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Belarus: Treatment of members of the Greek Rite Catholic Church in Belarus by government and non-government agents and availability of state protection (2002-2005)

Although freedom of religion is enshrined in the Belarusian Constitution, the Government "restricts this right in practice" (International Religious Freedom Report 2005 8 Nov. 2005, Sec. 2; US May 2005, 84). In 2002, the government adopted a "highly repressive" (FSU Monitor 1 Nov. 2002) religion law that places restrictions on minority religious communities while recognizing the central role of the Belarusian Orthodox Church (BOC) (AP 9 Aug. 2002; International Religious Freedom Report 2005 8 Nov. 2005, Sec. 2) and the historical importance of "traditional faiths" in Belarusian society (ibid.). The Greek Rite Catholic Church (also called the Uniate Church), established in Belarus in the sixteenth century (ibid.; RFE/RL 2005), is not recognized as one of these "traditional faiths" (International Religious Freedom Report 2005 8 Nov. 2005, Sec. 2). The Belarusian government has identified these "traditional faiths" as Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Judaism, Sunni Islam, and Evangelical Lutheranism (ibid.). Belarusian government officials and the media often refer to religious groups that are not "traditional faiths" as "non-traditional" and "sects" (ibid.).

There are reports that non-Orthodox religious groups and denominations experience "harassment" (US May 2005) and "persecut[ion]" by the authorities (HRW 14 Jan. 2003). According to the 2005 Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, "[o]fficials continue to harass, fine, or detain adherents of various denominations, including the Greek Catholic Church" (US May 2005, 84).

The Greek Rite Catholic Church has experienced problems with the authorities due to the Church's use of the Belarusian language in its religious activities and as a result of "historical tensions between it and the government-favored BOC" (Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 2.c). Although the Greek Rite Catholic Church is officially registered in the country, Church communities have experienced difficulty in building churches and in buying or renting property to create places of worship (International Religious Freedom Report 2005 8 Nov. 2005, Sec. 2; US May 2005, 85; Forum 18 8 Oct. 2003). In order to build a church in the city of Brest in 2003, Greek Catholics built a private house and turned it into a church upon its completion (ibid.).

The 2002 religion law prevents the Greek Catholic Church from being able to establish monasteries in Belarus, since it does not qualify as a "Republican" (i.e., national-level) organization (International Religious Freedom Report 2005 8 Nov. 2005, Sec. 2; Forum 18 16 Dec. 2004; UN 15 Mar. 2005, 10). The Church does not qualify because its leader is not a citizen of Belarus, its parishes have been established only since 1990 (Forum 18 16 Dec. 2004), and its headquarters are located in the Vatican and not in Belarus (ibid. 30 Oct. 2003).

The inability to qualify as a central organization also prevents the Greek Catholic Church from having its own media publications and from inviting non-Belarusians to the country to participate in the Church's religious activities (International Religious Freedom Report 2005 8 Nov. 2005, Sec. 2; Forum 18 16 Dec. 2004; Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 2.c).

No further information on the treatment of members of the Greek Rite Catholic Church in Belarus by government and non-government agents, and availability of state protection to these members, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Associated Press (AP). 9 August 2002. "Coalition of Religious and Human Rights Groups Calls on Belarus Lawmakers to Reject New Religion Law." (Factiva)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. 28 February 2005. "Belarus." United States Department of State. <http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41671.htm> [Accessed 28 Nov. 2005]

Forum 18. 16 December 2004. Geraldine Fagan. "Belarus: Religious Free Survey, December 2004." <http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=478&printer=Y> [Accessed 28 Nov. 2005]
_____. 30 October 2003. Geraldine Fagan. "Belarus: When is a Monastery Not a Monastery?" <http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?query=&religion=11&country=16&results=10> [Accessed 28 Nov. 2005]
_____. 8 October 2003. Geraldine Fagan. "Belarus: Obstacles to Obtaining New or Old Worship Buildings." <http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?query=&religion=11&country=16&results=10> [Accessed 28 Nov. 2005]

FSU Monitor. 1 November 2002. Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union (UCSJ). "Lukashenko Signs Repressive Religion Law." (Keston News Services)

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 14 January 2003. "Belarus." World Report 2003. <http://hrw.org/wr2k3/europe4.html> [Accessed 28 Nov. 2005]

International Religious Freedom Report 2005. 8 November 2005. United States Department of State. <http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51542.htm> [Accessed 28 Nov. 2005]

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 2005. "Religion and Tolerance: Greek Catholics." <http://www.rferl.org/specials/religion/minorities/uniates.asp> [Accessed 29 Nov. 2005]

United Nations (UN). 15 March 2005. Economic and Social Council. Civil and Political Rights, including the Question of Religious Intolerance: Report of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir. (E/CN.4/2005/61/Add.1) <http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G05/129/13/PDF/G0512913.pdf?OpenElement> [Accessed 28 Nov. 2005]

United States (US). May 2005. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. <http://www.uscirf.gov/countries/publications/currentreport/2005annualRpt.pdf> [Accessed 29 Nov. 2005]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral Source: International Christian Concern (ICC) did not provide information within the time constraints of this Response.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International (AI), Charter 97, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Factiva, Freedom House, International Christian Concern (ICC), Minority Rights Group International (MRG), Prima News Agency, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, World News Connection.

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