Print this pageFor Immediate Release
August 25, 2001
Prosecutor attacks Jehovah’s Witnesses’ religious beliefs
YEREVAN, Armenia—On Friday, August 24, Prosecutor Minasyan commenced his cross-examination of Lyova Margaryan by attacking the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which he described as “propaganda.” For several hours Lyova Margaryan, using the Bible, calmly answered questions regarding his religious convictions. Minasyan listened respectfully and checked Scriptural references in his own Bible. Sos Grigoryan, lawyer for the defense, raised several objections arguing that the prosecutor’s line of questioning had nothing to do with the criminal charges against Margaryan. Hrachya Keshishyan, a local spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, remarked: “We are always pleased to defend our faith,” but added, “Surely a court of law is not the place to debate religious beliefs.”
Minasyan repeatedly referred to Margaryan’s role in seeking registration for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia, leading defense lawyer Rustam Khachatryan to the view: “The prosecutor’s questions appear to demonstrate that the real issue being fought in the Armavir court is not whether Lyova Margaryan is guilty of criminal charges, but should Jehovah’s Witnesses be registered?” This prosecution follows law-enforcement officials’ use of Armenian television to call for a crackdown on unregistered religions. Jehovah’s Witnesses have made numerous attempts to secure registration since Armenia gained independence in 1991. Freedom of religion and conscience is guaranteed by the Constitution of Armenia and by the European Convention of Human Rights, which Armenia signed upon its accession to the Council of Europe on January 25, 2001.
At the start of the day’s proceedings, the prosecutor repeated two motions that Judge Mamvel Simonyan had rejected on Monday, August 20, as irrelevant to the criminal charges against Margaryan. The judge decided to reconsider the motions on completion of Margaryan’s testimony.
The prosecutor then called for a break in the proceedings, saying that he had numerous questions to put to Lyova Margaryan. Court proceedings were scheduled to resume at 3 p.m., but when the judge was unexpectedly called away to Yerevan, they were delayed until Monday, August 27.
Contact: J. R. Brown, telephone: (718) 560-5600