Azerbaijani Parliament suppresses freedom of religion

February 22, 2013 Milli Majlis (Parliament) of Azerbaijan made alteration in article 22 of the Law “On freedom of religion” “Books of the religious contents (on paper and electronic data carriers, audio and video materials, articles and items and other informational materials of the religious contents”. According to this citizens and religious structures are enabled to purchase and use above mentioned materials in any language but marked with control stamps issued by the proper bodies of executive authorities.

Parliamentarian Gudrat Hasanguliyev has supported the changes and, noting their importance, said: “There are a lot of bearded and non bearded mullahs in Azerbaijan. And now, should we wait in order extremism spread in Azerbaijan and then to start fight with it?!”

Speaking at the meeting of the Parliament MP Ilham Aliyev also supported changes in the Law: “I support these changes in the Law. We should try to isolate the society from the long beard men with short trousers. Evening, when walk through boulevard and when see such men, feel hatred for their appearance”.

They say, that parliamentarian wanted to provide the control stamps with special signs, set up permissible long of beards and trousers, made long bearded wearing armbands and to fence places of their walking at the boulevard with tricolor

barbed wire. However, later they refused from this idea due to absence of the budget funds.

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