Baku, June 22
AssA-Irada

Azerbaijan’s clerical body, the Caucasus Clerical Office (CCO), disapproves of changes proposed to the country’s Law on Freedom of Religious Faith, its deputy chairman, Haji Salman Musayev, told the press Monday.

Two amendments are proposed to the law. One of them stipulates that the leaders of Islamic shrines are to be appointed by the CCO, with the approval of relevant executive bodies. In other words, from now onward, the clerical office will have to agree the appointments of Imams and Akhunds in mosques with the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations.

The other amendment says that Muslim rituals could be conducted only by citizens who have received religious education in Azerbaijan, i.e. foreign-educated nationals are forbidden to engage in such activity.

The CCO deputy chairman believes that, in that case, the rule on education should also apply to persons who have studied secular sciences abroad. “If one has not taken any illegal actions, it is wrong to question his activity ahead of time.”

According to Musayev, youths who have received religious education in other countries could be nurtured to hold high-ranking posts in the country in the future. Moreover, Azerbaijan’s Constitution grants everyone the right to freely receive education.

With regard to the proposed agreement of clerics’ appointments with the mentioned state committee, Musayev insisted that it was appropriate that the committee only conduct check-ups and scrutiny on the candidates being reviewed. He said dealing with religious issues in Azerbaijan is a prerogative of the CCO, and evaluating these appointments is its right as well.

“I cannot comprehend why they have created these contradictions,” Musayev said. “I see no need for putting such issues on discussion at the Milli Majlis (parliament).”