Azerbaijan-Israel anti-Iranian alliance and the repression against Shiites
In these days, the Shiites around the world are marking the martyrdom of one of the most pivotal characters of Shia Islam direction, the founder of the direction, Ali’s son, i.e. the 3rd Imam Hussein, his brother and 70 fellow-soldiers in Karbala field (Iraq). This is considered the most sacred ritual in Shiite Islam direction, which several days in a row, including also the 10th day of muharram by the Islamic calendar, the Ashurah, is accompanied by commemoration prayers, requiem, marches and other ritual ceremonies.
In this regard, recently, key developments are taking place in Azerbaijan in connection with the prohibition of certain religious rites. In an interview with “Aravot”, expert on Iranian studies, Artyom Tonoyan, first notes that according to the law recently submitted and passed at the Parliament, in Azerbaijan, where the 85% of the population are Shiites-professing, it is prohibited to organize any religious event during Ashurah anywhere else except in the mosques, and to post posters on the streets and other public places with religious content, especially those with the name imam Hussein.
“In addition, the Azerbaijani authorities to prevent the religious marches have used and continue to use the Constitution of the country, Article 48, paragraph 3, which reads, “Everyone is free to carry out religious rituals, however, this should not violate public order and contradict public morals,” – said Artyom Tonoyan, and then addresses the question about the reason that Azerbaijan being a country with the majority Shiite does not want to allow the implementation of the sacred ritual of this religion, “There are two main reasons. First, the Republic of Azerbaijan’s political elite is afraid of people, any mass gatherings, political or religious. In this case, for the entire Shiite world, Imam Hussein embodies the struggle against tyranny, represents the advice of going against violence by using any means, even at the cost of life.
In this regard, for the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and his entourage, it is not good at all to see people crowded in the streets sharing the ideas of the fight against violence, because, as a tyrant, Aliyev expects a direct and real threat from these gatherings. Secondly and most importantly, Azerbaijan fears of the intensification of Iranian influence in the society, because the speeding up of the Shia movements directly means a return of Azerbaijani society to Iranian identity.”
The expert on Iranian studies also notes that in general, great efforts have been exerted in the Republic of Azerbaijan by Tsar and later, Soviet authorities to root out the local Shia population from Iranian cultural roots, up to building the “iron wall” between Iran and Azerbaijan, they have prohibited all kind of pilgrimage to the Shiite shrines, “In this sense, in the post-Soviet period, the Azerbaijani authorities appeared in a difficult situation. On the one hand, they declared a freedom of conscience in the country, on the other hand, they realized that this freedom may mean “a return to Iranian identity,” and they began to seriously reconsider their religious policy for not losing “what they have obtained in 200 years.”
As the best example of available danger, we should recall this same period in 2014, when the Iranian flag waved in Nardaran settlement near Baku during the Ashurah, as well as posters appeared with the portraits of two leaders of the Islamic Revolution: Ayatollah Ruhollah Mūsavi Khomeini and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.”
And how the Azerbaijani society’s Shiite segment thinks of the mentioned restrictions, Artyom Tonoyan mentioned that currently there is a big wave of discontent in Azerbaijan among the religious population, “Certainly, the Azerbaijani authorities prior to the adoption of this decision have made necessary steps to avoid sudden shocks. Firstly, last year in this period, during the days of Ashurah, Azeri special services and the police forces carried out brutal acts in Nardaran, which is considered Shiite safeguard, by killing 4 believer and arresting religious figures enjoying a great authority among Shiite segment in Azerbaijan, including prominent Shiite theologian Taleh Bağırov. This year, religious figures from serious zones of Iran influence were arrested in Lankaran, Ganja and Baku regions, by which a ground was prepared for the adoption of this law and its consistent execution.”
As the expert on Iranian studies observed the Shiite-professing segment of the society, remaining without the leaders, is unable to initiate any actions that can change the situation, and in such conditions, like during the period of the Soviet atheism, so as now, Shiites in Azerbaijan are performing a ritual mainly in secret, in their own houses, in the atmosphere of widespread fear. “The opinions expressed by ordinary Azerbaijanis on this have approximately the following content: “they are prohibiting because the government is afraid of those who are united under the flag of Imam Hussein”, or “in Azerbaijan, only the administration and its servants are living the way they want,” – notes the expert.
We also wondered about the response of the Iranian side with regard to the abovementioned law adopted in Azerbaijan. Artyom Tonoyan informed that the Iranian political scientists engaged in the studies of Caucasian region view this religious policy implemented by Azerbaijani authorities as “measures preventing the increase of Iranian influence in Azerbaijan and the intensification of Iranian identity among the Azerbaijani society.” Whereas, as the expert notes, the approach of political and spiritual class in Iran is different. The latter views the problem in the context of hostilities implemented against the Azerbaijan-Israel military-political alliance, Iran, and the occurrences as a part of a bigger criminal plan against Iran.
“The other part of this criminal plan is the Azerbaijan-Israel military cooperation, in the framework of which, by the excuse of Karabakh conflict, Israeli modern armor is sent to Azerbaijan, actually, directed against Iran too. It is no coincidence that on September 27, the ADEX 2016 military exhibition held in Baku was attended by 13 Israeli organizations at once, and just one month ago, Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Dan Stave, visited Lankaran, a city of Azerbaijan bordering with Iran, apparently for getting acquainted with the sentiments and “opportunities” existing in this areas bordering with Iran. Perhaps, it is also for this very reason that in the last 10 days, the Iranian Atropatene Ayatollahs named Ilham Aliyev with a tough description, an “Israeli stooge”, – concludes Artyom Tonoyan.
LUIZA SUKIASYAN
