 |
 |
Thursday, December 11, 2003 |
Uzbekistan is denying clergy access to death row prisoners, Tamara Chikunova, head of the Uzbek NGO Mothers Against the Death Penalty and Torture, has told Forum 18 News Service. This denial violates two articles of the Uzbek Criminal Code, which specifically allow those sentenced to death the right to meet a member of the clergy. Fr Nikolai Rybchinsky, of the Central Asian diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, told Forum 18 that in the case of two death row prisoners "so far at least, Orthodox priests have not been allowed access to these prisoners. We have made an official appeal on this matter to the state administration for carrying out punishments, but have received no reply from there." Fr Rybchinsky also said that "in general, priests face significant difficulties gaining access to prisons." Forum 18 has learned that death row prisoners are denied access to religious literature. When a Muslim death row prisoner asked a senior prison official to give him a Koran, the official reportedly replied: "Are you joking? After all, that is a political thing."
8:59:25 AM 
|
|
MONGOLIA: NO CHANGES TO RELIGION LAW - FOR NOW (Forum18)
At present there are no official plans to change Mongolia's 1993 religion law, Forum 18 News Service has been told. Some of its existing restrictive provisions are apparently unenforced, such as the article prohibiting religious activities organised outside Mongolia "to introduce foreign religions within Mongolia." Reportedly Buddhist-backed proposals, however, have included a ban on all unregistered religious activity and authority given to local councils to determine the percentage of minority religious organisations in relation to Buddhist organisations. Concerns have been expressed about Christian activity in Mongolia, partially due to suggestions from some Buddhists that "Christians teach that if someone commits suicide they receive eternal life." A Mongolian member of parliament commented to Forum 18 "So what can be done? Be concerned, that's all."
8:55:43 AM
|
|
PROTESTANT ACTIVIST SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN VIETNAM (Compass Direct)
HO CHI MINH CITY, December 10 (Compass) -- Public Security police in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) allegedly attempted to assassinate the Rev. Nguyen Hong Quang at about 9 p.m. on December 9 by staging a motorcycle “accident,” according to the Vietnamese Mennonite Church in Saigon. Rev. Quang is a leader of the Mennonite house churches in Vietnam and a bold activist for religious freedom and other human rights. Miraculously, Quang was not seriously injured. But immediately after the “accident,” a number of police armed with rifles, handguns and electric cattle prods attacked Quang and a colleague. Quang escaped on foot, but his colleague was detained by police. At least 15 other Christians were arrested at about the same time. Pastor Quang managed to return to his home and organize 16 Christians to go the police station for a sit-in, hunger strike and prayer vigil to demand the release of the detained Christians.
8:31:06 AM
|
|
© 2004 Radio Free China
Last Update: 4/4/2004; 9:03:35 AM
|
|
|
