Azerbaijan: Four state agencies raid religious communities

Azerbaijan continues to raid religious communities meeting without state permission, and large fines are normally then imposed. After one such raid an Aliabad Baptist has been told he must pay a fine of over three months average salary by the end of 2017.

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Forum 18 News
By Felix Corley | December 18, 2017

Individuals have given large fines for exercising freedom of religion or belief without state permission

Despite never receiving a written decision in the year since a court in December 2016 fined a Baptist from Aliabad in Azerbaijan's northern Zakatala [Zaqatala] District, the court is insisting that Mehman Agamammadov pay a fine equivalent to over three months average salary by the end of 2017. While objecting to the fine to punish him for meeting with others for worship without state permission, he managed to pay a third of the fine. A Baptist Pastor fined with him is still trying to challenge his fine, which he has not paid.

The two fines were handed down after police and the local official of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organisations raided a meeting for worship in November 2016 because the church does not have the compulsory state registration.

In 2017 religious communities have continued to be raided by officials of several state agencies. The latest such raids have included raids in the capital Baku, as well as in the north-eastern town of Quba and the central town of Barda. Following the raids, individuals have given large fines for exercising freedom of religion or belief without state permission.

The government imposes severe controls on who is allowed to meet for worship and where. All religious communities must have state registration before they can legally function. However, many communities (like the Baptist church in Aliabad) are arbitrarily denied such registration. Muslim communities outside the framework of the state-backed Muslim Board are banned, although this is not enshrined in any law.


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