| MINSK, Belarus — Four major Protestant
churches in Belarus appealed March 16 to the ex-Soviet republic’s
constitutional court to repeal a law that stifles religious freedom
and forbids them from worshipping in private homes. “The law
has limited citizens’ religious rights, it has set obstacles
to activities of legally registered organizations and it imposed restrictions
on religious freedoms,” a statement from the churches said.
The four churches have also demanded an end to the alleged harassment
of Protestants “simply because they study the Bible at home
with their friends.” The law, passed in 2002, forbids religious
groups from conducting religious services outside of churches and
prohibits religions that have been represented in Belarus for less
than 20 years from publishing literature or setting up missions. The
law appeared to be an attempt to end the inroads minority religions,
especially evangelical Protestants, have made in Belarus - even though
opinion polls indicate that 80 percent of the population consider
themselves Orthodox.
KUALA LUMPUR,
Malaysia — Malaysia’s
elections chief warned that candidates in the national elections
could forfeit their right to a parliamentary seat if they promised
people they would get into heaven if they vote for them. “How
do you justify (saying) that any one who votes for you will go to
heaven? This is illogical and could be disadvantageous to the other
candidates,” said Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman, the chairman
of the Election Commission, according to The Associated Press. Quoted
in Tuesday’s “New Straits Times” newspaper, Abdul
Rashid said politicians elected after making such claims could be
stripped of their seat in Parliament. Final preparations are under
way for the elections, which are not due before November, but which
Abdullah is widely expected to call as soon as this week.
BEIJING
— China has indicted two Christian leaders of the unofficial
Protestant church for allegedly obtaining state secrets. The charges
come amid a deepening crackdown on worship outside government controls.
Church historian Liu Fenggang and psychiatrist Xu Yonghai were indicted
on Feb. 23 in the eastern city of Hangzhou, Human Rights in China
reported. Authorities in the city have demolished unofficial church
halls and reportedly detained 300 preachers and worshippers. The
charges, authorized under China’s sweeping state security
laws, carry prison terms of five years to life. It said both men’s
wives have been told to hire lawyers to defend them. Such trials
are usually held in secret and almost always result in guilty verdicts,
according to The Associated Press.
— E.P. News
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