This winter, I and other teammates are worked on a project about religious freedom issues in Mongolia. The purpose of our internship is to provide materials for a Mongolian MP who is interested in and working on reforming and/or changing Mongolian laws that restricts religious freedom. For example, churches and other religious organizations are required to register with the provincial government before they can operate legally. Further, as our second research report revealed the exorbitant visa fees collected by the Mongolian government for the issuance of religious visa to foreign missionaries, may amount to restriction on religious freedom. These underscores the need for reform.
During this internship, our work mainly involved research and writing of reports. Specifically, our first topic was: Registration Limitation on Churches and other Religious Organizations. Our task was to research the laws related to registration limitations for churches or other religious organizations in both the international legal system and other nations’ legal systems, especially focusing on the registration limitations related to time period restrictions. Our second topic was: Government Restrictions on Religious Visa Issuance. The task under this topic was to research the laws relating to religious visa issuance in other nations’ legal systems and in the international legal system.
Further, in the course of our work we researched the laws relating to the registration of churches or other religious organizations in some countries to determine whether or not those laws restricts the right to freedom thought, conscience and religion. We found that some countries’ laws are restrictive while others are not.
Also, in the course of this internship I have learnt about a lot religious freedom issues around the world; especially as it relates to the registration requirements for churches and other religious organizations, and how these requirements, if made mandatory offends the international standard on religious freedom. I also learnt about the fees and other requirements for the issuance of religious visas in some countries and how these requirements may or may not amount to a restriction on the right to religious freedom. For example, if the requirements are too strict or the visa fees too high, this may amount to a restriction and/or violation of the right to religious freedom.