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Professor Rafiq
Aliyev Dear Sir, This urgent letter from the Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief goes to Professor Rafiq Aliyev, as Chairman of the State Committee of Azerbaijan Republic for Work with Religious Associations, the official body of Azerbaijan Republic in charge of facilitating the lawful operation of religious communities (cf. Con-stitution of Azerbaijan, Article III item 48, and Presidential Decree of 21 June 2001 #512) and at the same time informs pertinent governmental leaders in Azerbaijan Republic, in the United Sates and Norway, and NGOs known to be concerned with religious freedom in Azerbaijan Republic. Our letter addresses widely and reliably reported threats directed against the Muslim religious community of the Juma Mosque by the Executive Branch of Baku City through the Administration of the Historical-Architectural Reserve "Icherisheher." The Muslim religious community in this famous and venerable Azer-baijani Mosque has, as all informed parties well know, been legally registered with the Ministry of Justice since 1993. In the Soviet period, the Juma Mosque had been debased into a Carpet Museum. The said Admini-stration now threatens the Muslim religious community with expulsion from the Mosque premises, on the ground that its Imam, Mr. Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, who is presently under detention on dubious charges, has partici-pated in the 15 -16 October 2003 public clashes. And, to add insult to injury, the said Administration makes known that it intends to re-transform the Juma Mosque into a Carpet Museum. As you know, the Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief has had the honor of supporting the Inter-national Religious Freedom Association (IRLA) in establishing an Azerbaijan Chapter of IRLA, in September 2002. Both then and during our visit with the Azerbaijan Chapter of IRLA in September 2003 we met cordially with you, Professor Rafiq Aliyev, as head of the State Committee of Azerbaijan Republic for work with Reli-gious Associations. Imam Ilgar Ibrahimoglu has been Secretary General of Azerbaijan Chapter of IRLA since its commencement. Working with the rest of the board, which includes representatives from a wide range of religious denominations, Mr Ilgar Ibrahimoglu has done much to enhance inter-religious understanding and mutual respect in your country. - Whatever disagreements you may have with Mr Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, we feel sure that you will want to belittle his significant achievements in this important field for your country. We now implore and beseech you, in you high office, that you see to it that the Executive Branch of Baku City and the said Administration promptly put and end to the threatened expulsion of the Muslim religious commu-nity form its legitimate quarters. Such an expulsion would, no doubt, violate the Constitution and the law of Azerbaijan Republic as well as the Azerbaijan Republic's solemn obligations under International Human Rights agreements. - Moreover, a Soviet-style re-transformation of a religiously vibrant and law-abiding Juma Mosque into a Carpet Museum would constitute an appalling international disgrace to Azerbaijan Re-public. We are confident that neither you nor other responsible authorities of Azerbaijan Republic will let this disgrace take place and we trust you will do your utmost to reverse the decision to expel the Muslim religious community from the Juma Mosque. Yours truly,
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