KAZAKHSTAN: Parliament to go against international human rights commitments?

By Felix Corley Following a police raid on his ordination service, Baptist pastor Oleg Voropaev in Kazkhstan's northern Pavlodar Region has become the latest victim of the Administrative Code's punishments for leading unregistered worship, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Voropaev told the court that he considered himself not guilty, as Kazakhstan's Constitution guarantees the right to worship individually or collectively. As a community without a bank account the church does not need legal status, and does not need or want registration to exist or meet.  Human rights defenders and religious communities are concerned that punishments for religious activity under the current Administrative Code are retained under the proposed new Code now in Parliament. Deputy Serik Temirbulatov, who chairs the Majilis working group preparing the new draft, expects a draft to be presented to the Majilis' Legislative and Judicial-Legal Committee in late October, and a draft to reach the full Majilis in December. Asked if the majority view among deputies will prevail even if proposed Articles still violate Kazakhstan's international human rights commitments, Temirbulatov responded: "Yes." Following a police raid on his ordination service as a Baptist pastor in April, Oleg Voropaev is the latest victim ofKazakhstan's Code of Administrative Offences punishment of leading unregistered worship, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Pastor Voropaev was fined about seven months' average wages on 8 June, a fine upheld on appeal on 22 June,Pavlodar Regional Court told Forum 18. It is the fourth time he has been fined in the past decade, but each time he has refused to pay the fine after being convicted of leading, participating in or financing an unregistered, halted or banned religious community or social organisation. Voropaev leads a Council of Churches Baptist congregation, who refuse on principle to register with the authorities, arguing that this leads to unwarranted state interference in their internal affairs. Many of their leaders and members have been fined for their religious activity in Kazakhstan in recent years. Not only the ordinary police, but also Internal Policy Departments of local Akimats (administrations), Prosecutor's Offices, the National Security Committee (KNB) secret police and police Departments for the Fight against Extremism, Separatism and Terrorism take part in raids and pressure on unregistered religious communities. Police Departments for the Fight against Extremism, Separatism and Terrorism in at least three of Kazakhstan's regions are known to have raided or pressured Muslim and Baptist communities since the beginning of 2010.

UNHRC Session 14 Geneva June 1-2, 2010

UNHRC Session 14 Geneva



GENEVA - UPF, WFWPU International, FOREF Europe & Human Rights Without Frontiers have submitted a joined statement to the UNHRC, protesting abduction & forced confinement of Unification Church members & other beleivers in Japan. On June 1st 3 victims submitted a petition at the Japanese Embassy. June 2nd a side-event was held at the UN Geneva to draw international attention to this severe violation of human rights. And the day after (June 3rd) a delegation of victims visited the international HQ of the World Council of Churches in Geneva, protesting that Japanese christian ministers are acting as kidnappers & faithbreakers with impunity.

Symposium Uni-Graz: Religious Discrimination in Europe

Symposium Uni-Graz: 
Religious Discrimination in Europe

GRAZ - VIENNA (FOREF Europe): Top Experts from all over Europe have met at Graz University at the Symposium on "Religious Discrimination in selected European Countries". Over 70 participants have attended the conference which lasted 2 days (May 27-28). The international experts and audience were greeted with a welcome-message by the Mayor of Graz Mag. Siegfried Nagl. The mayors message was delivered by City councilor Bernhard Hofmann-Wellenhof followed by another welcoming speech of Prof. Fischerthe host-universities vice-rector.  The University of Graz, known for it’s progressive standards and  scholarship projects  for international underprivileged students gave it’s full support to this high profile European human rights symposium.

The lectures included up to date country-reports (14 countries incl. Scandinavia & Eastern-Europe) as well as experts-analysis on international organizations such as the Council of Europe (COE), theOrganization for Security & Cooperation of Europe (OSCE) & theEuropean Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in the service for religious freedom.

Peter Zoehrer, FOREF secretary general and spokesperson evaluates conference as landmark event in the field of religious freedom and as exemplary with regards to excellence as well as international cooperation among experts in the field.  Conference initiator Prof. Dr. Christian Bruenner, President of the Vienna based human rights organization FOREF Europe says, lectures and country reports will be published later this year in a book on religious discrimination in European countries and on the FOREF Website. 
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