Religion

Religion

Azerbaijan prevents import of 40 different books promoting religious radicalism in H1 2016

25 July 2016 15:50 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Mubariz Aslanov – APA. In the first half of 2016, Azerbaijan’s State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations reviewed 630 different religious books and prevented the import and distribution of 40 of them that promote religious intolerance, discrimination and radicalism, State Committee Chairman Mubariz Gurbanli said on Monday.

He made the remarks during a meeting dedicated to the outcome of the first half of 2016 and the tasks ahead.

State Adviser on Multinational, Multicultural and Religious Affairs Kamal Abdullayev, Head of the Office for Religious Affairs of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Vugar Babayev, as well as heads of the State Committee’s Central Office and regional departments attended the meeting.

The committee chairman said that during the reporting period necessary measures were taken to study the religious situation in Azerbaijan, to strengthen the control of religious communities in the country and to prevent illegal actions of radical movements.

In the first half of 2016, the State Committee implemented a series of measures to promote the traditions of tolerance in Azerbaijan both within the country and beyond, Gurbanli noted.

Some 26 religious communities were registered in Azerbaijan during the reporting period, said the committee chairman, adding that the number of the registered religious communities in Azerbaijan reached 707.

In January-June 2016, the State Committee received 1,250 letters and 620 legislative documents, 95% of which were implemented, and others are pending, said Gurbanli.

Kamal Abdullayev, in turn, spoke about the state of religion in Azerbaijan and the done in the country for raising religious awareness.

Later on, eight employees of the State Committee were presented with “Tereqqi” (Progress) and "For Distinguished Public Service" medals awarded by the order of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.