06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Incidents in which Protestants were fired from their jobs because of their religious beliefs ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20220]

"There were reports of isolated incidents in which Protestants in rural areas were fired from their jobs because of their religious beliefs."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Yezidi leaders say that they had received no reports that police and local authorities discriminated against them ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20221]

"Societal attitudes toward most minority religions were ambivalent. Unlike in 2005, Yezidi leaders said that they had received no reports that police and local authorities discriminated against them."

Document(s): Open document

07.2006 - Source: Freedom House

Armenian Apostolic Church enjoys quasi-official privileged status ("Countries at the Crossroads 2006") [ID 18839]

"The Armenian Apostolic Church, to which over 90 percent of the population belongs, enjoys a quasi-official privileged status. One of the constitutional amendments put to referendum in November 2005 upholds that status by recognizing the ancient church's "exceptional mission" in the spiritual and cultural life of the Armenian people."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Case of detention, harassment and threatening of Church of Latter-day Saints missionaries ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 15832]

"On July 13, officials of the Church of Latter-day Saints reported that police officers briefly detained, harassed, and threatened two foreign missionaries. The missionaries said that one of the officers, after warning them to leave the country, placed the barrel of his gun against the missionary's head and pulled the trigger. Church officials filed a police report, and the government opened an investigation. According to the Department of Religious Affairs and Minorities, Armenian Apostolic Church officials filed a counter-complaint against the Church of Latter-day Saints within a week of the incident, alleging the missionaries were illegally proselytizing on church grounds. Police officials claimed the officers questioned the missionaries and asked them to stay away from the church. On October 4, a police inspector sent representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a letter informing members that the National Police intended to drop the investigation and leave the incident unresolved."

Document(s): Open document

15.04.2005 - Source: Forum 18

Hadrut: Baptist Gagik Mirzoyan beaten and detained for more than ten days in early April before being transferred to an unknown location; threatened with 2 year prison sentence ("Nagorno-Karabakh: Beating and 12 day imprisonment for Baptist soldier") [#31618],  [ID 3136]

Document(s): Open document

06.01.2005 - Source: Forum 18

Armenian Apostolic Church military chaplain vehemently denies that he beat up a Baptist who refused on religious grounds to do military service in the unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh republic's army ("Did Armenian priest beat Baptist conscientious objector?") [#28115],  [ID 3139]

Document(s): Open document

27.09.2004 - Source: Forum 18

Nagorno Karabakh: Continued pressure on Baptists ("NAGORNO-KARABAKH: Why can't Baptist Church function?") [#25969],  [ID 3140]

Document(s): Open document

28.11.2002 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Since 1995, there have not been any reports of harassment of the Hare Krishnas ("8th European Country of Origin Information Seminar Vienna, 28 - 29 June 2002: Final Report - Armenia - co-funded by the EU Odysseus Programme") [#9877],  [ID 3141]

"With regard to the Hare Krishna community, apparently considerable pressure was
exerted on its members in 1995. These days they are no longer very active, partially
because of the pressure in 1995, and the main problem of the community seems to be its
dwindling membership. They are not registered, which, according to some sources, is due
to the fact that they do not have the minimum number of members required by Law for
registration, i.e. 200 nationwide. Since 1995, there have not been any reports of
harassment of the Hare Krishnas."

Document(s): Arm-cois2002-rep.pdf

28.11.2002 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

In general, all registered religious communities seem to be practicing freely and to have no reported problems with the authorities ("8th European Country of Origin Information Seminar Vienna, 28 - 29 June 2002: Final Report - Armenia - co-funded by the EU Odysseus Programme") [#9877],  [ID 3143]

"More than 50 religious communities, such as Mormons, Adventists or 7th Day Adventists,
are registered in Armenia. In general, all registered religious communities seem to be
practicing freely and to have no reported problems with the authorities. Interestingly,
Jews are not only a registered religious community, but are also considered one of the 11
officially recognised national minorities. According to the statistics, before the conflict
1988-92 there were in total 676 Jews who mainly came from Azerbaijan and Georgia to
Armenia.
GK: Now they number about 400-500 persons."

Document(s): Arm-cois2002-rep.pdf

10.2002 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Due to dwindling membership the Hare Krishna community in Armenia does not have the minimum number of members required by Law for ("Analysen und Hintergründe ") [#10328],  [ID 3142]

"Die Hare Krischna Gesellschaft
Die damals nach Eigenangaben etwa 500 Angehörigen dieser nicht-christlichen Sekte waren
die Hauptbetroffenen der Ausschreitungen von -HUNUDSDK-Mitglieder, vermutlich, weil sie
die für armenische Begriffe exotischste religiöse Organisation bildet. Da die Mitgliederzahl
inzwischen unter die Marke von 200 gesunken ist, erfüllt die Sekte nicht mehr die gesetzliche
Vorschrift für die Registrierung."

Document(s): Open document

10.2002 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

Pastor of the Charismatic Church in Yerevan arrested and held incommunicado for three weeks ("Analysen und Hintergründe ") [#10328],  [ID 3144]

"Die Charismatische Kirche
Der Internationalen Helsinki Vereinigung zufolge beschlagnahmten am 13. Juli 2001 30 bewaffnete
Polizeibeamte das mobile Eigentum der Charismatischen Kirche zu Jerewan. Vier
Tage darauf wurde die Pfarrerin der Gemeinschaft, Frau Schorer Chatschatrjan, festgenommen
und drei Wochen lang in der Haftanstalt des Ministeriums für Nationale Sicherheit
in Isolationshaft gehalten. Ihr wurde in dieser Zeit das Recht verweigert, ihre Familie sowie
ihre Kirche zu kontaktieren. Es wurde ein Betrugsverfahren gegen sie eingeleitet, dessen
Berechtigung sie bestreitet."

Document(s): Open document