Baku Imam became a candidate for the post of UN specialist for religious freedoms

Imam of the Baku mosque became a candidate for the post of special speaker of the UN

Imam of the Baku Mosque "Juma" Ilgap Ibpagimoglu was nominated by a number of international organizations for human rights as a candidate for the post of special speaker of the UN for religious freedoms, Blagovet-Info reports.

At a briefing held on the eve of the Baku press club, he shared his understanding of human rights, including The right to freedom of religion.

According to Ibragimoglu, his nomination and registration as a candidate for the post of special -lines give him the opportunity to monitor the situation with human rights and oppose the double standards in this area. According to him, the protection of religious freedoms becomes one of the main missions of the world community.

Speaking about the situation with the freedom of religion in Azerbaijan, Ibrahimoglu regretfully noted that the struggle for the right of women to be photographed for a personality certificate and a passport in a scarf does not give the desired results for six years. “I do not understand the position of the Azerbaijani authorities in this matter,” he said. “Hundreds and thousands of women from Muslim countries come to the country on the country's documents, on the documents of which photos with their head covered. However, this does not prevent our officials from identifying them and giving permission to enter the country. Why can't Azerbaijani girls and women not be photographed? To submit to the European Court of Human Rights, so that the rights of believers begin to respect in the country? "

Ilgar Ibragimoglu is known in Azerbaijan and in the world as a defender of the rights of believers. He is the leading coordinator of the Center for the Protection of Freedom of Conscience and the religion of the Azerbaijan Republic (Devamm) and the Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Branch of the International Association of Religious Freedoms (IRLA).

At the end of last year, he was arrested on charges of relations with Iranian revolutionaries and a terrorist network of al-Qaeda, in providing support to Western organizations and in the spread of radical views. In April of this year, he was conditionally convicted for a period of 5 years. As the Forum 18 agency, the international public sharply condemned this sentence.

The imam freed from custody in the courtroom admitted that his freedom remains limited: he cannot leave Baku without special permission, and in the event of the slightest violation of the law, he threatens a prison conclusion. Ilgar Ibragimoglu intended to appeal by the decision, and if necessary, he was ready to apply to the European Court of Human Rights.

Many religious and political figures criticized the sentence issued by the court. Among them are the co -launch of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Azerbaijan, the Swiss parliamentarian Andreas Gross, according to which the sentence is not convincing.

Nevertheless, the spiritual department of the Muslims of the Caucasus supported the court decision. “There is a law, and all citizens, regardless of their religious affiliation or social status, are obliged to obey it,” said the chairman of the spiritual administration of Haji Akif Agayev, the correspondent of “Forum 18”. Although the authorities of Azerbaijan in words do not interfere in the internal affairs of religious organizations, they insist that any Muslim community must obey the spiritual management of the Muslims of the Caucasus.

Supporters of Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu adhere to the opposite point of view and express in support that independent mosques should maintain the right to exist.