Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
Azerbaijan doesn't see any serious threat in several religious movements in the country expanding their activities.
"Representatives of not only Wahhabism and Nurcu movements, but also of others, are conducting activities in Azerbaijan, trying to expand their activity in the country," Head of the Public and Political Issues Department of Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Ali Hasanov said.
Speaking to journalists on April 16, Hasanov underscored that this is observed not only in Azerbaijan, but also in the whole South Caucasus, the post-Soviet area and the world in general.
"There are forces that use religious interventions, missionary activities and divide people by religious beliefs," Hasanov said. "These forces try to influence these people's activities. This is happening in Azerbaijan as well."
"The relevant state bodies conduct necessary work regarding the situation," he noted.
Hasanov added that if such forces pose a serious threat, they will face the state's laws and law enforcement.
"Nevertheless, in general Azerbaijani society should be informed that such cases and attempts take place and these attempts are suppressed and will be suppressed by the government," Hasanov said.
He went on to add that there is no need for any other will but the will of Azerbaijani state, its people, the activities of people who were granted a mandate by the country's citizens and the requirements of the laws in force.
The high-ranking official noted that unfortunately, sometimes mandatory norms defined by some religious sects for their members, do not comply with the principles of civil society and the Azerbaijani statehood.
"No religious belief, no religious activity should be carried out in the form of intervention in Azerbaijani state's secular norms. Intervention in secular norms unwittingly results in legal responsibility, and eventually appropriate measures are taken in case of revealing such facts," Hasanov said.
Translated by E.A. and L.Z.
Edited by S.I.