UN Says Belarus Legislation on Religion and Belief Violates International Human Rights Law

In a Feb.20 press release (full text), the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that its experts believe recent legislation on freedom of conscience and activities of religious organizations adopted by Belarus violates international human rights law.  The press release, in part quoting the experts' report, says in part:

“The provisions on compulsory registration unduly restrict the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief,”...

“The law establishes broad yet imprecise legal grounds for the State to suspend and dissolve religious organisations, such as conducting an activity directed against the main direction of domestic and foreign policy of the Republic of Belarus, discrediting the Republic of Belarus, humiliating the national honour, engaging in political activities or other undefined extremist activities,” ...

The experts warned that the law imposes extensive State control over religious education and literature, stipulating that religious education, religious literature or any other material with religious content must not contradict “the generally recognised traditional values of the Belarusian people and the ideology of the Belarusian State”....

The law stipulates that religious organisations can only be led by Belarusian citizens with permanent residence in the country, which appears to discriminate against certain religions....

“The law appears to be aimed at further strengthening the overarching control of the State over all aspects of the existence of religious communities....

Belarus Court Refuses To Bar Construction On Former Jewish Cemetery Sites

JTA reports that last week a court in Belarus  refused to grant an injunction against two construction projects on the sites of former Jewish cemeteries. The Tsentralny District Court held that it lacks jurisdiction to prevent construction of apartment buildings on two former Jewish cemeteries in the city of Gomel.  The court also refused to enjoin an ongoing project on the site of a former Jewish cemetery in the city of Mozyr.  The suit was filed by Yakov Goodman, an american Jewish activist who is attempting to preserve Jewish heritage sites in Belarus.  Authorities in Gomel said they did not have information indicating that the site was that of a cemetery.