JWs see overtures from Armenian government after successes at ECHR

The religious minority group in Armenia, Jehovah's Witnesses, has again been in the focus of public attention in the past several days after two of its members won cases against the government at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). In addition, the Public Television of Armenia last week made a rare retraction of its earlier "false statements" about a double murder linked to Jehovah's Witnesses.

At the session of the government last Thursday Armenia's acting Minister of Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan asked the Cabinet to allocate 30,000 euros (about $38,000) from the reserve funds to be paid as compensation in cases lost by the Republic of Armenia at the ECHR (in each case the court in Strasbourg awarded the claimants 10,000 euros). The winning parties in two of the three cases are conscientious objectors representing the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization. In Armenia they were subjected to criminal liability for refusing to serve in the army, which is an obligation in the country. Jehovah's Witnesses applied to the ECHR over the matter.  Read more... (640 words)

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