YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS. The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the U.S. Department of State published International Religious Freedom Report for 2012. As reports "Armenpress" the part dedicated to Armenia in the report stated that the U.S. embassy officials promoted religious freedom and interfaith dialogue publicly and during meetings with government officials, and maintained close contact with religious leaders. The embassy urged the government to adopt a new law on alternative service for conscientious objectors that complied with international standards.

It is stated that only registered groups have legal status. Unregistered groups may not publish more than 1,000 copies of newspapers or magazines, rent meeting places, broadcast programs on television or radio, or officially sponsor visitors’ visas, although individual members may do so. To qualify for registration, religious groups must “be free from materialism and of a purely spiritual nature,” have at least 200 adult members, and subscribe to a doctrine based on “historically recognized holy scriptures.”   

Also it says that many media outlets continued to label minority religious groups as “sects” and promulgated fear of religious minorities. Local observers and religious groups stated, however, that media reporting on religious minorities was less virulent than in the past. 

According to preliminary results of the 2011 census, the population is 2.8 million. Approximately 90 percent of citizens belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Other religious groups constituting less than 5 percent each of the total population include Roman Catholics, Armenian Uniate (Mekhitarist) Catholics, Orthodox Christians, evangelical Christians, Molokans, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists, charismatic Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Yezidis, Jews, Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, and pagans.

Yezidis are concentrated primarily in agricultural areas northwest of Yerevan around Mount Aragats, and Armenian Catholics live primarily in the north. Most Jews, Mormons, and Orthodox Christians reside in Yerevan, along with a small community of Muslims, most of whom are Shiites, including Iranians and temporary residents from the Middle East.