Proposed Armenian Religion Law Passses First Reading

Forum 18 reported earlier this week on proposed amendments to Armenia’s Religion Law and a proposed new Armenian Criminal Code provision containing fairly broad restrictions on proselytizing. The proposed laws passed their first reading in Parliament March 19, but further action will be delayed while the laws are reviewed by the Council of Europe's Venice Commission and the OSCE. The new Religion Law will require 500 adult citizens as members to register a religious community. (This is down from 1000 that appeared in the first draft of the proposal, but is an increase over the 200 that is found in current law.) The proposed law also recognizes "the exclusive mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church as the National Church in the spiritual life of the Armenian people…" This is similar to language in 2005 amendments to the country’s Constitution. Religions that "exercise or try to exercise control over members' personal life, awareness, health, and ownership" are banned by another provision in the draft law.