YEREVAN, Armenia - Armenia's top appeals court on Saturday upheld the acquittal of a Jehovah's Witness leader whose case had alarmed human rights groups.
Levon Markarian had been charged with forcing young people to avoid military service for religious reasons and recruiting members to an unregistered religious group. A regional court in this former Soviet republic acquitted him last September, citing a lack of evidence of wrongdoing.
Prosecutors appealed, but Armenia's top appeals court for criminal and military cases struck down the appeal, also citing a lack of evidence, court officials said Saturday.
The Jehovah's Witnesses have been seeking registration in Armenia since they became active here with the 1991 collapse of the atheist Soviet regime. While Armenia's constitution provides for freedom of religion, it is difficult for new groups to register and the rules favor the dominant Armenian Apostolic Church.
Jehovah's Witnesses say they have been raided repeatedly by police, and about 20 Armenian members have been sentenced to prison terms for refusing military service. Government officials deny discrimination, saying they were only enforcing Armenia's mandatory draft.
The Jehovah's Witnesses have faced difficulties in many former Soviet republics, where traditional churches struggling to rebuild followings have used government ties to restrict activities of nontraditional groups.