Epress.am News from Armenia
The Administrative Court on Tuesday examined the case of Jehovah's Witnesses v. Yerevan City Hall.
The religious organization is disputing three decisions made by Chief of Yerevan City Hall's Architecture and Urban Development Department Andranik Kasayan in 2012, according to which the organization was not given a permit to construct a building for religious gatherings. The municipality denied the organization's application for three different addresses.
Jehovah's Witnesses' representatives took the matter to court, as they believe the decisions were made solely based on their religious affiliation.
Jehovah's Witnesses' attorney Artur Martiosyan (pictured) said the city's refusal had no legal basis, and as justification noted that authorization was "impractical."
The organization also presented to the court documents and photos, proving that city hall on several occasions granted other religious organizations permission to build venues for their gatherings.
As told to Epress.am by Helsinki Association for Human Rights observer Eduard Danielyan, who was present in court, the municipality's representative in court yesterday presented only one page, giving explanations mainly verbally. He spoke only about one address, stating that residents of adjacent buildings were opposed to such a venue for gatherings being built next to them. The municipality's representative did not address the other two applications the organization submitted for two other addresses.
The court promised to announce the next court date soon.