The
"Ehova’s witnesses" or the corrupted judges and sadist policemen?
Since the registration of the "Ehovas witnesses" by the resolution of
RA Government the intolerant attitudes of armenian political and social forces
toward that religious organisation became more aggressive."It is incomprehensible
for me the clamour on the "Ehova’s witnesses" because that religious
community has already existed before its registration,"- doubted the advocate,
the president of Helsinki committee in Armenia Avetik Ishkhanian. Anyway, according
to him, its reason first of all is that there are a circle of specific issues
in Armenia speaking about what considers to be the demonstration of patriotism.
"Pay attention, the social and political forces both the opposition and the
authority began to speak about the "Ehova’s witnesses". This is a theame
everybody can speak about showing his patriotism. It seems that everything is
normal in the other sphere of Armenia. Certainly, we can speak indifferently on
the corruption in the country, on the tortures in the police stations and etc.
but speaking against the "Ehova’s Witnesses" is saver and allowed. The
point is that everybody now speaks against that religious community under the
influence of something learned and propagandized. They speak about that religious
community considered it a totalitarian sect though many of them can’t explain
where they see its totalitarianism or what the sect means,"-noticed Avetik
Ishkhanian.Speaking on the danger of the "Ehova’s Witnesses" it
is alluded to their avoidance not to serve in the Armenian Army which threatens
our National Security. " I call to everyone who thinks in this way to examine
what percent of the Armenian population serves in the Army, what is the number
of those who avoid from the Army, in what kind of conditions the sons of the officials
serve, what kind of injustice regulations in the Army are and why people avoid
serving in the Army. Then what percent constitutes the "Ehova’s Witnesses"in
that context who according to their beliefs refuse to serve in the Army and are
imprisoned for it instead of corrupting and leaving Armenia. There are 2-3 coscripts
in every conscription. Does it slacken our national security? Which is more dangerous
– the existance of religious communities or corrupted judges and police, the torture
of the people?"- the advocate pessimisticaly asked .According to Avetik Arshakian
it isn’t allowed to speak about the Army it is "antinational" but speaking
about the "Ehova’s witnesses" is "patriotic". " I was
convinced of something: we are people livin g with false values. Eventually we
have become the EC member formally in general. The Armenian authorities according
to those parts of EC conditions that refers to the equitable elections don’t realise
considering false values, the opposition considers the liquidation of the capital
punishment and the registration of "Ehova’s witnesses" as a false value.
The society displays regional intolerance." "There is an important
question. On one hand the liberty of conscience is given under the RA constitution,
on the other hand only Grigorian Church has the right of preaching according to
the law on "The Religious Organizations". In this case the preaching
of other religious organizations is considered to be a spiritual hunting. If we
name the preaching as a spiritual hunting so all kinds of preaching can be considered
as spiritual hunting and the political preaching, too. On the next hand if the
liberty of conscience is given how do they preach? This is also a rivalry and
if we have accepted the liberty of conscience then we must provide for the liberty
of preaching."Naira Mamikonian
