23:45, 14 January 2005

Azerbaijan pilgrims to turn to European Court

A group of believers is staging a rally in front of the Saudi Arabia Embassy to Azerbaijan demanding that visas should be granted to them to participate in the Hajj. The diplomatic mission of Saudi Arabia has delivered an official note of protest to the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry. The embassy's press release reads that responsibility for the situation that has arisen lies with tourist firms, which try to arrange visits to Mecca bypassing the Official Hajj Mission, which is inadmissible. Under the agreement signed by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Azerbaijan's Official Hajj Mission, Azerbaijan's quota for pilgrims performing the Hajj is 2,500 people this year, a source in the embassy said.

Human rights activist Ilgar Igragimoglu considers the monopoly in the field of religious activity, including the monopoly of Azerbaijan's Official Hajj Mission, to be anti-constitutional. Mr Ibragimoglu is also convinced that this case shows considerable promise for the European Court of Human Rights.

Author: Zaur Rasulzade, CK correspondent