DEVAMM: this year Azerbaijan sees more problems with freedom of worship

In the opinion of Ilgar Ibragimoglu, head of the DEVAMM (Centre in Defence of Freedom of Conscience and Religion), in 2009, Azerbaijan suffers from a real "crusade" on the freedom of conscience and worship. Today, he has presented the 2009 annual report of his human rights organization.

The presentation was dated to the International Day of Human Rights marked on December 10.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that Mr Ibragimoglu has noted that during the reporting period measures were taken "towards radical restriction of religious freedoms, both at the legislative level, and in practice."

In particular, contrary to the Constitution of Azerbaijan and international documents in the sphere of human rights, amendments in the national legislation were adopted forbidding the activities of religious communities without state registration.

"This is a direct violation of citizens' right to the freedom of association," said Ibragimoglu. Besides, according to his version, an anti-constitutional provision was added to the law aimed to introduce religious censorship.

"Thus, henceforth, without any court judgement, only based on conclusion of a commission of experts from the State Committee for Working with Religious Formations, a ban can be introduced on publication and dissemination of religious books," Ilgar continued. "Moreover, religious literature must be sold only in special shops licensed to do so. None of civilized countries has this sort of restrictions. Even the Soviet Union didn't have any."

Another ban - on execution of religious rites by the persons, who studied religion abroad, - was also treated by Ibragimoglu as a "reactionary innovation".

The campaigning against mosques was referenced by him as unprecedented facts of scandalous arbitrariness and violation of citizens' religious rights. Two mosques - of "Prophet Mohammed" in the Murtazy Mukhtarova Street in Baku and the one on "Oil Stones" - have been demolished. The Mosques "Shekhidlyar" and "Fatmei-Zakhra" in Baku were closed. Last year, Mosque "Abu-Bekr" was closed. Now, Mosque "Fatmei-Zakhra" in settlement Gyuneshli in Baku is under threat of demolition, as the Baku Appeal Court has upheld the decision of the first instance about demolition of this religious establishment.

In his opinion, mass violations of the freedom of conscience and worship are for the benefit of the leaders of extremist radical groupings, who speak on behalf of religion, but in fact drive the religious life into the underground.