During the period covered by this report, the sale and distribution of anti-Semitic literature through state press distributors, government agencies, and at stores and events affiliated with the Belarusian Orthodox Church continued.

Despite a May 2003 order by the Prosecutor General and the Ministry of Information to remove the anti-Semitic and xenophobic newspaper Russki Vestnik, distribution of the newspaper resumed in February through the state-distribution agency Belzoyuzpechat. As in previous years, anti-Semitic literature continued to be sold at the National Academy of Sciences.

Anti-Semitic literature was openly sold during several Orthodox book fairs in Minsk, and at the House of Mercy, a BOC-established hospice in Minsk. The Roman Catholic Church reported that anti-Catholic literature is also sold at places linked to the BOC. Anti-Semitic and Russian ultranationalist newspapers and literature continued to be sold at Pravoslavnaya Kniga (Orthodox Bookstore), a store that sells Orthodox literature and religious paraphernalia. While the literature sold at the store originates from Russia, many of the copies sold have been reprinted by Belarusian publishing houses. Pravoslavnaya Kniga also distributed anti-Semitic literature during an October 25 meeting of the All Belarusian Cossacks' Association. In response to an appeal by a Jewish group to punish Pravoslavnaya Kniga, the Procurator General launched an investigation into the incident to determine whether or not Pravoslavnaya Kniga had illegally distributed literature that promoted intolerance. As of June, no decision had been announced. Although the BOC has stated that it maintains no ties with Pravoslavnaya Kniga, employees of the store have maintained that Pravoslavnaya Kniga is the official bookstore of the BOC.

According to the Roman Catholic Church, in April BOC clergy reportedly made several anti-Catholic statements during a nationally televised religious ceremony marking Orthodox Easter. The Roman Catholic Church has also expressed concern about the sale of anti-Catholic literature at events and stores linked with the BOC.

Despite the ongoing investigation into the activities of Pravoslavnaya Kniga and assurances of various government officials that the sale of such literature was illegal, the government took no visible steps to stop the sale of xenophobic literature at Pravoslavnaya Kniga or other locations.

Restitution of religious property remained limited during the period covered by this report. There is no legal basis for restitution of property that was seized during the Soviet and Nazi occupations, and the law restricts the restitution of property that is being used for cultural or educational purposes. Many former synagogues in Minsk are used as theaters, museums, sports complexes, and even a beer hall; most of the Jewish community's requests to have these synagogues returned have been refused. The few returns of property to religious communities have been on an individual and inconsistent basis, and local government authorities in general are reluctant to cooperate. Over the past several years, religious groups have lobbied the authorities successfully to return several properties in Minsk and other cities. According to the CRNA, religious organizations have the advantageous right to have religious property returned to them, except in cases when they are being used for cultural or sporting purposes. Official statistics indicate that from 1988-2003, the government returned over 1,120 buildings that belonged to various religious groups, including 709 to the BOC, 292 to the Roman Catholic community, 29 to the Old-Rite Believers, 12 to the Jewish community, 7 to the Protestant community, 3 to the Muslim community, and 1 to the Greek Catholic community. However, there were no reports that the Government had returned any former religious property to their previous owners during the period covered by this report.

Despite an October 2003 statement by President Lukashenko that the Government should not inhibit activities of the Jewish community, government officials continued to take a number of actions indicating a lack of sensitivity toward the Jewish community. Construction work continued at the site of a sports stadium in Grodno that had been originally built in the 1950s on the site of a former Jewish cemetery that existed since the 1600s. During the course of excavation, workers at the site found human remains, which were removed from the site to be collected for future reburial. Photographs taken by the Jewish community showed human remains, not only mixed in earth filling dump trucks but also mixed with earth from the site which was used to resurface a road. After intense international pressure, Grodno Oblast Governor Vladimir Savchenko signed an agreement with a national Jewish leader in August 2003 that called for an immediate cessation of excavation activity but permitted the continued construction work at the site. In November 2003, Savchenko signed a second agreement with another national Jewish leader that called for the removal of remains that were mixed in with earth used to resurface a nearby road and the immediate cessation of excavation activity at the cemetery. Despite the fact that both agreements called for stopping excavation work at the stadium, excavation work continued at the site. In mid-June, the Grodno Jewish community reported that although excavation work had ended at the stadium, construction continued at the site.

In 2002, authorities in Mogilev decided to change the status of the city's Jewish cemetery, which authorities had officially designated as a Jewish cemetery in 2001, to a public cemetery. Under the 2001 agreement, Mogilev's burial service was obliged to allocate land for the expansion of the cemetery and not to bury anyone in the cemetery without the agreement of the local Jewish community. Despite having signed the agreement, local authorities permitted the removal of human remains and headstones from existing gravesites to make room for non-Jewish burials. Remains found during the digging were left on the ground. In June 2003, the local Jewish community sent an appeal to President Lukashenko to halt such activity. In February, the governor of Mogilev oblast restored the cemetery's status as a Jewish cemetery and ordered the burial service and city mayor to adhere to the 2001 agreement. However, according to the local community, as of June, the mayor had yet to implement this order, claiming that the Mogilev city council, which was on recess at the end of the period covered by this report, must approve the implementation of the order. In late June, the local Economic Crime Prevention Department, acting in response to an appeal by the local Jewish community, began an investigation into the legality of several burial permits issued for the cemetery. As of June 30 the investigation and the removal of remains and headstones from the cemetery continued.

On February 11, by order of the Ministry of Education, Belarusian State University closed the International Humanities Institute (IHI), which was an independent educational entity affiliated with BSU that was the only higher educational entity offering Judaica studies. IHI's various programs, including the Judaica program, were divided among several BSU faculties. Although the rector of BSU cited the break-up of IHI as part of an internal reorganization of BSU's programs, some Jewish groups expressed concerns that the move to liquidate the institute was motivated by Government retaliation for the August 2003 closure of the Israeli Embassy in Minsk and by a request of the Metropolitan Filaret who reportedly objected to the Judaica program. As of May, IHI's Judaica program continues to exist as part of BSU's curriculum but no longer as an autonomous institute.

During the period covered by this report, government officials continued to publicly make anti-Semitic statements. In a September 13 Associated Press article, Sergei Kostyan, Deputy Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the lower house of parliament, rejected criticism of the installation of a gas pipeline near the site of a former Jewish cemetery in Mozyr, accusing Jewish persons of sowing "ethnic discord." During an October press conference, Information Minister Vladimir Rusakevich was quoted saying that the country needs to live with Russia like brothers but to bargain with Russia "like a Yid."

In 2002, authorities in Brest arrested and later released a 17-year-old for desecrating a Holocaust memorial.

According to the CRNA, the Committee regularly responds to all public expressions of xenophobia by notifying the relevant government agencies responsible for pursuing legal action against them; however, no such legal actions were observed during the period covered by this report.

Abuses of Religious Freedom

During the period covered by this report, the Government frequently took steps abusing the religious freedom of several religious groups.

Several Protestants were fined for illegally conducting and hosting religious services. According to the CRNA, convictions for such offenses were based on charges of either disturbing public order or illegally gathering without prior permission. The law allows people to gather to pray in private homes; however, it provides restrictions on holding rituals, rites, or ceremonies in such locations and requires prior permission from local authorities for such events.

On April 17, a court in Mozyr fined Leonid Martynovitch, Mikhail Krynets, and Vasili Bilas, three members of the unregistered International Union of Baptist Churches (IUBC), $176 (380,000 rubles) each after they had congratulated patients at a local hospital during Easter.

On November 23, 2003, local militia in Novogrudok charged Yuri Denischik, a missionary of the Novogrudok Association of Baptists with illegally leading a prayer service in a private home registered to the Association. During a search of the premises, a local official accompanying the militia accused Denischik of belonging to a "fascist sect." Denischik was later fined approximately $15 (33,000 rubles).

On December 5, 2003, according to the Forum 18 News Service, Viktor Yevtyukhov, a member of the IUBC, was fined approximately $40 (82,500 rubles) for conducting an unregistered religious ceremony in the town of Zamoshye. On December 23, Oleg Kurnosov, another member of the IUBC, was fined approximately $8 (16,500 rubles) for engaging in similar activity in the town of Dubrovna. In February, another IUBC pastor was warned for conducting religious services in the town of Soligorsk. The same group was warned to cease all illegal religious activity by March 1.

The regime continued to harass BAOC members. On June 20, Minsk Oblast and CRNA officials reportedly warned a local BAOC priest to stop his efforts to reconstruct a former BAOC church in the town of Semkov Gorodok.

During the period covered by this report, authorities continued to harass, fine, and detain Hare Krishnas for illegally distributing religious literature. The group reported that authorities continued to deport foreign Hare Krishnas that are detained by police while distributing religious literature in Belarus ostensibly for visa infractions. Throughout the period covered by this report, Minsk city authorities repeatedly denied requests by Hare Krishnas to distribute religious materials in the city.

Following direct government pressure and harassment of their respective religious organizations, BAOC priest Yan Spasyuk and the Light of Kaylasa leaders Sergei Akadanav and Tatyana Akadanava left the country in 2003. In addition to the Akadanavs, several other members of the group left following continued government pressure. As a result of the departure of the group's members, and of continued fear of government harassment, the Light of Kaylasa officially dissolved during the period of this report.

During 2003, members of the Light of Kaylasa that were fined for their participation in unsanctioned demonstrations and protests have reported that authorities have threatened them with confiscation of property and additional legal charges should their fines go unpaid. Authorities also warned, threatened, and harassed their family members for payment. In March 2003, authorities forced the parents of one member of the group to pay the outstanding fine of their son. Members of the Light of Kaylasa reported being fired from their jobs due to their affiliation with the group. One member reported that she was fired because she was a "sektantka," member of a "cult." Local authorities told employees of one company that their company would be closed since the company's director was a member of the group.

On August 5, 2003, Minsk city authorities warned the New Life Church to cease conducting unregistered religious meetings.

There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.

Forced Religious Conversion

There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Abuses by Terrorist Organizations

There were no reported abuses targeted at specific religions by terrorist organizations during the period covered by this report.

Section III. Societal Attitudes

The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed to religious freedom; however, anti-Semitism and negative attitudes toward minority faiths continued. According to an October 2002 poll conducted by the Independent Institute for Social, Economic, and Political Studies, 57.7 percent of respondents favored equality between various religious groups, while 33 percent felt that the Orthodox Church should receive special government privileges. However, a poll conducted by the same organization in March indicated that only 32 percent of respondents trusted the Roman Catholic Church and only 13 percent trusted the Protestant churches.

Anti Semitism and sentiment critical of minority faiths persisted during the period covered by this report. Jewish organizations continued to criticize the Government for failing to censure anti-Semitic statements by government officials, stop the sale of anti-Semitic literature, and protect cemeteries and Holocaust memorials. On August 27, 2003 unknown individuals firebombed a Minsk synagogue, causing minor damage. Although a police investigation was conducted, the perpetrators were not found. Valery Frolov and Vladimir Parfenovich, two deputies in the lower house of Parliament, visited the Minsk synagogue the following day and condemned the attack.

In March, a group of youths damaged 10 tombstones, 9 of which were Jewish, at a Bobrusk cemetery. The youths were caught by passers-by who took the youths to police. No charges were filed and the youths were released. In June, unknown individuals damaged several Jewish headstones at a cemetery in Cherven. On May 26, 2003, unknown individuals vandalized the Yama Holocaust memorial complex in Minska Holocaust memorial in the town of Timkovichi. In August 2002, unknown individuals vandalized a Holocaust memorial in Lida.

During the period covered by this report, unknown vandals continued to destroy crosses, both Orthodox and non-Orthodox, that were erected at Kuropaty, an area used by the NKVD to murder over 300,000 people in the 1930s. The authorities made no visible attempts to find those responsible.

According to the CRNA, oblast authorities nationwide are undertaking measures to prevent the vandalization of cemeteries. These measures include the erection of fences around cemeteries, tasking local law enforcement bodies with conducting regular patrols of cemeteries, and collecting and reporting of incidents of vandalization.

The Jewish community is concerned by the concept of a "greater Slavic union" that is popular among nationalist organizations active in the country, including the Russian National Union (RNU), which is still active despite officially dissolving in 2000, and the National Bolshevik Party, another Russian extremist organization. In January, RNU members in Gomel distributed anti-Semitic literature on city buses. This incident occurred the same month Jewish community centers in Gomel and Polotsk were vandalized with RNU graffiti. Authorities have launched investigations into these acts of vandalism.

During the period covered by this report, a website was created, purporting to be the website of the Jewish Orthodox Skinheads (JOSH), an organization supposedly made up of Jewish youths to combat anti-Semitism and xenophobia. Despite the "organization's" stated goals, the website calls upon Belarusian Jews to take provocative acts against the Government to support their cause and includes language defaming non-Jewish citizens of Belarus and prominent Belarusian Jewish leaders. Several Jewish leaders, all of whom consider the website to be offensive and provocative, have denounced the website, and have expressed their concerns to government authorities. The website includes a link to another website purported to be run by Hare Krishna skinheads.

The official Belarusian Orthodox prayer calendar, printed in Minsk, continues to mark May 20 as the anniversary of the 1690 death of Gavriil Belostoksky, a young child who is alleged to have been murdered by Jews near Grodno. The May 20 prayer for Belostoksky makes reference to Jewish persons as "real beasts" who allegedly kidnapped and murdered Belostoksky for religious purposes.

In April, local authorities in Brest oblast refused to initiate a criminal investigation into the burglary of an evangelical Christian church in the town of Khotislav that was burglarized in March. Since 2000, the church had reportedly been vandalized six times prior to the latest incident.

During the period covered by this report, the BAOC claimed that BOC clergy, accompanied by Minsk Oblast officials, visited several towns in Minsk oblast and called upon local villagers not to participate in BAOC religious services.

There is no indication that the BOC has changed its view that it will cooperate only with religious faiths that have "historical roots" in the country. Members of most non-BOC faiths have expressed their opposition to the religion law and have openly criticized the law's restrictions and vagueness. In July 2003, over 5,000 Protestants gathered in a Minsk city park to protest the religion law's passage. As of June, most of the major Protestant groups, with the exception of the Association of Full Gospel Christians, decided to seek reregistration.

In March, Protestant groups sent letters to President Lukashenko, the National Assembly, and the Constitutional Court to revise restrictive elements of the religion law. The Constitutional Court, although claiming that religious groups did not have the right to appeal to the Constitutional Court on this issue, acknowledged that certain articles of the law warranted further scrutiny to verify whether they violated the constitution. The lower house of the National Assembly rejected the appeal, claiming that all of the religion laws articles were constitutional, contradicting the commentary of the Constitutional Court. As of June, the President had yet to respond to these and all previous appeals by Protestant groups to revise the law.

During the period covered by this report, the Government continued a program to replace existing Belarusian passports with new passports containing the holder's tax identification number. Believing that these numbers may include numbers associated with Satanism or other superstitious beliefs, many Orthodox citizens have reportedly refused to apply for new passports. In May Metropolitan Filaret, despite having previously announced that the inclusion of tax identification numbers does not contradict Christianity, sent an appeal to the Council of Ministers to establish an alternative identification system for those who refuse to get new passports. As of June 30, the government and BOC were working together to find an amicable solution to the issue.

Prior to the passage of the law on religion, representatives of many traditional and nontraditional religious faiths established the Civil Initiative for Religious Freedom. The group actively opposed the law on religion and other government restrictions on religious groups. In January the group published the second installment of the White Book, a collection of documents that detailed the Government's many abuses of religious freedom, information about the religion law, and copies of various reports about the religious freedom situation in the country.

Section IV. U.S. Government Policy

The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. Embassy staff maintained regular contact with representatives of religious groups, the Civil Initiative for Religious Freedom, and government officials responsible for religious affairs, and met with resident and visiting U.S. citizens of various religious faiths to discuss religious freedom issues in the country. In March representatives of Protestant, Jewish, and Hare Krishna communities participated in a 3-week Department of State International Visitors exchange program to the U.S. The participants traveled to several American cities and met with various government officials, representatives of American religious faiths, NGOs, and other organizations.

During meetings with various government officials and ministers, Embassy staff raised such issues as the religion law, the continued sale of intolerant literature at events and locations affiliated with the BOC, the ongoing dispute surrounding the Grodno Jewish cemetery and the liquidation of the International Humanities Institute. The Embassy closely monitored the continued sale of anti-Semitic and xenophobic literature at stores and events linked with the BOC and state media distributors. Throughout the period covered by this report, Embassy staff also visited the site of the Jewish cemetery in Grodno on several occasions and met with local officials and community leaders to discuss the situation. Embassy staff, including the Ambassador, attended several events hosted by various religious groups. The Embassy regularly discussed religious issues with representatives of foreign diplomatic missions in the country.

The Embassy continued to host roundtables of religious leaders to discuss relevant issues pertaining to religious freedom and government harassment. In February and March, visiting officials from the Department of State, including the Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, met with representatives of several religious groups to ascertain the religious freedom situation. Embassy staff regularly met with visiting U.S. citizens interested in discussing religious freedom issues in the country.