The report of the US State Department on the freedom of religion for  2017 in Armenia recorded positive trends

ArmInfo.The US State Department issued a report last night on the international situation with freedom of religion for 2017.

According to the report, the Armenian Constitution states that  everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and  religion. "The Constitution recognizes the Armenian Apostolic Church  (AAC) as a national church and a keeper of national identity, but  also establishes the separation of" religious organizations "and the  state," the US Department of State said in a report.

At the same time, the document emphasizes that religious minorities  in Armenia are concerned about the draft law on freedom of religion,  which they believe can have a negative impact on religious  minorities.  "Human rights defenders continued to express concern  over the fact that with the permission of the government in schools  they continue to teach the subject of the history of religion, where  the AAC is often equated with national identity. Moreover, according  to religious minorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs),  government statements equating national identity with AAC, continued  to feed both state and social discrimination against religious  organizations, with the exception of the AAC," the report says. 

The document also stresses that unlike previous years, Jehovah's  Witnesses did not report cases of physical violence against their  like-minded people, but 10 cases of verbal abuse were recorded,  whereas in the previous year there were such cases 17. "Jehovah's  Witnesses explained the decrease in the incidence of harassment of  law enforcement forces, according to religious groups and NGOs, the  media climate has improved in comparison with previous years,  becoming more balanced and accurate, but Jehovah's Witnesses reported  cases of negative media reports, - says the report of the State  Department.

At the same time, it is stressed that the US ambassador and other  embassy employees continued their propaganda of religious tolerance  and interfaith dialogue during meetings with government officials.  "The embassy staff also held meetings with the leaders of the AAC to  involve the church in supporting the rights of religious minorities.  The embassy used Facebook and Twitter to send messages in support of  religious tolerance. The ambassador and embassy officials regularly  met with minority religious groups to discuss the state of religious  freedom in country, "the report stresses.