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Religious Freedom Summary* (1997) The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, however, the Government restricts this right in practice. A 1995 Cabinet of Ministers decree controlling religious workers as a means of attempting to protect orthodoxy and prevent the growth of evangelizing religions is enforced. Foreigners generally are prohibited from preaching or heading churches, at least with respect to what the government views as "nontraditional" religions, which include Protestant faiths. In September a Belarusian Baptist pastor was arrested for allowing an American to lead a prayer group under the pastor's auspices. The pastor was released, but a fine was pending at year's end. Bible study meetings involving foreigners were raided. An August Council of Ministers' directive prohibits teaching religion at youth camps. Citizens are not prohibited from proselytizing, but foreign missionaries may not engage in religious activities outside the institutions that invited them. Only religious organizations already registered in Belarus may invite foreign clergy. The Government and the President encourage a greater role for the Orthodox Church, largely as part of an overall strategy to strengthen Slavic unity in the region. The effort, however, has not slowed the growth of Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. The President granted the Orthodox Church special tax and other financial advantages, which other denominations do not enjoy and has declared the preservation and development of Orthodox Christianity a "moral necessity." Bishops must receive permission from the State Committee on Religious Affairs before transferring a foreign priest to another parish. Restitution of religious property remained limited in 1997. A key obstacle is the lack of a legal basis for restitution of property that was seized during the Soviet era and the Nazi occupation. The few returns of property to religious communities have been on an individual and inconsistent basis. Over the past several years, the Jewish community has successfully lobbied the Government to return three synagogues in Minsk and several buildings outside the capital. Following extensive renovations, the Catholic community in October rededicated a cathedral in Minsk that had been returned in recent years. In an address to the Parliament, the Orthodox Patriarch urged the Government to move quickly to return religious property. *Source: County Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997, U.S. Department of State |