19.09.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Only registered organizations have legal status ("International Religious Freedom Report 2008") [ID 24789]

"The law does not mandate registration of nongovernmental organizations, including religious groups; however, only registered organizations have legal status. Only registered groups may publish more than one thousand copies of newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places, broadcast programs on television or radio, or officially sponsor the visas of visitors, although there is no prohibition on individual members doing so. To qualify for registration, religious organizations must "be free from materialism and of a purely spiritual nature," have at least 200 adult members, and subscribe to a doctrine based on "historically recognized holy scriptures." The registration requirements do not refer to the religious organizations of national minorities. The Office of the State Registrar registers religious entities. The Department of Religious Affairs and National Minorities oversees religious affairs and performs a consultative role in the registration process. There were no reports of the Government refusing registration to religious groups that qualified for registration under the law."

Document(s): Open document

19.09.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Government generally did not enforce existing legal restrictions on religious freedom ("International Religious Freedom Report 2008") [ID 24792]

"The Government generally did not enforce existing legal restrictions on religious freedom. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the Government during the period covered by this report. The Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations prohibits but does not define "proselytizing." The prohibition applies to all groups, including the Armenian Church. Most registered religious groups reported no significant legal impediments to their activities during the reporting period. Although the law prohibits foreign funding of foreign-based denominations, the Government did not enforce the ban."

Document(s): Open document

19.09.2008 - Source: US Department of State

There were no reports of forced religious conversion ("International Religious Freedom Report 2008") [ID 24796]

"There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States."

Document(s): Open document

19.09.2008 - Source: US Department of State

There were reports of societal abuses based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice ("International Religious Freedom Report 2008") [ID 24797]

"There were reports of societal abuses based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Societal attitudes toward most minority religious groups were ambivalent. While many citizens are not religiously observant, the link between Armenian ethnicity and the Armenian Church is strong.  According to some observers, the general population expressed negative attitudes about minority religious groups, especially Jehovah's Witnesses, because of the latter's refusal to serve in the military, the group's little-understood proselytizing practices, and a widespread but unsubstantiated belief that Jehovah's Witnesses pay the desperately poor to convert. Minority religious groups at times continued to be targets of hostile sermons by Armenian Church clerics, and members of minority religious groups experienced societal discrimination and intolerance."

Document(s): Open document

19.09.2008 - Source: US Department of State

Media outlets continued to label religious groups other than the Armenian Church as "sects" in their broadcasting and transmitted negative programs about them ("International Religious Freedom Report 2008") [ID 24801]

"Media outlets continued to label religious groups other than the Armenian Church as "sects" in their broadcasting and transmitted negative programs about them. Various television stations broadcast discussions in which representatives of the Armenian Church and/or other participants labeled religious minority groups as enemies of the state and national unity"

Document(s): Open document

06.2007 - Source: Freedom House

Religious groups reported no serious legal impediments to their activities; Jehovah’s Witnesses have been denied registration repeatedly ("Freedom in the World 2007") [ID 20476]

"Freedom of religion is generally respected, and most registered religious groups reported no serious legal impediments to their activities. The Armenian Apostolic Church, to which 90 percent of Armenians formally belong, enjoys some privileges not afforded to other faiths. While 50 religious groups are officially registered, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been denied registration repeatedly because of the group’s strong opposition to compulsory military service. As of the end of 2006, 43 Jehovah’s Witnesses were serving prison terms for evading military service."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Law provides for freedom of religion; however, there were some restrictions in practice ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20214]

"The law provides for freedom of religion; however, there were some restrictions in practice. The Armenian Apostolic Church has formal legal status as the national church, which gives it privileges not afforded to other faiths. The law gives minority religious groups that register with the government specific rights, such as the right to publish newspapers and magazines, rent meeting places on government property, broadcast television or radio programs, and sponsor official visitors. Unregistered religious organizations may only import small quantities of religious literature for private use. The law also requires all religious organizations except the Armenian Apostolic Church to obtain prior permission to engage in public religious activities. There were no reports that religious groups were denied, or otherwise had problems with, registration.
The law prohibits incitement to national, racial, or religious animosity. There were no prosecutions under this provision during the year, unlike in 2005 when Armen Avetisyan, the leader of the Union of Armenian Aryans, was convicted of this offense and given a three-year suspended sentence for making anti‑Semitic and anti‑Yezidi statements in a press interview."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Limitations of freedom of religion in practice; proselytising prohibited by law ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 15778]

"Although the law provides for freedom of religion, there were some restrictions in practice. The Armenian Apostolic Church has formal legal status as the national church, and consequently enjoys privileges not afforded to other faiths. The law grants specific rights to minority religious groups that register with the government, such as the right to publish newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places on government property, broadcast television or radio programs, and sponsor official visitors. Unregistered religious organizations may only import small quantities of religious literature for private use. The law also requires all religious organizations, except the Armenian Apostolic Church, to obtain prior permission to engage in public religious activities, travel abroad, or to invite foreign guests to the country. Religious groups did not have problems with registration.

The law prohibits proselytizing--which is left undefined in the law--by minority religions, and bans foreign funding for foreign-based churches; neither ban was enforced."

Document(s): Open document

08.2005 - Source: Freedom House

Freedom of religion generally respected; Apostolic Church enjoys privileged status, registration denied to Jehova's Witnesses ("Freedom in the World 2005") [#41286],  [ID 3089]

"Freedom of religion is somewhat respected. The Armenian constitution provides for freedom of religion, but the law specifies some restrictions on the religious freedom of adherents of minority faiths. The Armenian Apostolic Church, to which 90 percent of Armenians formally belong, enjoys a privileged status and has advocated for restrictions on nontraditional denominations. While 50 religious groups are officially registered, the Jehovah's Witnesses have been denied registration repeatedly because of the group's strong opposition to compulsory military service."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Differences in legal capacity between unregistered and registered minority religous groups ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 3090]

"The law grants specific rights to minority religious groups that register with the National Registrar. Religious organizations that are not registered cannot publish newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places on government property, broadcast television or radio programs, or sponsor official visitors. [...]

Unregistered religious organizations may not import large shipments of religious literature; only small quantities were allowed into the country for private use. The law also requires all religious organizations, except the Armenian Apostolic Church, to obtain prior permission to engage in public religious activities, travel abroad, or to invite foreign guests to the country; however, in practice, no travel restrictions were imposed on any religious denomination."

Document(s): Open document

15.09.2004 - Source: US Department of State

Constitution provides for freedom of religion; legal restrictions on religious freedom of adherents of faiths other than Armenian Apostolic Church ("International Religious Freedom Report 2004") [#26258],  [ID 3091]

"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. The Constitution also provides for freedom of conscience, including the right either to believe or to adhere to atheism. The 1991 Law on Freedom of Conscience, amended in 1997, establishes the separation of church and state, but grants the Armenian Apostolic Church official status as the national church. [...]

The law requires all religious denominations and organizations other than the Armenian Apostolic Church to register in order to operate without restrictions. A March 2002 cabinet decision abolished the Council on Religious Affairs (CRA), and created a new office under the Prime Minister to oversee religious affairs. A high-ranking official from the former CRA was appointed as the Prime Minister's Advisor on Religious Affairs. In addition, the cabinet established the National Minorities and Religious Affairs Department, which reports to the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff. The function of registering religious groups in Armenia was transferred to the Office of the State Registrar, with the Advisor on Religious Affairs and the head of the National Minorities and Religious Affairs Department holding consultative roles in the registration process. After establishing the new agency, the Government required all groups wishing registration to reapply. To qualify for registration, petitioning organizations must "be free from materialism and of a purely spiritual nature," and must subscribe to a doctrine based on "historically recognized holy scriptures." A religious organization must have at least 200 adult members. Unregistered religious organizations may not publish newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places, broadcast programs on television or radio, or officially sponsor the visas of visitors. By the end of the period covered by this report, the Government had registered 55 religious organizations, some of which are individual congregations from within the same denomination.

There is no formally operating mosque; however, Yerevan's one surviving 18th century mosque, which was restored with Iranian funding, is open for regular Friday prayers. While its legal basis is tenuous since it is not registered as a religious facility, the Government does not create any obstacles for Muslims who wish to pray there.

The law permits religious education in state schools. Government personnel train selected teachers from each school to teach the religious education curriculum. The beliefs of the Armenian Apostolic Church form the basis of this curriculum. If requested by the school principal, the Armenian Apostolic Church sends priests to teach classes in religion and religious history in those schools. Students may choose not to attend religious education classes. Many schools teach the history of the Armenian Apostolic Church as part of coursework on religion, covering global religions in elementary school and the Armenian Apostolic Church in middle school. Other religious groups are not allowed to provide religious instruction in schools, although registered groups may do so in private homes to children of their members."

Document(s): Open document

16.09.2003 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Law on Freedom of Religion and Religious Organisations provides for the freedom of conscience, the right to profess one’s faith, but requires all religious denominations and organisations to be registered ("Background information; situation of ethnic minorities; groups possibly at risk: religious minorities, members of opposition, homosexuals, deserters") [#47207],  [ID 3092]

"120. The Law of the Republic of Armenia on Freedom of Religion and Religious Organisations was adopted on 17 June 1991. It provides for the freedom of conscience and the right to profess one’s faith. Furthermore, it establishes the separation between the church and the state. The law recognises, however, the Armenian Apostolic Church as the dominant religious denomination. The law forbids “proselytizing” (undefined in the law) except by the Armenian Apostolic Church and requires all religious denominations and organisations to be registered. Over 95 per cent of the Armenian population belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Armenia officially adopted Christianity as a state religion in 301 A.D., and the Armenian Apostolic Church is one of the world’s oldest Christian churches. In 2001, Armenia celebrated the 1,700th anniversary of the Christianisation of the nation. It is perceived by the authorities and the society at large as one of the pillars of the Armenian culture and nationhood.
121. Religious freedom was restricted by a Presidential Decree in 1993, which entitled the State Council on Religious Affairs to evaluate the religious nature of activities carried out by religious groups and to ban missionaries who were engaged in activities contrary to their religious mandate. Amendments to the law were adopted by the Parliament in 1997, further restricting the activities of smaller religious sects by raising the minimum number of members required for registration from 50 to 200. President Kocharyan abrogated the 1993 Presidential Decree on religious groups on 15 March 2001. The registration procedure for a religious group was modified in April 2001. A religious group may be registered under the State Register as a legal entity upon the expert opinion of the State Council of Religious Affairs (SCRA) based on requisites as per Article 5 of the 1991 Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Groups. Article 5 gives very arbitrary and subjective criteria for registration that may not be easily interpreted in favour of non-traditional religious organisations. In August 2001, an advisory body
attached to the office of the Prime Minister replaced the SCRA. In general, the procedure, in practice, continues to hamper the registration of non-traditional religious organisations."

Document(s): Open document

16.09.2003 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

No violent acts towards religious minorities reported in the last few years; religious freedom has proved to be limited when it comes to new non-traditional religious groups in the religious and cultural homogeneity of the Armenian society ("Background information; situation of ethnic minorities; groups possibly at risk: religious minorities, members of opposition, homosexuals, deserters") [#47207],  [ID 3093]

"123. According to information available to UNHCR, no violent acts towards religious minorities have been reported in the last few years. The last violent incident towards religious minorities was in April 1995 when members belonging to seven sects (Hare Krishnas, the Seventh-Day Adventists, the Bahai, the Pentecostal Church, the Charismatic Church, the Evangelical Baptist Church, and Jehovah's Witnesses) were attacked by the local population and members of a paramilitary militia. They did not receive any protection from the authorities in connection with these events although the authorities reportedly tolerated some of these sects. The lack of reports on violent acts in recent years could be due to the emigration of members of the most visible sects, rather than to greater religious tolerance in Armenia towards non-traditional denominations. Non-traditional religious groups are generally viewed with suspicion. In practice,
freedom to perform religious rites and profession of faith only applies fully to traditional denominations. Religious freedom has proved to be limited when it comes to new nontraditional
religious groups in the religious and cultural homogeneity of the Armenian society."

Document(s): Open document

16.09.2003 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

As of 2001, there were 50 registered religious groups; registered denominations are recognised by the Armenian authorities as legal entities ("Background information; situation of ethnic minorities; groups possibly at risk: religious minorities, members of opposition, homosexuals, deserters") [#47207],  [ID 3094]

"122. As of 2001, there were 50 registered religious groups in Armenia. Registered denominations are recognised by the Armenian authorities as legal entities with, inter alia, the right to own property, publish newspapers, sponsor TV or radio broadcasts and to officially invite visitors to Armenia. Furthermore, registered religious groups may perform religious functions in public and address their activities to non-members."

Document(s): Open document

08.05.2003 - Source: International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights

All religious organizations or confessions had to register in order to be granted legal status in Armenia ("Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Armenia") [#12599],  [ID 3096]

"Under the law “On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations,” all religious organizations or confessions had to register in order to be granted legal status in Armenia. One of the requirements was to have at least 200 adherents in order to be eligible for registration. Registration was conducted by a governmental body on religious affairs. This body was loyal to the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to law, all registered religious organizations enjoyed equal rights; for example, under the Law on Value Added Tax, all religious organizations were exempted from VAT. In practice, however, the Armenian Apostolic Church enjoyed privileges. For example, in school curricula, the history of the Armenian Apostolic Church was introduced as a new subject in several Armenian schools. It was not compulsory in all schools, but there were no exemptions in those schools that had it in their curricula."

Document(s): Open document

31.03.2003 - Source: US Department of State

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 ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2002") [#11840],  [ID 3095]

"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. The law establishes the separation of church and state, but grants the Armenian Apostolic Church special status as the national church.
The law requires all religious denominations and organizations to register with the State Registry Office based on recommendations from the Cabinet. The State Council of Religious Affairs (CRA), created by presidential decree in the early 1990s to serve as a point of contact between the Government and religious groups, was dissolved by presidential decree in March; it was announced in August that an advisory body attached to the office of the Prime Minister would replace it. The advisory body would include representatives of the Ministries of Defense, Interior, National Security, Culture, and several other government institutions. The new committee was not recorded as having formally met prior to the end of the year, although informal consultations took place.
A religious organization that has been refused registration may not publish newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places on government property, broadcast programs on television or radio, or officially sponsor the visas of visitors. No registered religious group has been denied reregistration under the law, and all existing registered denominations have been reregistered annually except the Hare Krishnas, whose membership is below the membership threshold of 200, and Jehovah's Witnesses."

Document(s): Open document

07.10.2002 - Source: US Department of State

International Religious Freedom Report 2002 ("International Religious Freedom Report 2002") [#8942],  [ID 3098]

Document(s): Open document

10.2002 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Details on registration of religious organizations and confessions ("Analysen und Hintergründe ") [#10328],  [ID 3097]

"45 religiöse Organisationen, die zugleich die universalen Hauptreligionen und -konfessionen repräsentieren, sind in Armenien behördlich registriert. Etwa 300.000 Personen sollen nach Schätzung des armenischen Parlamentariers und einstigen Vorsitzenden des Parlamentsausschusses für ethnische und Menschenrechtsfragen, Rafajel Papajan, vom Mai 1997 "Sekten" angehören. Die armenische Verfassung (1995) garantiert in Art. 23 die Gedanken-, Meinungs- und Religionsfreiheit, jedoch mit den in Art. 45 vorgenommenen Einschränkungen. Diese lauten: "Einige grundlegende Menschen- und Bürgerrechte sowie -freiheiten, die in Art. 23 bis 27 des Grundgesetzes garantiert sind, können, falls für den Schutz des Staates und der öffentlichen Sicherheit, der öffentlichen Ordnung, der öffentlichen Gesundheit und Moral sowie der Rechte, Freiheiten, der Ehre und des Ansehens anderer erforderlich, nur per Gesetz eingeschränkt werden." Die Einzelheiten über die Zulassung religiöser Organisationen regelt das bereits am 17. Juni 1991 verabschiedete "Gesetz über die Freiheit des Gewissens, den Gottesdienst und religiöse Organisationen". Es garantiert die Freiheit des Gottesdienstes und des Glaubens ebenso wie die Freiheit der Wahl des Glaubens und der Religionsausübung (Art. 1). Das Gesetz schreibt die Trennung von Staat und Kirche vor, wobei allerdings der armenisch- apostolischen Kirche ein "Sonderstatus" als Nationalkirche eingeräumt wurde (Art. 17); diese herausragende Stellung wurde durch das von der Regierung und der armenischapostolischen Kirche unterzeichnete Memorandum des Verstehens (17.03.2000) verstärkt, mit dem die Grundlage für weitere Privilegien der Nationalkirche geschaffen wurden. Nur ihr ist es nach dem gültigen Religionsgesetz gestattet, neue Gotteshäuser zu errichten. Im Widerspruch dazu steht aber das allen eingetragenen religiösen Organisationen zugesagte Recht auf eigene Stätten für Gottesdienste. Das Gesetz verbietet Proselytenmacherei, ohne diese näher zu definieren, und es schreibt vor, dass religiöse Organisationen "frei von Materialismus und rein spiritueller Natur" sein müssen. Eine nicht vom Justizministerium genehmigte Organisation darf keine eigenen Druckerzeugnisse herausgeben, ebensowenig eigene Rundfunk- oder Fernsehsender betreiben, einen Versammlungsort mieten oder offiziell Besuchervisen für ausländische Gäste beantragen. Der am 22. Dezember 1993 vom Präsidenten unterzeichnete ergänzende Erlass "Über Massnahmen zur Legalisierung religiöser Aktivitäten in der Republik Armenien" verschärfte diese Auflagen und stärkte die der Nationalkirche zuerkannte Vorzugsstellung. Er verlieh darüber hinaus dem aus der Sowjetzeit übernommenen Staatsrat für Religionsangelegenheiten die Kompetenz zu weiteren Obstruktionen gegenüber nicht-apostolischen Religionsgemeinschaften."

Document(s): Open document

10.2002 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

98 Percent of the Armenian population are Christians ("Analysen und Hintergründe ") [#10328],  [ID 3099]

"Etwa 98 Prozent Christen, davon etwa 94 Prozent Angehörige der armenisch-apostolischen
Kirche; etwa 2 Prozent Jesiden und Juden (1991: 2000; Mitte 1996: 300)
[...]
45 religiöse Organisationen, die zugleich die universalen Hauptreligionen und -konfessionen
repräsentieren, sind in Armenien behördlich registriert. Etwa 300.000 Personen sollen nach
Schätzung des armenischen Parlamentariers und einstigen Vorsitzenden des Parlamentsausschusses
für ethnische und Menschenrechtsfragen, Rafajel Papajan, vom Mai 1997
"Sekten" angehören."

Document(s): Open document