Armenian justice minister participates in Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in US

YEREVAN, JULY 30, ARMENPRESS. Justice minister of Armenia Artak Zeynalyan participated in the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington D.C. from July 24 to 27, the ministry told Armenpres.

The meeting has been organized by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and was attended by officials of nearly 70 countries and civil society representatives.

During the plenary session on July 27 the Armenian justice minister delivered remarks, in particular, touching upon the new Armenian government’s vision on making changes and amendments in the law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, as well as expressed concern over the cases of elimination of Armenian cultural and spiritual heritage in Azerbaijan and violations of rights of Christians in the Middle East.

Minister Zeynalyan also touched upon the April-May velvet, peaceful revolution in Armenia and stated that the tolerance in Armenia created as a result of it is the most important value. The minister said Armenia has a history of independent statehood for yet 27 years, but noted that there is no radical attitude in Armenia towards various religious directions: the evidence of this are the reports of the Armenian Ombudsman, different human rights organizations and especially the State Department on Armenia. Summing up his remarks, the justice minister assured that the new Armenian government will do the utmost to guarantee, ensure and protect the rights and freedoms of each person living in Armenia.

Within the frames of his visit to the US, the justice minister met with a number of officials during which issues on deepening the cooperation in the justice field were discussed.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan