|
Macedonian court confirms legal status of Jehovah’s Witnesses
A decree by the Skopje II Basic Court confirms the registration of Jehovah’s Witnesses and protects their rights as a religious community in that country.
Update on prisoners of conscience in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh
As of December 2008, in Armenia there are 83 Jehovah’s Witnesses in prison for their conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds, and in Nagorno-Karabakh one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is in prison for his conscientious refusal of military service on religious grounds. It is hoped that alternative civilian service that is truly nonmilitary in nature will soon be an option available to young men like these.
South Korea: Progress as promised?
In September 2008, a three-judge panel of an appellate division of a the Choonchun District Court in Korea requested that the Constitutional Court review the constitutionality of Korea’s current military service act, which has been used as a basis to penalize conscientious objectors. The appellate court’s action is particularly significant since it was recently reported that the Ministry of Defense of Korea was no longer in favor of revamping the alternative service plan for conscientious objectors. This is an about-face from what the Ministry had originally announced one year earlier.
Read about the situation in this annual summary; it includes some of the recent developments and notes what obstacles remain to be overcome.
Religious freedom for Jehovah’s Witnesses restored in South Kazakhstan
The Southern Kazakhstan Regional Court has restored religious freedom for Jehovah’s Witnesses in the whole Southern Kazakhstan Region. In two separate hearings the court decided to annul two previous decisions that had suspended the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Russian)
Two more arrests in Eritrea
Late October saw two more of Jehovah’s Witnesses arrested in Eritrea. A total of 40 are now in some form of detention there, as the deterioration of human rights continues unabated.
Peaceful worship threatened in Azerbaijan
The escalation of raids, arrests and deportations indicates a steady decline of human rights in Azerbaijan.
Relevant report: http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1179
Changes to religion law in Austria can benefit other countries
The ruling of the ECHR turns out to be of great importance for the religious freedom in any pluralistic society.
|
Faithful Under Trials—Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Soviet Union
