CHRONICLE AND REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS LIFE IN AZERBAIJAN IN JANUARY 2008

January, 2008

CHRONICLE

January 5

President Ilham Aliyev congratulated Azerbaijan’s Christian society with Orthodox Christmas.

January 8

Caucasian Muslims Department (CMD) announced that maharram month begins on January 10, and “ashura” (from Arabian "’ashara" - ten) — the tenth day of Muslim’s New Year , which is the day of mourning for Shiites, will be on January 19.
On that day 1328 years ago junior son of Hazret Ali and grandson of the prophet Mohammed al Hussein were subjected to martyr and died. Hussein with a small troop consisting of 72 people ( including Turks from Azerbaijan: Habib Ibn Mazahir, Azerbaijan’s Muslim and two more men) protested against Yazid , power usurpation in caliphate. The troop was killed and Hussein was badly wounded. On the day of his death Shiites make ashura –mysteries rituals. During first ten days of Maharram month "rovzakhans" (tellers) tell about tragedy in Kerbala.
According to the decision of kazi, ceremonies on ashura should take place only in mosques without violation public order. Participation of children in these rituals is inadmissible. Believers should not cause injuries to themselves and call other to do it. Believers were recommended to continue the action of blood giving .

January 9

Up to day State Committee to Work with Religious Structures (SCWRS) registered 426 religious communities, employee of pres-service of the Committee Yagut Aliyeva reported. According to her, of them 31were Christian, one-Judaist and the rest Muslim organizations.
According to Aliyeva, SCWRS does not have information about prohibited religious communities because courts passing such decisions do not inform SCWRS. She said that the content of books imported to the country is checked, in order to prevent the import of book inciting national and religious hatred.

January 10

"It is not dangerous that lately people’s attitude to Islam has changed to better, and it should not be treated as fundamentalism. Murderers do not have a religion, and they cannot be considered believers " head of CMD Allahshukur Pashazade said. The increase of the number of people making namaz , fasting is not a fundamentalism. I do not agree when people say fundamentalism and mean Islam. Islam must not be equalized with terror. Islam is not a terror. Islam is not there where terror is" Pashazade said.
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Head of CMD Allahshukur Pashazade positively estimated the activity of SCWRS with religious organizations. He welcomed the conduction of enlightenment work by the SCWRS among prisoners and military servants for prophylactic of religious radicalism in military units and jails of Azerbaijan.

January 16

Head of CMD Allahshukur Pashazade held a meeting in the Haji Azdar bey mosque with participation of akhunds and muftis of the country’s mosques. He said that goal of the meeting was to provide participation of all religious men in the mourning ceremonies of ashura and next anniversary of tragic events on January 20.
Pashazade recommended them to prevent during the mourning ceremony beating with chains and crying of slogans against other states. He said that blood giving actions will be organized in all mosques, and called on people to participate in the action. He advised them to take into account modern realities , and promised to speak with the president of state regarding the increase of clergymen’s wage. Pashazade called on people to active during events on next anniversary of January events in 1990.
Chairman of SCWRS noted that now Ashura is marked not as in the beginning of 1990-s, and there are positive changes. He approved the blood giving campaign on that day , and said that it is very good tradition.

January 19

Azerbaijan marked 10th month of maharram – Ashura. Mourning ceremonies took place in most of mosques accompanied by Koran reading. Blood giving campaign was arranged in main mosques of the country for people diseased with thalassemia.

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Head of CMD Allahshukur Pashazade gave blood for diseased with thalassemia in the “Haji Azhdar bay” mosque.

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Head of the department for northern regions in the SCWRS Eynulla Nurullayev said that border a large amount of literature propagandizing wahabism is being brought to Azerbaijan through border with Russia. Thus, as a result of operation conducted by National Security Ministry in October, many prohibited religious books were found in the flat of a citizen of Khudat (270 km to the north of Baku) Shaban Eyvazov. Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism invited the joint-stock company "Polish masters for ancient monuments restoration" for restoration of ancient mosque in Absheron, said at the press-conference the ambassador of Poland to Azerbaijan Kshishtof Krayevsky.

January 23

Employees of Azerbaijan’s National Security Ministry and local police department jointly with the employees SCWRS confiscated from the workers of Muslim Shop Rafig Bayramov and Elshad Khalilov 63 and 443 copies of books prohibited for selling and distribution, press-service of Interior Ministry reported.
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SCWRS conducted spot-check in Azerbaijan’s southern region, said the head of department of the SCWRS for southern region Miryakhya Badirov. He said that prohibited books were brought to Azerbaijan through regions bordering with Iran. Over the past month 4,000 copies of religious books propagandizing non-traditional trends were confiscated.
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Police of Ganja and representatives of SCWRS started spot-checks for prevention distribution of non-traditional religious trends. The check is first of all the fight against the sect “Jehovah Witnesses”. “Jehovah Witnesses” were not registered in Ganja, and therefore their activity is illegal. If the heads of this sect do not obey the law tough measures will be taking against them, said the head of SCWRS Firdovsy Kerimov.

January 25

Refurbishment works go on in the Juma mosque built by Huseyn Tabrizi in 18-19 centuries. The mosque covers 1,000 sq. meters.

January 28

Bill on Freedom of Religion was not included the list of laws to be discussed at spring session of Azerbaijan’s parliament, said the representative of the commission for human rights of parliament Igbal Agazade. He said that the Milli Mejlis did not receive appeal about this law. He said that the bill has not been submitted for discussing as there are many unclear moments and complicated situations in it. The new variant of the Law on Religion provides more tough control over the activity of missionary organizations, creation and activity of sects should be restricted. It means that registration and state control will also toughen.

January 27

Bells presented by Poland’s president Lech Kachinsky to the local catholic Church of Virgin Maria during his visit to Azerbaijan in March last year were brought to Baku.
The master made three bells, the largest weights 500 kilo, with the name and picture of peter; the other weights dedicated to Virgin Maria Chenstokhovskaya weights 290 kilo, on the back side personal herb of the Pope Ioan Paul II. The small bell is in honor of the Pope Benedict XVI. All three bells have writings testifying that it is present by the Polish president.

January 30

Seminar dedicated to the relations of state and religion took place in the SCWRS. The head of SCWRS Idayat Orujov noted that some religious formations violate the law On Freedom of Religion and call to change the power in the country by force. According to him, the activity of such formation is controlled by foreign secret services.
He said that some religious formation misinterpret the law "On Freedom of Religion", and consider that state must not interfere their activity.
Responding the questions of journalists Orujov said that the president Heydar Aliyev and Sheikh ul Islam Allahshukur Pashazade made a contribution into construction of the largest synagogue in the Caucasus. The Orthodox C located near the railway station was restored with the help of president. He noted also the role of the Heydar Aliyev’s Foundation in restoration of not-Islamic sanctuaries.
Orujov said that SCWRS does no confiscate books, but only checks them and gives conclusion. Jahangir Mamedli spoke about the responsibility of journalists writing about religious problems.

REVISION

In January mass media paid much attention to religious theme. Pres wrote how Ashura was marked and about problems in the freedom of conscience and religion. Arbitrary withdrawal of religious literature by SCWRS runs counter the Constitution.
In Zerkalo newspaper (№15, January 26, 2008) in the article of R.Rustamov and R. Mirkadirov "Dissidence is Prohibited?!" reading that the practice of arbitrary withdrawal of religious literature by SCWRS is contrary to Constitution proclaiming freedom of speech and religion. The guarantee of this right is noted also in the international conventions which Azerbaijan joined. They state that only court can determine after expertise the content of books. The law does not provide any responsibility for storage and personal use of such literature, the newspaper wrote. The article read that the provision about SCWRS does not contain even a sentence that it has a right to solve which books propagandize inter-religious conflict. The Committee can only control, produces, export and disseminate religious and information materials, and if their action are contrary to law they must inform about it the religious center or relevant state organs. Such actions are brutal violation of la, the article’s authors consider.

Who needs the new law "On freedom of religion? "
The same newspaper published the article by A.Rashidoglu (№16, Tuesday, January 29, 2008) "It new law "On Freedom of religion necessary"? The article read about the intention of authorities to toughen procedure of registration of religious communities and to strengthen control on the part of state. The draft law "On freedom of religion" provides restrictions for creation and activity of religious sects. The authors of the new document are seriously concerned with the expansion of the sphere of influence of missionary organizations, spread of other religions at the territory of the country. They consider that the present law gives opportunities for the existence of totalitarian and destructive sects and different kinds of pseudo religions. Zerkalo newspaper noted that discrimination articles of the Law on Freedom of Religion were initiated by religious communities loyal to authorities. Azerbaijan’s authorities really support amendments to the law. The newspaper considers that the authorities are afraid not only Iraniazation or wahabization of Azerbaijan, but of the increasing rating of the new generation of neo-Islamists in Azerbaijan.