Parliament bans foreigners to hold Islamic ceremonies

Foreigners and persons without citizenship, carrying out ceremonies and rites pertaining to Islam, will be fined in Azerbaijan.

This is reflected in the changes proposed to the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan, discussed at today's meeting of the parliamentary committee on legal policy and state building and public associations and religious organizations.

Any violation of the law is punished through imposing a fine in the amount of from 2,000 to 5,000 manats ($1,240-$3.100) or imprisonment of up to one year.

The current law envisages punishment in the form of fines and imprisonment only for the citizens of Azerbaijan, who received religious education abroad.

Moreover, it is proposed to fine persons forcing third parties to adhere to any religion (religious movement) on the grounds of religious hatred, radicalism and fanaticism, including forcing them to perform religious rites and ceremonies, to participate in religious rites and ceremonies, and religious education.

People accused of committing such violations will be fined in the amount of from 7,000 to 9,000 manats ($4,350-$5,590) or imprisoned from 2 to 5 years.

Another proposal to the Criminal Code envisions punishment for the religious hatred committed on the soil of religious radicalism and religious fanaticism actions to seize power and to violate territorial integrity.

It was proposed to introduce a penalty of imprisonment for a term of 15 to 20 years or life imprisonment for such deeds.

The changes were recommended for consideration at the next plenary meeting of the autumn session of the parliament on October 14.

In Azerbaijan, which is a home for representatives of different nations, there is no place for anti-Semitism or religious intolerance.

Azerbaijan is regarded as a vivid pattern and an example of how public policy of tolerance and dialogue multicultural could create a fertile ground for interreligious peace.

The country always was a land, where different nations, languages and cultural traditions met and interacted.

Azerbaijan played an important role in the interaction of different religious groups of the region, although the secular state Azerbaijan has an overwhelming majority of Muslim population (96 percent).

Worshipers of other religions enjoy freedom in Azerbaijan, while Jewish synagogues and Orthodox and Christian churches and other religious centers are functioning freely here.