SINGAPORE, Jan. 19 -- A Singapore government official argued in parliament that the ban of three religous groups does not violate the island city-state's constitution, the Straits Times newspaper reported Friday. The Jehovah's Witnesses, Unification Church and Christian Conference of Asia are outlawed in Singapore because they threaten public order and, therefore, are not protected by the constitution, a representative of the Home Affairs Ministry said in parliament Thursday. Singapore's constitution states that 'every person has the right to profess and practice his religion and propagate it,' but says religious freedom does not extend to violations of 'any general law relating to public order, public health or morality.' The issue of religious freedom has recently been in the spotlight in Singapore, after police raided Jehovah's Witnesses' Bible study meetings last year. The raids resulted in the arrest and conviction of 63 Jehovah's Witnesses on illegal assembly charges. Some were fined $700 to $2,800 (S$1,000 to $4,000), while others spent one to four weeks in jail. Reports said 47 other Witnesses are awaiting trial for offenses including the possession of undesirable religious publications. The Jehovah's Witnesses sect was banned in Singapore in 1972 because members oppose the republic's compulsory military service. Jehovah's Witnesses in Singapore said judgment would be announced Jan. 25 against the minister, Chan Cheow Khiang, who admitted to being a member of the group but was not arrested on any other charges. 'If they convict (Chan), there would immediately have to be 1,000 or 1,200 more arrests, because they would be setting the precedent of arresting someone only because of membership,' said a Witness, who asked not to be identified.
The Unification Church was banned in Singapore in 1982 for reportedly breaking up families, and the Christian Conference in Asia was de- registered in 1990 for alleged involvement in political activities.
