Azerbaijan toward


under scrutiny On April 30, 2013, the Working Group on the Universal


Periodic Review (UPR) reviewed the Republic of Azerbaijan as part of the UPR second cycle. The first cycle of the review process took place in 2009.


The second cycle of the review in April focused on implementation of the accepted recommendations from the first review in 2009 and subsequent developments of the human rights situation in the country since. This document highlights cases that the Baptist World Alliance® and the European Baptist Federation (EBF) have documented between January 2009 and March 2013 and submitted as part of the UPR process. In January 2009 a BWA/EBF delegation visited Azerbaijan. The investigations led by this international team, before and during this visit, concluded that serious instances of intolerance and discrimination


Baptist Christians and churches


continue to take place in Azerbaijan. Over the past four years, other reports from Baptist and other religious leaders in the country have reinforced those findings.


Religious Freedom-Related Recommendations in the First Review


Among the recommendations made in 2009, was the need for


Azerbaijan to address its shortcomings in human rights promotion and protection, including the rule of law and adequate protection of vulnerable segments of the population; take fully into account the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion aimed at promoting and fully ensuring freedom of religion for all religious communities throughout Azerbaijan; put in place further measures to ensure respect for freedom of expression and of the media; and to establish a more streamlined and transparent registration process and visa issuing for clergy and religious personnel in general.


Areas of Continued Concern


Violations of freedom of conscience and belief by the state continue on a systematic basis. According to a Religion Law enacted in 1992 and amended in 2010, no religious activity is allowed without registration, but the requirements for a religious group to register delay the registration process and often take years, if ever concluded. Only registered religious


centers can establish religious


publishing houses and all literature they produce must be subjected to censorship. The State Committee also insists that the number of copies of each work imported or printed locally must be approved. A special Expertise Department of the State Committee oversees this censorship. Courses for the study of holy books take place under the


control of the committee. The committee should be notified of these courses in advance. In the notification there must be a list with names of those taking part in the courses (which must be citizens of Azerbaijan), copies of their identification cards, a list of teachers (which must be only citizens of Azerbaijan), and the program of these courses. Religious communities have the right to use buildings and


properties accepted by the state. The State Committee must approve any new place of worship or rebuilding of any place of


16 BAPTIST WORLD MAGAZINE


Azerbaijan


worship. The New Administrative Code has separately introduced punishments for breaking these rules. In practice, it is very difficult for religious minorities to get permission for places of worship. The “Cathedral of Praise” is an example of a registered Charismatic Church whose building was confiscated. New articles limiting religious freedom have been introduced.


Members of a religious community not registered pay a fine of 1,500 manat. Officials pay a fine of between 7,000 and 8,000 manat.


The Status of Religious Freedom in Azerbaijan


Azerbaijan prides itself on being a secular state and a tolerant society where its citizens enjoy freedom of conscience and belief, according to the Azerbaijan constitution. However, religious minorities of all kinds have experienced discrimination and harassment.


The parliament passed a new law requiring all religious


entities that had previously received registration to re-register with the State Committee. The deadline for re-registration was set for January 2010. Unfortunately, the process of re-registration created difficulties, especially for Protestant Christians. Only a small Pentecostal church got its registration renewed. Most, including some established groups that previously had registration for a number of years, were denied re-registration. The Baptist union tried to get registration approximately 10 years ago without success, and several local Baptist churches have tried for decades without success. The First Baptist Church of Baku has a registration under the old Religion Law and claims it to be valid as it has not been annulled by a court. Registration is compulsory in order to meet legally for prayer, worship, teaching and celebration. Religious groups are only permitted to have meetings within a registered church building, which means house churches and meeting in homes or other venues are unlawful. Theological or Bible schools must get permission from the state, the number of lessons per week is limited and the maximum time allowed for these courses is two years. These amendments of


the Religion Law contradict the


constitution. In practice threats and harassments toward religious minorities were frequent prior to the amendments of the Religion Law and the Criminal and Administrative Code, but the legal basis for these actions has been strengthened. These are problems faced not only by Baptist Christians, but by other minority religious groups such as Jehovah’s Witness, Baha’is, Muslim groups that do not accept the leaders appointed by the Caucasian Muslim Board, and other religious organizations.


The Situation of Baptists


harassment and intimidation from the police and public media. These have included hostile interrogation,


themselves and their families, and even imprisonment. The cases


of two pastors imprisoned


Several Baptist leaders have described in detail instances of threats against in Aliabad have


become well known internationally. It is widely considered that Zaur Balayev and Hamid Shabanov were convicted on false charges and were targeted because they are Baptist pastors of unregistered churches. The BWA received a report stating that

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