14:33, 5 April 2004

Imam of Juma Mosque convicted in Baku

On April 2, the Azerbaijan Court for Grave Crimes put imam of Baku's Juma Mosque Ilgar Allakhverdiev (Ibragimoglu) on probation for five years.

He was declared guilty of organizing and participating in the mass riots in Baku on October 15 and 16, 2003, after the presidential election in the country.

Judge Eynulla Veliyeva announced Allakhverdiev had popularized ideas of the Islamic revolution while preaching sermons to parishioners. Besides, the indictment reads he "published agitational leaflets". Allakhverdiev himself, who is Secretary General of the Azerbaijan Chapter of the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) and a human rights activist, completely denies the accusations brought against him. "I feel to be a prisoner of conscience," he said to journalists upon the completion of the trial, emphasizing he was "punished for his human rights activity."

The trial attracted attention of international human rights organizations, which rated Ilgar Allakhverdiev's arrest as a "breach in the field of religious freedom by the country's authorities."

Editors note: See also the article "Trial against Azerbaijan opposition leader continues".

Source: ITAR-TASS News Agency