Those preparing for the Day of Judgment: “Witnesses” do not want blood …
The Jehovah’s Witnesses religious community has been reactivated in Azerbaijan. Community members call the residents of the capital on their home and mobile numbers, provide them with information about the religious community, and recommend that they register as members.
BORDER: Jehovah’s Witnesses was founded in the late 19th century by Charles Taze Russell in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Community members say that, After the apocalypse on earth, heavenly life will be established and Christ, as a messenger and representative of God, tests people execution He will remove sinners who will die forever. In addition, many of their strict rules and decisions are also available.
For information according to2020The total number of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” exceeded 8 million (more than 1,500 in Azerbaijan). Currently by community members 20Meetings are held in more than 0 countries, and propaganda work is carried out. Also in many countries – RussiaChina, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and b. Their activities have been banned in many countries.
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Recall that, A few years ago, there were reports of a ban on the religious community in Azerbaijan. I wonder if there are any bans for members of the religious community now?
In response to PressKlub.az’s inquiry on the subject, the head of the department for work with religious organizations of the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan Cahandar Alifzade said that, The organization regularly monitors the study of the religious situation in the country:
“Coronavirus During the monitoring of the pandemic, it was observed that the houses of worship belonging to the “Jehovah’s Witnesses” religious community in Baku operated in accordance with the decisions of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan. At the same time, home meetings of community members during this period and Propaganda through the distribution of literature on the street was not recorded.
Information provided by a religious organization according to, community members performed religious rites online. The State Committee has received citizens’ appeals regarding the telephone propaganda of members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious community. A meeting was held with the leadership of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious community in connection with these appeals, and they were advised to carry out their activities in accordance with the requirements of the law. and Legal explanations were given. “
J. Alifzadeh noted that, Significant intensification of the activity of the religious community “Jehovah’s Witnesses” during the monitoring and No change was observed:
There is no such thing as a ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses. This religious community was first registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1999. 2002 and 2018In the following years, Baku was registered by the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations under the name of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” religious community. “
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To find answers to some of our questions about the activities of the religious community, we contacted the citizens by calling the number. The person who stated that he was a member of the community said briefly that, There are no restrictions on the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Azerbaijan and Any person can become a member. For more information, it is important to approach the community office to sign up for membership.
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Milli Assembly deputyı Fazil Mustafa from the activities of “Jehovah’s Witnesses” in Azerbaijan, whose activities have been banned in many countries and We talked about calling on citizens to spread their ideas.
F.Mustafa He told PressKlub.az that, Everyone should be free to spread their religion and ideas:
“They can call and spread their religious propaganda. I do not see any problem here. In modern democracies, atheists, deists, and Jews, as well as “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” can share their thoughts and ideas. If they don’t force people to sign up, if they don’t call for violence, I don’t think it’s unpleasant. “
Deputy added that, Although there are any restrictions on the religious community, the dissemination of someone’s opinion cannot be prohibited:
“In Soviet times, there was a communist ideology. But now there is no such thing. Everyone can spread their ideas, everyone can choose and accept the religion they want. ”
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“Jehovah’s Witnesses” do not accept the attributes of the state, their men do not go to work, to fight snowas well as blood donation and they also do not accept bleeding and s. ”
The theologian told these words to PressKlub.az Elshad Miri he said. He said that, The center of this religious community is in America:
“It simply came to our notice then 10Translated into more than 0 languages and distributed in different countries. They say that, Jesus will come near the end of the world and all people (even the dead)judgewill do. He will destroy those who do not accept it, and ascend to heaven with those who accept it and those people will live happily.
In fact, members of the religious community are trying to spread Christianity and Protestantism. In Azerbaijan, they were registered earlier, but later there were some problems with registration. Even members of the religious community have called on the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Europe That’s how they sued. “
The theologian added that, Most of those who bring and distribute religious books to the country are members of the religious community. They present their books to people and try to get their ideas accepted:
“They always carry a piece of paper on them,” he said that, If anything happens to them, they should not be transfused with blood and or not to take blood from them. The family background of Jehovah’s Witnesses is quite different. I think that, It’s not right for them to spread their ideas in this way. “
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Recall that, members of religious community (Mushfig Mammadov, Samir Huseynov, Farid Mammadov, Fakhraddin Mirzayev) and Kamran Mirzayev) State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations Europe The reason for filing with the Court of Human Rights (ECHR) was a claim of violation of religious freedom.
So. that, Mushfig Mammadov, a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community, called for alternative military service when he was called up for military service in 2007, but the relevant the law He was not given such an opportunity because he did not have it. M. Mammadova snowA criminal case has been opened and that he was evading military service according to He was sentenced to 6 months in prison. The higher instances also upheld this decision.
Mammadova in 2009 snowA criminal case was opened on the same grounds and In 2009, he was fined 250 manat.
Community member Samir Huseynov is charged with the same crime 10 was sentenced to one month in prison. The court ruled that he did not provide evidence that Jehovah’s Witnesses were opposed to military service.
Mushfig Mammadov and Samir Huseynov 9 and 14th (conscience, thought and freedom of religion and prohibition of discrimination).
After that, another member of the community, Farid Mammadov, appealed to the military commissariat and asked for an alternative service. But he was arrested and He was sentenced to 9 months in prison.
Europe On October 17, 2019, the Human Rights Court announced its decisions on five complaints sent from Azerbaijan in 2008-2015. Five applications were combined and a joint decision was made on them.
The ECtHR found that the Azerbaijani courts had violated the applicants’ rights under Article 9 (freedom of religion) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The ECHR has fined the Azerbaijani government 38,269 euros. To take general measures against the government, as well as “On Alternative Services” the law committed to accept.
After all this, it becomes clear that, Problems related to the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious community have been resolved in Azerbaijan. Their activities are permitted by law.
Dawn