Courts in Azerbaijan condone unlawful actions by police

SUMGAYIT, Azerbaijan —Police detained two more women, Aygul Nasirova and Rahima Huseynova, for having a peaceful conversation about the Bible with a woman they met in their public ministry as Jehovah’s Witnesses. This happened May 4, 2010, in the city of Sumgayit, when the police confiscated both women’s personal copies of the Bible and Bible-based literature. Later that day the police conducted an unauthorized search of the apartment where Nasirova lives and unlawfully confiscated more personal religious literature, as well as her laptop computer.

Then on May 6, 2010, the Sumgayit City Court fined both women 200 AZN ($250 US) for distributing religious literature not approved by the Azerbaijan authorities. Although the women had explained in court that their rights and freedoms under the Constitution of Azerbaijan and the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated, the court decision failed to protect them.

Earlier the same month, on May 1, 2010, in the city of Mingachevir, seven policemen conducted an unwarranted search of the apartment where Aybeniz Mahmudova and Sevinj Garavaliyeva live, confiscating their personal religious literature, including their copies of the Bible. The police later also accused them of having violated Article 300.0.2 of the Administrative Violations Code, even though neither had been engaging in the public ministry at the time of their detention. Both women were summoned to the Mingachevir City Court on May 17, 2010, where the presiding judge questioned them, adjourning the hearing to the next day. After keeping the women waiting for several hours on May 18, 2010, the court dismissed them without scheduling another hearing date. As a result, Aybeniz Mahmudova and Sevinj Garavaliyeva live in fear of being convicted and fined a large sum of money for actions they did not commit.

Since March of this year, Azerbaijani courts have fined seven of Jehovah’s Witnesses 200 AZN each for the “crime” of distributing religious literature. Instead of protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of its citizens, Azerbaijan is enforcing a law that limits the free expression of religion of its subjects. Until Azerbaijan is willing to enact legislation in harmony with constitutional and international human rights laws, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Azerbaijan fear the coordinated campaign to restrict their religious activities will continue unabated, leading to more human rights violations in the future.

Contacts:
In Belgium: European Association of Jehovah’s Christian Witnesses
Telephone: +32 2 782 0015

In Britain: European Association of Jehovah’s Christian Witnesses
Telephone: +44 208 906 2211

In the United States: Gregory Allen, Associate General Counsel
Telephone: +845-306-0711