Bahá'í
Academics Resource Library
HRP: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
IRF: Annual Reports to Congress on International Religious Freedom
FREEDOM OF RELIGION
The Constitution provides for freedom of conscience and religion, the right
both to worship and not to worship, and the Government generally respects
these provisions in practice; however, the law limits proselytizing, and
some groups that sought to register have faced bureaucratic harassment.
Of the 260 temples and churches founded in the past 10 years, about
150 are registered, including 90 Buddhist, 40 Christian, and 4 Baha'i,
in addition to 1 Muslim mosque and other organizations.
Under the provisions of a 1993 law on relations between church and state,
the Government may supervise and limit the numbers of both places of worship
and clergy for organized religions, but there were no reports that it has
done so. However, religious groups must register with the Ministry of Justice.
The Government closed some Christian and Baha'i places of worship for failing
to register properly. Some groups encountered harassment during the registration
process, including random demands by midlevel city officials for financial
contribution in return for securing legal status. Even when registration
was completed, the same authorities threatened some religious groups with
withdrawal of approval....