FinesofBaptists inAzerbaijan Reversed
Zaur Balayev just after being released from prison
Zaur Balayev, a Baptist pastor and Hinayat Shabanova, the wife of another Baptist pastor, who were arrested for operating unregistered churches in Azerbaijan, had their fines reversed. Both were fined the equivalent of US$2,000, which is roughly four months to one year worth of wages in the Caucasus country and former Soviet republic. The fines were imposed after raids on the Balaev and Shabanov family homes in the village of Aliabad in the northwestern part of the country in November 2012. They were found guilty on March 29 this year for violating the Code of Administrative Offences that punishes “clergy and religious associations holding special religious meetings for children and young people, as well as the holding by religious bodies of literature circles or other specialized groups.” This is not the first time that both families were prosecuted. Balaev was arrested in May 2007 and was sentenced in August 2008 to two years in prison for violence against a state representative when carrying out official duties. It was widely believed that these were trumped up charges. Balaev was released from prison after representation was made by the Baptist World Alliance® and former United States President Jimmy Carter. Baptist pastor Hamid Shabanov, husband of Shabanova, was arrested in June 2008 after an illegal weapon was allegedly found in his home. It is alleged that the pistol was planted and he was framed. He was later sentenced to two years in a labor camp but was released for time served in jail and under house arrest.
the legal procedures followed in the case of Shabanov were not acceptable. On March 29 this year we received reports that these two congregations and their pastors had been tried and fined once again.
Serious obstacles are placed in the way of Baptist churches
seeking official registration as religious communities. The Aliabad Baptist Church led by Balayev has been attempting to register itself for 15 years. The local state official repeatedly refused to notarize the 10 signatures required for the Founding Document, thus making it impossible for the application to proceed. The Neftechala Baptist Church needs an additional document to complete its registration: the building passport for the facilities it has used since 1966. This document was submitted with a set of papers and was not returned to the church. Now the church has letters stating that nobody, nationally or locally, will issue a new Building Passport so that the registration process can be completed. In December 2011 the Neftechala Baptist Church was raided and closed by the police and the pastor was fined.
The BWA has documented several cases of Baptists being asked to leave their employment when it is known that they are Baptist Christians. One example is the case of the former general secretary of the Baptist union, Elnur Jabiyev, who was forced to leave his employment as a Baku police officer in 2001. From BWA visits with other faith groups, especially the Muslims and the Orthodox Church, it was learned that despite Azerbaijan
having no Law of Restitution, many buildings
confiscated by the Soviet authorities have been returned to their original owners. In 1931 a church building (constructed by the Baptists in 1911) at Azadliq Avenue 47 in Baku, was confiscated, and this building is used today as a cinema-theater. The Baptists regard this as a desecration of one of their holy places and have submitted documents requesting its return from as far back as 1989.
These are edited excerpts of a report submitted by the BWA to
the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of Azerbaijan in April of this year.
JULY/SEPTEMBER 2013 17
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