22:10, 10 May 2011

Azerbaijan: five believers arrested for holding protests

Protesters against the ban on hijabs in schools, held May 6 in Baku, have been sentenced to administrative arrests.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that a few hundred believers held a protest action against the ban on wearing hijabs in schools in front of the Ministry of Education. The protesters stated that because of the ban their daughters can not attend lessons. The police attempted to disperse the protesters by force; as a result one woman lost consciousness, and dozens were beaten and detained. Now, the protesters are criminally prosecuted.

According to the MIA, 45 persons were detained during the action; 20 of whom were released from police stations after warnings; and 25 cases were sent to the courts.

One of the May 6 detainees - theologian Haji Tala Bagirov - was sentenced by the Narimanov District Court of Baku, together with one more detained believer, to 15 days of administrative arrest.

Three protesters were sentenced to 12 days in jail; two others were fined, as reported by the "Contact.az" with reference to the Azerbaijani-language website "Islam-azeri.az".