CHRONICLE AND REVISION OF RELIGIOUS EVENTS IN AZERBAIJAN IN MAY 2008

CHRONICLE

May 1

In the end of April trial on the case of the teacher of School N20 Natalya Melnikova in the Yasamal district court was over, and the court did not perform her appeal to restore her as a teacher. Melnikova was dismissed from school for wearing hijab (headcover for women), and her religious views made her to take away from the wall of the class the portrait of the president Ilham Aliyev, as a violation of school order. She explained that the portent was not a state attribute. Melnikova worked at that school for 20 years.

* Caucasian Muslims Department (CMD) issued statement condemning the pilgrimage of 500 believers from Armenia to Shusha organized by Echmiadzin under the slogan "Ahead Armenia, ahead to God."
CMD treated organization of such trips as a violation by Armenian Church of the agreement to promote settlement of the Karabakh conflict, and not to provoke religious withstand. This agreement was obtained on the results of the World Summit of religious Leaders in 2006 in Moscow with participation of the head of Armenian Apostolic Church Garegin II.
CMD treated that march as illegal intervention into Azerbaijan’s territories, and demanded from Armenia to take into account what consequences could bring the attach of religious implication to the march, the statement read.

May 3

Islamic Party of Azerbaijan appealed to Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry with request not to allow the opening of Azerbaijani-Israeli Friendship Path on the day of Shusha’s occupation. The statement noted insincerity of Israel towards Azerbaijan and the Islamic world.
Israel has been conducting anti-Muslim policy for 60 years, and the Islamic party opposes the development of relations with this country. The country which did not support Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity in the UN General Assembly cannot be a friend. Islamic Party noted that it could support the action of protest announced by the Karabakh Liberation Organization.

May 6

The US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse visited the village of Mukhakh in Zagatali region, and met with former Imam of the village Seyfaddin Aliyev.
met with the former Imam of the village Seyfaddin Aliyev. According to the former rector of the Zagatali Islamic University Ibrahim Effendi, Aliyev was a follower of tarigat Nagshibandi (Sufi order), as if one of the radical trends in Islam.
Dismissal of Aliyev was connected with his belonging to Nagshibandi order, what is very strange, because the members of Sufi orders do not practice as Imams. During the meeting with Aliyev, the Ambassador got information about Nagshibandi order.

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On Tuesday after Foma Week the orthodox Christians in Azerbaijan marked Radonitza ( the day of commemoration of dead.)

May 11

Charitable concert took place in the Virgin Maria’s Temple with participation of violin player Farida Rustamova and Sabina Velibekova forte-piano player. They performed the works by Bach, Paganini, Mendelssohn and others. On completion of the concert the collection of voluntarily contribution was organized and funds were passed to the people with small income.

May 17

Session of OIC experts held in Istanbul adopted decision to celebrate February 26 in the countries OIC-members as the Day of massacre of peaceful Azerbaijani population.
It was adopted to include the information about Hojali tragedy into the textbooks in OIC countries. It was decided to bring up this question and to recognize that crime as a mass crime against mankind during a dialogue with regional parliamentary assembles of Europe, Asia and Africa.

May 22

Azerbaijan’s Catholic Church marked the Holiday of Jesus’ Blood and Flesh which is marked every year on Thursday after Whitsun. On that day people drink wine ( as if it is Jesus blood and eat bread , as it if is Jesus flesh, and by this they get into community with Jesus.

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Exhibition of the works of the member of UNESCO Artists Federation, Honorable artist of Azerbaijan Ashraf Heybatov on Bible opened in Vatican in the Palazzo della Cancelleria Apostolica. Secretary of Apostolic Council addressing at the event on behalf of Vatican highly appreciated the level of tolerance and openness of Azerbaijan’s society, welcomed Azerbaijan’s attitude to catholic community and the leadership of the country, and the head of the CMD. He thanked also the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Vatican for this very important initiative held up by Apostolic Councils for Culture and Inter-religions dialogue , as well as for contribution in strengthening this dialogue.

May 23

Monitoring Group Azerbaijan’s Author’s Rights conducted monitoring in the metro stations , and large number of Korans illegally published was revealed. The books were sent for expertise , and it is being investigated how the books were brought to Azerbaijan. It is supposed that they were brought mainly from Dagestan.

May 25

Director of Human Rights Protection Institute of the National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Political Sciences Rovshan Mustafayev was awarded the diploma of Gelat Academy.
Presenting the diploma the Catholicos of All Georgia Ilia II noted Mustafayev’s contribution into development of science, strengthening of peace and friendship between the two states.
Mustafayev is the first foreigner who got a membership in the Gelat Academy.

May 26

National Council of Azerbaijani Bahaits expressed concern with the persecution of Bahaits in the Iran, where six heads of the Bahai community were arrested. The arrests signify the beginning of mass for repression, as it used to be in the past. After the Islamic revolution 17 Bahaits were arrested, and nine of them were executed. The authors of the document note that over the past 100 years 20,000 Bahaits were killed ; 350 Bahaits living now in Iran are deprived of elementary human rights. The authors of the statement ask the government of Azerbaijan to express the attitude to the arrest of Bahaits.
* Bahaism –is a trend in Islam which formed in the beginning of 19 century in Iran. The ideological center of this sect is the Yezd city. In the 50s of 19th century repression of Bahaits began. The reason became the book of the head of the sect Muhammed Ali (Mohammed Bob) “Bayan” (Afflatus) in which he declared himself a new prophet.
As a result, Iranian courts passed a verdict to hang him.

May 30

Azerbaijan’s Catholics marked the holiday of Jesus Heart which is observed in Friday, on the eighth day after the holiday of Flesh and Blood. This holiday reflects the gratefulness to God for his love and salvation.
* The holiday emerged in the 19th century. In 17th century St. Margarita Alakok saw in dream that Jesus showed her his burning heart symbolizing his great love to people , and wished his heart be honored by church. And only in 1856 the Pope Piy IX ordered celebration of this holiday.

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Trial in the Grave Crimes Court considered the case of a citizen of Saudi Arabia Nail Abdul Karim Al Bedevi ( nickname Abu Jafari and additional 17 people.) They all are accused of creation of terrorist group . According to materials of investigation, Abu Jafar was closely cooperating with Al Qaeda and Al Jihad.
The lawyers of the accused asked to change the punishment, but the court rejected their appeal. Then the judge asked to hold a trial ion the close regime.

In 2001-2007 Abu Jafar participated in military actions in Georgia, Chechnya, Dagestan and Azerbaijan. He is accused under many Articles of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code: 12.3,279.1, (creation of armed forces or groups not provided by law), 228.3 (illegal storage , selling, wearing of arms and ammunition), 318.2 (illegal crossing of Azerbaijan’s border), 315.2 (resistance to representative of power), 206.3.2(smuggling) and .2.1,120.2.3,120.2.4,120.2.6,120.2.7 (the attempt of deliberate murder).The other member of the group is also accused under the same Articles. The rest members of the group are accused under the following Articles: l,279.1 and 228.3, 12.1,279.1, and 228.3, 279.1 and 228.3, 32.5,279.1, and 12.1,279.2. There are three sufferers on the case.

* On November 6 , 2007 as a result of operation conducted by Azerbaijan’s National Security Ministry (NSM) a group of extremists led by Abu Jafar was detained. Sub-machine gun, three pistols, 12 grenades, more than one kilo of explosive substance and many other things were confiscated from the group members. The investigation conducted Azerbaijan’s NSM.

REVISION

Newspapers published interview of the head of the CMD Allahshukur Pashazade “Prices fro making hajj will increase.” In his interview Pashazade gave answers to important questions. Regarding the conduction of mourning ceremonies Pashazade said that it is wrong and unacceptable to make pompous ceremonies at which people present different kinds of food, fruits, and sweets and so on. It is enough to give only tea. Because pompous ceremonies are contrary to the Islamic rules, and it makes obvious social state of people; people with small income cannot give such a ceremonies, and are ashamed . The fact of making ceremonies in such a form is Azerbaijan is unacceptable, and such actions are condemned. However, it is impossible to prohibit rich people not to make such ceremonies, . It is necessary to enlighten population, and it would be better if some rich people having enough money to make a pompous mourning ceremony will demonstrate modesty. It will be some kind of lesson for others. It would be better to spend money to some other problems, such as houses for old people, orphans, or poor people. Places for such mourning ceremonies will be in the Teze Pir mosque which is under reconstruction ad will be put into operation soon. There will be premises for making wedding parties too. In accordance with real religious rules.

Pashazade condemned people who order graves for themselves in cemeteries though they are alive, for building monuments on graves, as all these actions are contrary to Shariat (Islamic rules.)
Regarding the persecution of some representatives of sects he said that they could be arrested for the committed crimes, but for their religious views. He refuted the possibility of threat on the part of sects to the statehood. Sects emerged in Azerbaijan in the beginning of 90s when there were disorders in the country. He said that there is no threat to the country on the part of sects.
Commenting his calling on people to vote for Ilham Aliyev, Pashazade said that as a head of CMD he has a right to speak on behalf of people whom he represents ( though I accordance with Azerbaijan’s Constitution, religion in Azerbaijan is separated from state, note of Turan.)

Concerning the preparation to hajj Pashazade said that probably prices for hajj will increase due to the increase of prices and inflation in the world. The prices are increased not by us, the price for service provided for pilgrims is increasing. We have renewed all buses by which people will go to Mecca and we signed a five-year contract for leasing a hotel for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.