Azernews.Az

The recent radicalism trends observed in Azerbaijan has urged the government to accept new legal approach towards the religious movements and groups.

Recently, a criminal group operating under the guise of religion has been neutralized in the country.

The criminal group, so-called "Muslim unity" movement, openly began to engage in activities against the constitutional order of the country in Nardaran village of capital city Baku settlement, as well as in Ganja and Lankaran. The aim of the movement was to seize power by unconstitutional means under the guise of religion and the establishment of a political system controlled by the Shari'a.

They used guns, detonating devices and Molotov cocktails against the police and security forces.

Four members of a criminal group, operating under the guise of religion, were killed during a police operation in Nardaran village on November 26. Two police officers were also killed in the standoff.

Since then the country’s law enforcement forces in time prevented the provocative actions of the criminal group. The control over the settlement and in the facilities of critical importance was strengthened and more than 30 people involved in the incident were arrested.

The illegal actions of the criminal group which acted under the guise of religion and use of arms actually had nothing to do with the religious faith. The use of guns against police and destabilizing actions were indeed a grave crime.

Nowadays, a religion has become a mean of influence in the hands of definite groups that distort true essence of religion.

In many cases it is used for masking the dirty deeds and interests. This dangerous tendency unfortunately could grow into a clash among the nations and religions, feeding religious radicalism, fanaticism and extremism worldwide.

Radicalism took a lead in almost every corner of the world, mostly threatening human lives. What is disappointing is that almost sees no end, on the contrary embracing new and new areas.

Provocations, instability, clashes, horrific accidents are the reality of the contemporary world, breaking the economies and political systems and paralyzing human life.

Azerbaijan, a secular state with predominantly Muslim population accounting for 96 percent of overall nation, also had to defeat a threat of religious extremism.

There are opinions in the society that anti-Azerbaijani groups orchestrated abroad are behind the incident and use every chance to destabilize the situation in the country.

Although the Azerbaijani law enforcement forces successfully tackle with the extremist groupings, radical movements and prevent the criminal actions, the recent incident demonstrated that the efforts should be increased for ensuring full security and stability in the country.

In this regard, the Azerbaijani parliament is discussing a bill to empower the security forces. The bill allows the security forces to cause harm to health, life and cause damage to the property of the extremists during the special operations.

On the other hand, the measures should be implemented in the country to prevent repetition of such incidents in the future.

The most effective way in fight against religious radicalism and elimination its causes is to raise awareness. It is a need to carry out awareness raising activities among people, in the first place among young people, teenagers and children to protect them from such hazardous phenomenon.

On the other hand, the work related to the religious communities should be toughened.

Azerbaijan’s parliament is discussing the introduction of a ban on holding of the Islamic rites and ceremonies by the people who received religious education abroad. The ban can be introduced through amendments to “The Law on Freedom of Religion.”

No doubt, the unity among the representatives of all religions, nationalities is needed for preventing the religious radicalism in the country. All citizens should firmly unite around the government, country’s leadership to be protected from the repetition of these events in the future.

Azerbaijan’s constitution provides all citizens with the freedom of conscience. The government has created all conditions for religious worship in the country.

Azerbaijan is a country known in the world for its multiculturalism and tolerance traditions. The religion is separated from the state under the country’s constitution and rights of all nations, ethnicities and man of faith are protected by the constitution.

So, all efforts of the forces desiring to sprout roots of religious radicalism and extremism will be a failure and prevented in all forms.