Details added (the first version was posted at 12:04)
Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 10 / Trend K.Zarbaliyeva /
The Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO) has issued a statement in connection with the arrest of the chairman of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan.
The irresponsible statements made by the chairman of the illegal Islamic Party of Azerbaijan, Movsum Samedov, which have been spread in the media and have led to protests from religious leaders, are a provocation aimed at the people and state, which undermines national unity and creates conflicts within society, threatening its stability, the CMO further said.
The state care, ensuring a high level of relations between religion and state over national and spiritual values, historical and religious monuments is the characteristic feature of the presidency of national leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev, the statement reads.
The CMO statement further said that believers in no way heed the calls of provocateurs, who do not recognize the merits of the national leader, who has devoted his life to the development of Azerbaijan, to the people and government, since President Ilham Aliyev has represented the country in the most important moments, and people had protested against Samedov's statements.
"We believe that this is a provocation aimed against our nation and our state. This is a very dangerous phenomenon, and we are very sorry that this situation was intentionally used by ill-wishers. They deliberately inflated the issue associated with the wearing of the hijab. Our religious representatives should understand that the state does not prohibit the hijab. The CMO as a religious center has expressed its position in relation to this matter. A person, highly appreciating the holy values of Islam, would never allow such sins as slander, division and incitement to violence. To spread rumors against the head of state, denying his merits, as well as ungratefully denying care to religion, is disrespect to the Islamic ethics and national values," the statement reads.
Faithful Muslims consider the suppression of all threats to the public and national interests with particular importance, and have urged people not to succumb to provocations and show civil solidarity.
"We reiterate that the believers in Azerbaijan, Inshallah, will never succumb to provocations, and will pass through all obstacles to the preservation of their statehood," the statement said.
On Jan. 8, the Interior Ministry's Organized Crime Combating Department conducted a search operation in connection with the information received by the ministry. According to the information, Samedov tasked his cousin Dayanat Samedov, who lives in Guba, to organize a riot, public disorder and call people to jihad.
During the inspection of Samedov's electrical goods store, where Dayanat Samedov works, the officers found three grenades and seized ammunition and e-devices containing information that promotes religious radicalism in house, the report says.
During the operational activities, Samedov was detained in the Narimanov district of Baku. Samedov and other passengers, who were in the car, showed resistance and did not obey police orders.
Detainees Mardan Samedov, Vagif Abdullayev, Elchin Hasanov and Huseyn Kazimov were taken to the Narimanov District Police Department. The district court decided on administrative detention as a measure of restraint against them.
A criminal case was launched in accordance with the Criminal Code and is currently under investigation.