The amendments to the Freedom of Faith Law were discussed in the third reading at the scheduled meeting of the Milli Majlis Committee for Public Associations and Religious Entities held on 22 February.

Deputy Chair of the Milli Majlis and head of the committee Fazail Ibrahimli reminded the participants of the meeting of the remarks made by the MPs when the Bill had been considered in the second reading at the previous parliamentary meeting in plenary. Those points were going to be clarified now, Mr Ibrahimli added.

The head of the State-Building, Administrative and Defence Legislation Department of the Milli Majlis Staff Haji Mirhashim Seyid stated the essence of the amendments. Religion and state are divided in our country under Article 18 of the Constitution, he said. The proposed amendments to Part III of Article 8 of the law in question concern the introduction of a new religious practice regulation procedure, in part, specifically, regarding appointment of clerics because it is necessary to implement certain changes in that area in line with the call of the times and circumstances linked to the clerical practice, according to the department head.

All public relations are regulated with legal and normative acts in our country; as for religion, apart from being a national moral pillar, it is also a matter of national security and may not be left out of the State’s sight and supervision therefore. Mr Seyid quoted the relevant experience of several other countries and underscored state regulation of matters linked to appointment of clerics. He said that he did not regard it as interference with religious affairs. The relevant postulations of the Constitution of Azerbaijan and the requirements of the European on Human Rights and Liberties had been taken into account duly whilst the Bill was in the making, according to Haji Mirhashim Seyid. As regards donations to religious communities, all such funds including voluntary contributions are at the disposal of the concerned community and will be expended in accordance with its charter in each given case.

The Bill is past the expert check for compliance with the provisions of the constitutional law ‘On Regulatory Legal Acts’; it has been drawn up in keeping with the national legislation and the relevant conclusion of the Department is that the amendments to the Freedom of Faith Law conform to the requirements of the Constitution and of the international treaties to which Azerbaijan is a party equally.

It was recommended towards the end of the meeting that the third-reading Bill containing amendments to the Freedom of Faith Law should be tabled at a plenum of the Milli Majlis.

The deputy chairman of the parliamentary committee Sahib Aliyev and the member MPs Azer Badamov, Sevinj Fataliyeva, Malik Hasanov, Anar Isgandarov, Jeyhun Mammadov and Javanshir Pashazade as well as other officials took part in the committee meeting, too.

The Press and Public Relations Department
The Milli Majlis