Moldova: Information on requirements to register a church or religious group, including the need to provide a list of all members, their date of baptism, and their patronymics
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | MDA16654.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Moldova: Information on requirements to register a church or religious group, including the need to provide a list of all members, their date of baptism, and their patronymics, 1 March 1994, MDA16654.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac2544.html [accessed 3 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Nezavisimaya Moldova reports that according to article 14 and 15 of the Law on Cults, cults "are required to submit their charter to the government" (4 Dec. 1994). A number of sources indicate that religious groups are required to register with the government, but none of these sources indicate that lists of members with their dates of baptism and patronymics were also required (Country Reports for 1993 1994; Country Reports for 1992 1993, 851; CSCE Jan. 1993, p. 90).
A member of the CSCE mission to Moldova between April 1993 and November 1993 indicated that he was unaware of requirements to provide a list of all members, their date of baptism, and their patrionomics of religious groups when registering with the government (4 March 1994). He further indicated that the requirement to register is more to get resources and utilities from the government, such as heat, power and light, as well as to obtain a tax free status (ibid.). Overall, he stated, freedom of religion is increasing (ibid.).
For information on the requirement for congregations to register with the government, please consult Responses to Information Requests MDA15529.E of 19 September 1993 and MDA14569 of 8 July 1993, which are both available at your regional documentation centre.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993. 1994. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1992. 1993. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.
CSCE Mission of April-November 1993. 4 March 1994. Telephone interview with member.
Helsinki Commission (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe), Washington, DC. January 1993. Human Rights and Democratization in the Newly Independent States.
Nezavisimaya Moldova [Chisinau, in Russian]. 4 December 1993. "Spokesman on Church, State Separation." (FBIS-USR-94-004 14 Jan. 1994, pp. 61-62)
Attachments
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993. 1994. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, p. 978.
Helsinki Commission (Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe), Washington, DC. January 1993. Human Rights and Democratization in the Newly Independent States, p. 90.
Nezavisimaya Moldova [Chisinau, in Russian]. 4 December 1993. "Spokesman on Church, State Separation." (FBIS-USR-94-004 14 Jan. 1994, pp. 61-62)
