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Religious Freedom Summary* (1997) The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, including the separation of church and state, and the Government respects this right in practice. During the May 1996 trial of Catholic priest Konrad Leibsher (see Section 2.b.), the government-controlled newspaper published a front page editorial accusing the priest of subversive activities, ordering the Church to stay out of social affairs, and insisting that sovereignty and order must be safeguarded. The Angolan Catholic Church issued a response supporting the priest, calling it the duty of every religious minister to confront issues of social justice. *Source: County Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997, U.S. Department of State |