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New Life received an answer from the President administration

The President of Belarus refused to bring a suggestion to the Constitutional Court of reconsideration of the Law «On freedom of conscience and religious organizations», reports New Life church press-center.

2 letters from the Administration of the President signed by S. Buko, the head of the department of citizens’ appeals, were received by Bishop Slava Goncharenko and lawyer Sergey Lukanin in the beginning of April.

The letters are absolutely identical. They both respond to the request of Belarusian citizens to bring a suggestion to the Constitutional Court to determine the accordance of the Law «On freedom of conscience and religious organizations» with the Belarusian Constitution and international legal norms ratified by our country.

As it is said in the letter, «there are no grounds» for such actions because «The Law provides all necessary conditions for proper realization of the citizens’ constitutional right to satisfaction of their religious needs, and for a constructive activity of the religious organizations in legal framework».

It is also mentioned in the letter that the religious organizations «that respect and observe the legislation» don’t have any problems in the field of realization of their by-law activities. In this connection «the statement of numerous violations of the right of freedom of conscience is considered baseless».

Sergey Lukanin commented the answer of the Presidential Administration: «In course of the campaign there were asked more than 100 000 citizens of Belarus. 50 000 of them, which is the half, signed the appeal where there was noted a need to change the legislation because of the systematical violations of believers’ rights. It follows from the received letters that the problem that is urgent for the half of the asked citizens is considered … non-existent by the authorities».

This is the 6th refusal from the high state authorities in response to the collective Appeal of the citizens asking to initiate changes of the religious legislation of Belarus.

[04/09/2008]

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