based on religion is built into the system of government.
There are no legal barriers to proselytizing; however, traditional attitudes
and edicts of the clerical establishment discourage such activity.
State recognition is not a legal requirement for religious worship or
practice. For example, although Bahá'ís, Buddhists, and Hindus are not
recognized officially, they are allowed to practice their faith without
government interference; however, their marriages, divorces, and inheritances
in the country are not recognized under the law.
LIBYA
Freedom of Religion
The Government restricts freedom of religion. The country is overwhelmingly
Sunni Muslim, and the leadership states publicly its preference for Islam....
According to recent reports, individuals rarely are harassed because
of their religious practices, unless such practices are perceived as having
a political motivation....
There are no known places of worship for other
non-Muslim religions such as Hinduism, the Bahá'í Faith, and Buddhism,
although adherents are allowed to practice within the privacy of their
homes. Foreign adherents of these religions are allowed to display and
sell religious items at bazaars and other gatherings.
LIECHTENSTEIN
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects
this right in practice.
Bahá'í Community
Of a total population of 32,015 (as of December 31, 1998, according to
the Office of the National Economy) there are... 12 Bahá'ís....
Of a total population of 31,320 (as of December 31, 1997, according to
the Office of the National Economy) there are... 12 Bahá'ís (0.04 percent)....
MALI
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice; however, the Government does not officially
recognize the Bahá'í Faith.
In 1989 a previous government refused an application for registration
submitted by a Bahá'í group, although there was and still is no state law
prohibiting the practice of the Bahá'í Faith. The absence of official recognition
does not appear to have restricted materially the practice of the Bahá'í
Faith in the country....
Although the Government does not officially recognize the Bahá'í Faith,
it does not restrict the practice of that religion either in law or in
practice.
The Government requires that all public associations, including religious
associations, register with the Government. However, registration confers
no tax preference and no other legal benefits, and failure to register
is not penalized in practice. The registration process is routine and is
not burdensome....
In 1989 a previous government refused an application for registration
submitted by a Bahá'í group, although there was and still is no state law
prohibiting the practice of the Bahá'í Faith. The absence of official recognition
does not appear to have restricted materially the practice of the Bahá'í
Faith in the country. Although the Government still does not officially
recognize the Bahá'í Faith, it does not restrict the practice of the religion
either in law or in practice.
There are restrictions against the Bahá'í faith; however, they seldom are
enforced and Bahá'ís generally practice their faith freely.
Administrative orders promulgated in 1977 prohibiting members of the Bahá'í
faith from meeting in groups of more than three people are not enforced,
and Bahá'í practice their faith without interference.
Proselytizing and conversion are permitted, except in the case of the Bahá'í....
While administrative orders promulgated in 1977 prohibiting Bahá'í from
meeting in groups of more than three people remain in force, these orders
are not enforced, and Bahá'í practice their faith without interference.
MOLDOVA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice; however, a 1992 law on religion that codifies
religious freedoms contains restrictions that could--and in some instances
did--inhibit the activities of some religious groups. The law provides
for freedom of religious practice, including each person's right to profess
his religion in any form.... However, the law prohibits "abusive proselytizing"
and requires that religious groups register with the Government....
Other registered groups include: Roman Catholics; Baptists; Pentecostals;
Seventh-Day Adventists; Jehovah's Witnesses; Bahá'ís; and Hare Krishnas.
MONGOLIA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of conscience and religion, the right
both to worship and not to worship, and the Government generally respects
these provisions in practice; however, the law limits proselytizing, and
some groups that sought to register have faced bureaucratic harassment.
Of the 260 temples and churches founded in the past 10 years, about
150 are registered, including 90 Buddhist, 40 Christian, and 4 Bahá'í,
in addition to 1 Muslim mosque and other organizations.
Under the provisions of a 1993 law on relations between church and state,
the Government may supervise and limit the numbers of both places of worship
and clergy for organized religions, but there were no reports that it has
done so. However, religious groups must register with the Ministry of Justice.
The Government closed some Christian and Bahá'í places of worship for failing
to register properly. Some groups encountered harassment during the registration
process, including random demands by midlevel city officials for financial
contribution in return for securing legal status. Even when registration
was completed, the same authorities threatened some religious groups with
withdrawal of approval....
MOROCCO
Freedom of Religion
-
HRP 1998-2001
-
IRF 1999-2001
Islam is the official religion and, although the Constitution provides
for freedom of religion, in practice only Islam, Christianity, and Judaism
are tolerated officially. Bahá'ís face restrictions on the practice of
their faith.
The small Bahá'í community has been forbidden to meet or participate
in communal activities since 1983.
However, during the period covered by
this report, no members of the Bahá'í community were reported to have been
summoned to the Ministry of the Interior for questioning concerning their
faith or for meeting, as had occurred in past years.
There were no reports during the year that the Government summoned members
of the Bahá'í Faith for questioning or denied them passports, as had occurred
in previous years.
During the period covered by this report, Interior Ministry officials summoned
members of the small Bahá'í community for questioning concerning their
faith and meetings; however, fewer Bahá'ís reportedly were summoned than
in past years.
Bahá'í Community
Also located in Rabat and Casablanca, the Bahá'í community numbers 350
to 400 persons.
Travel
-
IRF 1999-2001
-
HRP 2000-01
...there were no reports during the year that the Government summoned members
of the Bahá'í Faith for questioning or denied them passports, as had occurred
in previous years.
The Ministry of Interior restricts freedom to travel abroad in certain
circumstances. It has refused to issue passports to certain citizens, including
political activists, former political prisoners, and Bahá'ís. However,
the Government has dramatically eased these restrictions in recent years.
The Government has refused to issue passports to a number of Moroccans,
including political activists, former political prisoners, and Moroccan
Bahaíis.
Societal Attitudes
Because many Muslims view the Bahá'í Faith as a heretical offshoot of Islam,
most members of the tiny Bahá'í community maintain a low religious profile.
However, Bahá'ís live freely and without fear for their persons or property,
and some even hold government jobs.
US Government Policy
The Ambassador and embassy officials also meet regularly with religious
officials, including the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Islamic religious
scholars, the leader of the Jewish community, and local Christian leaders
and missionaries. The Embassy maintains contacts with the small Bahá'í
community as well.
MOZAMBIQUE
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom
of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.
Bahá'í Community
Jewish, Hindu, and Bahá'í communities also are registered, and constitute
small minorities.
The 4-year-old Forum of Religions, an organization for social and disaster
relief composed of members of the Christian Council of Mozambique, the
Greek Orthodox Church, the Muslim community, and the Bahá'í and Jewish
temples is an example of interfaith cooperation. The goal of the forum
is to offer collective assistance to the needy, without regard for creed.
Societal Attitudes
Many citizens consider the Bahá'í Faith to be a "new religion."
NEW ZEALAND
Freedom of Religion
The law provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects this
right in practice.
Bahá'í Community
According to 1996 census data, the following are the numbers and percentages
of the population's religious affiliation: ... Bahá'í--3,111 (0.09 percent)
....
NIGER
Freedom of Religion
The July 1999 Constitution provides for "the right of the free development
of each individual in their spiritual, cultural, and religious dimensions,"
and the Government supports the freedom to practice one's religious beliefs,
as long as persons respect public order, social peace, and national unity.
-
HRP 1998-99
-
IRF 1999-2000
Christians (including Jehovah's Witnesses) and Bahá'ís practice freely.
On December 3, the Bahá'í Faith was granted full legal status. Until then,
it was practiced despite a 1984 law prohibiting it.
Bahá'í Community
Numbering only a few thousand, the Bahá'ís
are located primarily in Niamey and in communities on the west side of
the Niger River, bordering Burkina Faso....
There have been some efforts made
to promote interfaith understanding. For example, the Bahá'ís have sponsored
religious tolerance campaigns which have garnered local press coverage.
US Government Policy
The Embassy maintains good relationships with minority religious groups,
most of which are long-term resident missionaries and well-known members
of the American community. Embassy personnel also have contact with the
Catholic mission, the Bahá'í community, and Islamic organizations.
OMAN
Freedom of Religion
Islam is the state religion,
and the Basic Charter preserves the freedom to practice religious rites,
in accordance with tradition, provided that it does not breach public order.
The Basic Charter also provides that Shari'a (Islamic Law) is the basis
for legislation. The Government permits worship for non-Muslim residents;
however, non-Muslim religious organizations must be registered with the
Government, and the Government restricts some of their activities....
Citizens and noncitizen residents are free to discuss their religious
beliefs; however, the Government prohibits non-Muslims from proselytizing
Muslims. Under Islamic law, a Muslim who recants belief in Islam would
be considered an apostate and dealt with under applicable Islamic legal
procedure. Non-Muslims are permitted to change their religious affiliation
to Islam. The authorities reportedly have asked members of the Bahá'í community
not to proselytize, in accordance with the country's law and custom.
In June the departure from the country of a foreign Bahá'í due to termination
of his employment may have been hastened by the proselytizing activities
of his wife. The authorities requested members of the Bahá'í community
to sign statements that they will not proselytize, in accordance with the
country's law and custom.
PAKISTAN
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution (which was suspended following the October 1999 coup)
provides for freedom of religion, and states that adequate provisions shall
be made for minorities to profess and practice their religions freely;
however, the Government imposes limits on freedom of religion. Pakistan
is an Islamic republic; Islam is the state religion. Islam also is a core
element of the country's national ideology; the country was created to
be a homeland for Muslims....
The Government fails in many respects to protect the rights of minorities.
This is due both to public policy and to the Government's unwillingness
to take action against societal forces hostile to those that practice a
different faith.
Bahá'í Community
Religious minority groups believe that they are underrepresented in government
census counts. Official and private estimates of their numbers can differ
significantly. Current population estimates place the number of...Bahá'ís
at 30,000 [IRF 1999-2000: 12,000].
Travel
Links with coreligionists in other countries are maintained relatively
easily.... However, the Government prohibits Ahmadis from participating
in the Hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia) and Bahá'ís
from traveling to their spiritual center in Israel.
ROMANIA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the Government generally
respects this right in practice; however, there are some restrictions,
and several minority religious groups continued to claim credibly that
low-level government officials and Romanian Orthodox clergy impeded their
efforts at proselytizing, as well as interfered with other religious activities
(see Section 5). The press reported several instances when adherents
of minority religions were prevented by others from practicing their faith,
and local law enforcement authorities did not protect them....
The Government requires religious groups to register, and government
registration and recognition requirements pose obstacles to minority religions.
To be recognized as a religion, religious groups must register with the
State Secretariat for Religious Denominations and present their statutes,
organizational, leadership, and management diagrams, and the body of dogma
and doctrines formally stated by a religion. Representatives of religious
groups that sought recognition after 1990 allege that the registration
process was arbitrary and unduly influenced by the Romanian Orthodox Church,
that they did not receive clear instructions concerning the requirements,
and that often the time frame in which a decision on their application
has to be made was not respected by the State Secretary of Religions.
The Government has not granted any religious group status as a religion
since 1990. The Organization of the Orthodox Believers of Old Rite,
Jehovah's Witnesses, the Adventist Movement for Reform, the Bahá'í Faith,
and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) are some
of the religious groups that have tried unsuccessfully to register as religions.
The Bahá'í Faith stated that it has never received any answer to its repeated
requests to be registered as a religious denomination.
SAUDI ARABIA
Freedom of Religion
Saudi Arabia is an Islamic monarchy without legal protection for freedom
of religion, and such protection does not exist in practice. Islam is the
official religion, and all citizens are Muslims. Based on its interpretation
of the hadith, or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, the Government prohibits
the public practice of non-Muslim religions. The Government recognizes
the right of non-Muslims to worship in private; however, the distinction
between public and private worship is not clearly defined, and at times
the Government does not respect in practice the right to private worship....
There were reports during the period covered
by this report that authorities interrogated members of the tiny Bahá'í
community regarding the size and status of their community, although there
were no reports of any additional actions taken against them.
SEYCHELLES
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects
this right in practice.
In the past, the Government did not demonstrate favoritism toward one religion
over another; however, in early 2000, the Seychelles National Party (SNP),
which is the opposition political party and is led by an Anglican minister,
claimed that the Government gave a grant of $164,000 (900,000 Seychelles
Rupees) to the Bahá'í faith in 1999, following its incorporation. According
to the SNP, this grant has not been offered to other faiths that have been
established recently in the country. According to the Government, $192,000
(1 million Seychelles Rupees) of the national budget is allocated to provide
assistance to faiths that request it. The grant to the Bahá'í faith was
for the purpose of building a temple, and in the past, the Anglican, Hindu,
and Roman Catholic faiths have benefited from government grants.
In May 2000, the Government announced that its employees who are Bahá'í
are allowed to take unpaid leave on Bahá'í holy days. This leave has not
been available previously to members of the Bahá'í or other faiths. At
the time of the announcement, the Government also stated that other religions
could submit applications for the recognition of similar unpaid leave days.
President France Albert Rene's wife of 10 years is a member of the Bahá'í
Faith while the majority of the government ministers are Catholic.
Bahá'í Community
The Bahá'í local spiritual assembly was incorporated in 1999.
The Government tends to remain outside of religious matters, but provides
program time to different religious organizations on the national radio
broadcasting service. On Sundays a radio broadcast of a Catholic Mass alternates
each week with a broadcast of an Anglican service. All other faiths, including
Islam, Adventist and Bahá'í, are entitled to a 15-minute radio broadcast
one Sunday a month.
On Saturdays, a 15-minute Bahá'í radio program alternates each week with
an Adventist broadcast.
SPAIN
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion,
and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The Government
at all levels generally protects this right in full and does not tolerate
its abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
The 1978 Constitution, which declares the country
to be a secular state, and various laws provide that no religion should
have the character of a state religion. However, the Government treats
religions in different ways. Catholicism is the dominant religion, and
enjoys the closest official relationship with the Government.
Bahá'í Community
There are a total of 899 non-Catholic churches, confessions, and communities
in the register. In addition, there are also: ...Bahá'ís--2 entities and
12 places of worship....
SWAZILAND
Freedom of Religion
There are no formal constitutional provisions for freedom of religion;
however, the Government respects freedom of religion in practice.
Bahá'í Community
Followers of Islam and the Bahá'í Faith generally are located in urban
areas.
The Bahá'ís are the most active non-Christian missionaries.
Societal Attitudes
The Bahá'ís challenge some influential Christian pastors' claim to exclusive
and free access to the radio based on the royal family's Christian background.
Although the issue has not been resolved due to the Government's indecision,
it appears unlikely to develop into a serious conflict. Occasionally, letters
to the editor appear in local newspapers arguing points of contention among
the Christian, Islamic, or Bahá'í faiths.
TAJIKISTAN
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice; however, there are some restrictions,
and the Government monitors the activities of religious institutions to
keep them from becoming overtly political.
Members of the Bahá'í community were occasionally confronted by the police
guard outside Dushanbe's Bahá'í Center and asked why they had forsaken
Islam. Others were called in by the Ministry of Security and also asked
why they had changed religious affiliation.
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice; however, there are some exceptions. According
to the Law on Freedom of Faith, the Committee on Religious Affairs under
the Council of Ministers registers religious communities and monitors the
activities of the various religious establishments.... Although unregistered,
recently organized religious communities, such as Bahá'í and Hare Krishna
groups function with no apparent formal restriction.
Bahá'í Community
Other religious minorities are very small and include Bahá'ís (four registered
organizations)....
Among those active in Tajikistan are the Islamic, Russian Orthodox, Jewish,
German Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist, Baptist, and Bahá'í.
Societal Attitudes
Some Muslim leaders occasionally have expressed concern that minority religious
groups undermine national unity. Bahá'í and Hare Krishna groups experience
limited discrimination.
There were no developments in the 1999 murder case of British national
Abdullah Mugharebi, a resident of Dushanbe and leader of Tajikistan's Bahá'í
community, who was widely believed to have been killed by Iranian-sponsored
Islamic fundamentalists.
Bahá'í and Hare Krishna groups experience only limited prejudice. A prominent
88-year-old member of Dushanbe's Bahá'í community was killed in his home
in September. Members of the Bahá'í community believe that he was killed
because of his religion, since none of his personal possessions were taken
from the murder scene. Police made no arrests, although militant Islamists
aligned with Iran are considered likely perpetrators.
There were no new developments on this case during the
period covered by this report.
TONGA
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice....
The Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC) maintains policy guidelines regarding
the broadcast of religious programming on Radio Tonga. The TBC guidelines
state that in view of "the character of the listening public" those who
preach on Radio Tonga must confine their preaching "within the limits of
the mainstream Christian tradition." Due to this policy, the TBC does not
allow discussions by members of the Bahá'í Faith of its founder, Bahaullah,
by name, or of the tenets of their religions.... This policy applies to
all churches.... Members of the Bahá'í Faith utilize a privately owned
radio station for program activities and the announcement of functions.
A government-owned newspaper occasionally carries
news articles about Bahá'í activities or events, as well as those of other
faiths.
TUNISIA
Freedom of Religion
-
HRP 1998-2001
-
IRF 1999-2000
Islam is the state religion. The Constitution provides for the free exercise
of other religions that do not disturb the public order, and the Government
generally observes and enforces this right; however, there were some restrictions
and abuses....
The Government does not permit the establishment
of political parties on the basis of Islam, prohibits proselytizing, and
partially limits the religious freedom of Bahá'ís...
-
HRP 1998-2001
-
IRF 1999-2001
The Government regards the Bahá'í Faith as a heretical sect of Islam and
permits its 150 adherents to practice their faith only in private. Although
the Government permits Bahá'ís to hold meetings of their National Council
in private homes, it reportedly has prohibited them from organizing local
councils. The Government reportedly pressures Bahá'ís to eschew organized
religious activities.
-
HRP 2000-01
-
IRF 1999-2001
The Government also does not permit Bahá'ís to accept a declaration of
faith from persons who wish to convert to the Bahá'í Faith. There were
credible reports that four members of the Bahá'í Faith were interrogated
by Ministry of Interior officials in 1999 and pressed to sign a statement
that they would not practice their religion and would not hold meetings
in their homes.
There are credible reports that prominent Bahá'ís periodically are called
in by police for questioning. [HRP 2001: however, the number of
such incidents decreased during the year. ] The Government unofficially
denied Bahá'í requests during the year for permission to elect local assemblies.
Since 1984 there has been a ban on public Bahá'í religious activities because
the Government considers this faith a heretical sect of Islam.
Travel
However, the Government appears to have eased some other restrictions,
which in the past included the denial of passports to Bahá'ís.
US Government Policy
The U.S. Embassy maintains good relations with leaders of majority and
minority religious groups throughout the country, and the Ambassador and
other embassy officials met regularly with Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and
Bahá'í religious leaders throughout the period covered by this report.
The Department of State delivered a private demarche on alleged harassment
of the Bahá'í community in June 1998, which appears to have resulted in
greater government tolerance of Bahá'í activities.
TURKEY
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally
respects this right in practice; however, it imposes some restrictions
on religious minorities and on Muslim religious expression in government
offices and state-run institutions, including universities. The Constitution
establishes Turkey as a secular state and provides for freedom of belief,
freedom of worship, and the private dissemination of religious ideas. However,
these rights are restricted by constitutional provisions ensuring the integrity
and existence of the State, and rejecting "discrimination on the basis
of religion."
The Bahá'í community has
also faced problems with the police, including the January 2001 arrest
of two men (one American) for allegedly proselytizing in Sivas. The men
were released immediately, pending an investigation.
At year's end, two university professors at Sivas' Cumhuriyet University
faced expulsion for allegedly ignoring official duties due to Bahá'í related
activities.
Bahá'í Community
About 99 percent of the population are Muslim, primarily Sunni. There are
several non-Muslim religious minority groups; most are concentrated in
Istanbul and other large cities. There are approximately...10,000 Bahá'ís....
Confiscation of Property
In February 2001, the Bahá'í community lost a legal appeal against government
expropriation of a sacred site near Edirne, and brought the case to the
High Administrative Court. The Ministry of Culture had granted cultural
heritage status to the site in 1993, but in January 2000, the Bahá'í community
was notified by the Ministry of Education that the property had been expropriated
for future use by the adjacent primary school. The Ministry has deposited
funds in the Bahá'í community's bank account for the expropriated property
but the Bahá'í are continuing to fight the expropriation.
The Bahá'í community currently is fighting a legal battle against government
expropriation of a sacred Bahá'í site near Edirne.... The court process
is continuing, and the local administration court in Edirne recently rescinded
its temporary stay of execution, which technically allows the Ministry
of Education to implement expropriation. However, the Bahá'í appeal of
the expropriation process continues.
Societal Attitudes
In January a local imam in Sivas criticized proselytizing by members of
the Bahá'í faith. In his public remarks, he read a Koranic verse
alluding to those "whose killing is necessary." The Bahá'í have pressed
charges against the imam.
TURKMENISTAN
Freedom of Religion
While it affirms a number of important religious freedoms, the Law on Freedom
of Conscience and Religious Organizations, which was amended in 1995 and
again in 1996, also provides for significant government control of religion.
Religious congregations are required to register with the Government and
must have at least 500 Turkmen citizens over the age of 18 as adherents
to be registered. This requirement has prevented all but Sunni Muslims
and Russian Orthodox Christians from setting up legal religious organizations.
Moreover the Government applies this 500-member standard on a local basis.
A religious group must have at least 500 adherents in each city in which
they wish to be registered.
Nonregistered religious congregations are present in the country, including
Bahá'ís, Baptists, Hare Krishnas, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Pentecostals,
among others; however, the Government restricts their activities.
They are prohibited from establishing churches and from conducting religious
activities including gathering, proselytizing, and disseminating religious
materials. The Government's interpretation of the law also limits
their ability to meet in private homes. While the Law on Religious
Organizations does not prohibit nonregistered religious groups from gathering,
government permission is required for any mass meetings or demonstrations
for religious purposes.
This restriction also has caused problems for a number of minority religions,
including the Bahá'í Faith, which was registered by the Government in 1994
only to be deregistered in 1997 when the threshold was raised to 500 adherents.
Members of the Bahá'í Faith have been prevented from conducting services
since 1997 and, in 1997 and 1998, were questioned by internal security
representatives for holding private prayer meetings in their homes.
The Bahá'í community, whose members had been prevented from conducting
services since 1997, gathered publicly to celebrate Novruz Bairam in March
2001, and sent a delegation from Turkmenistan to Israel in June 2001 to
participate in the opening ceremony of a Bahá'í garden in Haifa.
Although the local Bahá'í community in Ashgabat was able to open its center
for 1 day in March 1999 to celebrate the Faith's Nowruz (spring) holiday,
this year the community believed that they would not be permitted to open
for Nowruz and therefore did not request permission to open. However, the
local Bahá'í community in Ashgabat was able to conduct a memorial service
at a local restaurant in January.
The local Bahá'í community in Ashgabat was able to conduct a memorial service
at a local restaurant in January 2000.
In June 1999, representatives of internal security organizations also
visited the Bahá'í center and warned its members not to distribute religious
materials....
Members of the Bahá'í Faith have been questioned by internal security
representatives for holding private prayer meetings in their homes.
The local Bahá'í community in Ashgabat was able to open its center for
a single day to celebrate the Faith's Nowruz (spring) holiday in March
1998 and again in March 1999....
The Government's Council on Religious Affairs does not actively promote
interfaith dialog although its representatives attended the opening for
a single day of the local Bahá'í center in Ashgabat in March 1999.
In June [1998] representatives of internal security organizations visited
the Bahá'í center in Ashgabat as part of the Government's attempt to control
the activities of unregistered religious groups and warned its members
not to distribute religious materials.
Societal Attitudes
Turkmen culture historically is tolerant and inclusive of different religious
beliefs. For example, in the early part of the 20th century, Ashgabat was
a refuge for members of the Bahá'í Faith escaping persecution in Iran,
and the first Bahá'í temple was built in Ashgabat.
US Government Policy
In August 1998, embassy officers met with the head of the President's Institute
for Democracy and Human Rights to discuss the onerous registration requirements
for minority religions and the possibility of reducing the number of adherents
necessary for registration for certain historical religions. In February
1999, embassy officers also met with the head of the Institute to discuss
the harassment of adherents of the Bahá'í Faith by authorities from the
internal security services.
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
Freedom of Religion
In 1991 there was continued progress toward freedom of
religion....
The visibility of religion increased dramatically.... It was common to see public proselytizing in major cities, including street stands with placards calling passersby to rejoin and revitalize the Russian Orthodox Church, persons speaking about their Protestant faith, and appeals from adherents of such groups as the Hare Krishna and the Bahá'í Faith.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Freedom of Religion
The federal Constitution designates Islam as the official religion, and
Islam is also the official religion of all seven of the constituent emirates
of the federal union. The federal Constitution also provides for the freedom
to exercise religious worship in accordance with established customs provided
that it does not conflict with public policy or violate public morals,
and the Government generally respects this right in practice and does not
interfere with the private practice of religion; however, it limits the
number of officially recognized religions, controls virtually all Sunni
mosques, grants only a small number of Christian denominations recognition,
prohibits proselytizing, and restricts the ability of nonrecognized religions
to conduct business as organized groups.
Bahá'í Community
All of the country's citizens are Muslims, with approximately 85 percent
followers of Sunni Islam and the remaining 15 percent followers of Shi'a
Islam....
Although no official figures are available, local observers estimate
that approximately 55 percent of the foreign population are Muslim, 25
percent are Hindu, 10 percent are Christian, 5 percent are Buddhist, and
5 percent are a mixture of other faiths, including Ismailis, Parsis, Bahá'ís,
and Sikhs (most of whom reside in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi).
Other religious communities (mostly expatriates residing in Dubai and Abu
Dhabi) include Ismailis, Parsis, and Iranian Bahá'ís....
-
HRP 1999-2001
-
IRF 1999-2001
In 1998 Abu Dhabi emirate donated land for the establishment of the country's
first Bahá'í cemetery.
UNITED KINGDOM
Freedom of Religion
Government policy provides for freedom of religion, and the Government
generally respects this right in practice. The 1998 Human Rights Act, which
is to enter into force in October 2000, incorporates the principle of religious
freedom into law. The Church of England and the Church of Scotland are
established churches.
Bahá'í Community
The country has both active interfaith and ecumenical movements.... The
Interfaith Network was established in 1987 and links a wide range of religious
and educational organizations with an interest in interfaith relations,
including the national representative bodies of the Bahá'í, Buddhist, Christian,
Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Zoroastrian communities.
UZBEKISTAN
Freedom of Religion
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and for the principle
of separation of church and state; however, in practice the Government
only partially respects these rights. The Government perceives unofficial
Islamic groups or mosques as extremist security threats and outlaws them.
The Government permits persons affiliated with mainstream religions, including
approved Muslim groups, Jewish groups, the Russian Orthodox Church, and
various other denominations, such as Catholics and Lutherans, to worship
freely and generally registers more recently arrived religions. However,
the religion law forbids or severely restricts activities such as proselytizing
and importing and disseminating religious literature....
The law also requires that all religious groups and congregations register
and provides strict and burdensome criteria for their registration. In
particular it stipulates that each group present a list of at least 100
Uzbek citizen members (compared with the previous minimum of 10) to the
local branches of the Ministry of Justice. This provision enables the Government
to ban any group simply by denying its registration petition.
A number of minority religious groups, including a variety of Christian
confessions, Bahá'í, and Hare Krishna, had difficulty satisfying the strict
registration requirements set out by the law.
The 178 registered minority religious groups include.... 7 Bahá'í....
The 174 registered minority religious groups include.... 7 Bahá'í
The Committee on Religious Affairs has approved the registration of 170
minority religious groups including.... 5 Bahá'í.....
As of March 1, 1999, the Government had received 1,700 applications for
registration from Muslim congregations. As of mid-year, 1999, it had approved
registration for 1,510 Muslim, 119 Christian (out of 132 applications),
and 11 other (Jewish and Bahá'í) congregations or groups....
On the other hand, the Committee on Religious Affairs has approved the
registration of at least six Baptist congregations, as well as Jewish,
Russian Orthodox, Seventh-Day Adventist, Bahá'í, Presbyterian, Pentecostal
("Full Gospel"), and other Christian churches. Several of these congregations
had fewer than the required 100 members but received exemptions from the
requirement.
VIETNAM
Freedom of Religion
Both the Constitution and government decrees provide for freedom of worship;
however, the Government continued to restrict significantly those organized
activities of religious groups that it declared to be at variance with
state laws and policies. The Government generally allowed persons to practice
individual worship in the religion of their choice, and participation in
religious activities throughout the country continued to grow significantly.
However, government restrictions on the hierarchies and clergy of most
religious groups remained in place, and religious groups faced difficulties
in training and ordaining clergy, publishing religious materials, and conducting
educational and humanitarian activities. The Government requires religious
groups to register and uses this process to control and monitor church
organizations....
In recent years, the conditions faced by Bahá'ís have improved in some
localities where Bahá'ís have been able to practice their faith quietly
with local permission. However, a Bahá'í community in Danang was unable
to obtain approval of its recent application for registration of official
religious activities.
Bahá'í Community
There are estimated to be between from several hundred to 2,000 Bahá'í
believers, largely concentrated in the south; prior to 1975, there were
an estimated 130,000 believers, according to Bahá'í officials.
YEMEN
Bahá'í CommunityHRP: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
IRF: Annual Reports to Congress on International Religious Freedom
Bahá'í Community
Bahá'í Community
There are no longer credible reports of a Bahá'í community in northern
Yemen.
Apart from a small but undetermined number of Christians and Hindus in
Aden, and a few Bahá'ís in the north, Jews are the only indigenous religious
minority.
Apart from several Adeni Christian families and 20-30 underground Bahais
in the north, Jews are Yemen's only indigenous religious minority.
