Azerbaijan: criminal case opened on police's clash with believers

The Yasamal District Prosecutor's Office of Baku has initiated a criminal case based on events on February 13 in the capital of Azerbaijan, when a conflict burst out between the police and a group of believers. The case was opened under Articles 221.3 ("Hooliganism with use of arms or other objects") and 315.2 ("Resistance or violence to power agents") of the Azeri Criminal Code. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports that this was stated in the joint statement of the Central Police Body of Baku and the city's Prosecutor's Office on Monday.

According to the same source, the clash happened at about 3 p.m. in the Yasamal District near "Gadji Sultanali" Mosque. A group of 60-70 persons went out of the mosque and made their way along the Gusi Gadjieva Street towards the Shahid Alley (Alley of Perished Heroes).

The group was stopped by policemen of the Yasamal and Sabail Districts; however, the participants of the march ignored the demand of the police to disperse. "By using stones and sticks from their slogans, they began beating the policemen," says the statement.

As a result, five policemen received traumas; four active protesters were detained; seven more persons were arrested in the administrative order; five were fined and two more warned. "The reasons of the crime are found out, its instigators are established, and inquiry actions are underway," the statement of law enforcers and prosecutors concludes.

In his turn, Vagif Agaev, deputy chair of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan (IPA), told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that "on February 13 dozens of believers wanted to visit the Shahid Alley in the context of the Day of Death of Prophet Mohammed." However, according to his version, near the monument of Nariman Narimanov they were stopped by police units. According to Mr Agaev, over 15 persons were detained, including nine of them - for 5-12 days. Four participants were fined by 25 manats (30 dollars) each.

According to his story, four more persons are kept at the police of the Yasamal District under inquiry.

Vagif Agaev criticized the police and treated their actions as violation of the freedom of assembly. At the same time, he has noted that the participants of the action are not IPA members. He said that "they were just believers who wanted to mark the Day of Death of Prophet Mohammed."

The Shiite Mosque "Gadji Sultanali", mentioned in the statement, made no comments: nobody answered to phone calls. The Department of Moslems of the Caucasus also abstains from any comments.

Fakhreddin Mekhtiev, lawyer of the detainees, told briefly that four participants' detention term as suspects expires on Tuesday. "Either they face charges, or they should be set free," he said, having refrained from detailed comments.

Meanwhile, the State Committee for Work with Religious Formations (SCWRF) has expressed its attitude to the events. "An attempt of a group of persons to hold a march last Saturday in Baku from the Fizuli Square to the Shahid Alley on the occasion of the Day of Death of Prophet Mohammed has nothing to do with religion, but was a pre-planned action aimed at confrontation in the society and break of the atmosphere of tolerance," runs the statement of the press service of the SCWRF.

The institutes of civil society have condemned the actions of the police against believers.

Let us note here that no religious community has taken responsibility for the Saturday's action. However, as reported by the "Turan" Agency, "judging by the slogans of the action and its broad coverage by the Iranian TV, it was organized by members of one of Shiite groups linked with Iran."