Another mosque closed in Azerbaijan

On April 20, Mosque "Ilakhiyat" in the Yasamal District of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, was closed for visitors.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by a member of the Mosque community, who preferred to remain anonymous, that on May 19 the Imam of the Mosque, a citizen of Turkey Ibragim Memish was summoned to the Chief Department of the Police, where he was informed about a complaint lodged by the bosses of the Baku State University (BSU), in the campus of which the temple is located. In particular, the complaint affirmed that the azans (appeals to prayer) break the comfort of students.

"Within almost 15 years of the activity none of the students have ever complained of any inconveniences caused by the Mosque," said the member of the community.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent could not receive any comments from the Imam himself.

"The information disseminated by some media about closing the Mosque 'Ilakhiyat' in the Yasamal District of the capital has nothing to do with reality," said, in her turn, Yagut Alieva, head of the press service of the State Committee for Work with Religious Entities (SCWRE).

"The only point is that the SCWRE has recommended the Mosque managers to put their documentation in due order," she explained having added that the community of this Mosque has no registration at the SCWRE.

The Department of Moslems of the Caucasus refrained from comments.

The BSU bosses also made no comments on the information on closing the Mosque under their request saying that the Rector of the University Abel Magerramov is away on business.

The closing of the Mosque was sharply criticised by Ilgar Ibragimoglu, head of the Centre in Defence of Freedom of Conscience and Religion (DEVAMM), who called the fact an "inadmissible and shameful phenomenon."

It is already the second mosque closed in Azerbaijan within the last month. Two more mosques were destroyed.