Religious organizations in Armenia became a state within state - expert

PanARMENIAN.Net - The deficiency of the Armenian legislation regarding religious organizations allow them to act more boldly, Father Shmavon Ghevondyan of St. Hovhannes Church said.

“According to the legislation, only Armenian Apostolic Church is allowed to conduct public advocacy. But today we can see that members of different religious structures don't obey the law,'' he told a press conference in Yerevan.

As an example he recalled the demonstration of Jehova's Witnesses that took place on May 26. “Nevertheless none of them was punished for violation of the law,” Father Shmavon said

For his part, the head of the Center for Aid and Rehabilitation to the Victims of Destructive Cults, Alexander Amaryan, explained that the Armenian legislation merely allows registration of religious organizations, but there is no law restricting their activity.

“There is no institution in Armenia occupied with control of sects,” he said, adding that religious organizations have become a state within state.