Press Release

TOLERANCE FOUNDATION*
an associated member of the "Human Rights without Frontiers International"

Bulgaria: A mob of bigoted Orthodox believers attacks a group of Evangelicals

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SOFIA, July 03 2001 - On June 21, 2001 a mob of bigoted Orthodox believers attacked a group of Evangelicals in the village Ravnogor, near Plovdiv.

On June 21 a small group of Evangelicals from the United Church of God went to Ravnogor to perform several films on Biblical topics, as well as to make a concert of religious songs. They had all the necessary permissions by the Directorate of Religious Affairs and by the local authorities.

In the late afternoon of the same day the local Orthodox priest went to the camp of the Evangelicals and ordered them to leave the village. He said that the villagers did not need their faith. Despite the treats, the Evangelicals did not leave the village. Later the priest returned accompanied by a large group of villagers. The mob demanded that the young Evangelicals leave the village. The attitude of both the priest and the mob was very aggressive. After a long discussion both sides reached a mutual understanding. The guests explained to the attackers that their mission was peaceful and that it was permitted by all authorities and they will perform their program only to these people, who wanted to see it. Finally the assailants left.

At the evening the guests performed their program before a large audience. After the end of the performance, at around 10:30 PM a mob of 30-40 people attacked the camp of the Evangelicals. The mob was leaded by the local priest and by the local leader of IMRO (Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, a political party with strong nationalistic outlooks. That party has a relatively strong influence in the Plovdiv area). The crowd tore the tent of the guests and also stole their moveable generating set. A lot of the Evangelicals were brought down on the earth by the attackers.

It is important to stress that the local police station came to the scene of the incident, but refused to fill an appropriate file for the events. In this way it would be extremely difficult for the evangelicals to claim in court that they were targets of the assault.

Tolerance Foundation will offer the young evangelicals all possible legal help so that they to are able to seek justice before the court.

On the behalf of Tolerance Foundation:

Emil Cohen, President

* The TOLERANCE FOUNDATION is a human rights group monitoring the freedom of conscience and the religious freedom practices in Bulgaria, providing legal assistance to victims of discrimination based on religion, as well as propagating the idea of tolerance towards religious and other convictions. >

The group was founded in 1994. Mr. Emil Cohen is President of the Tolerance Foundation. Since April 2001 the organisation has been an associate member of Human Rights without Frontiers International.

Address: 1000 Sofia, 163A "Rakovsky" St.
Phone/fax: (+359 2) 981 23 57
Phone: (+359 2) 988 31 36
E-mail: toleranc@geobiz.com

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