MP Ilham Aliyev calls on for religious intolerance

On Friday,  Ilham Aliyev, Member of Parliament and son-in-law of Ramiz Mehdiyev, the head of   the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, called for a decisive fight against the believers, "with long beards and short trousers."

Speaking at a session of parliament, he supported the amendments to the law on religion, tighten control over religious literature. "We have our religion and we accept it. However, I support the amendment to the law. Because we have to isolate from society those who wear short pants and let his beard down to his chest. When you go out in the evening on the boulevard, and you see them, you begin to hate," said the deputy.

Such  statement can be interpreted as a manifestation of religious intolerance.

Rashid Hajili, Director of Media Rights Institute, called the speech  of  the   MP "unpleasant and offensive to believers." From the point of view of law,  this is a call for hatred and intolerance.

"In fact, the Parliament itself was to assess and condemn this statement,"  says Hajili.

At the same time, Prosecution organs have to give legal assessment  to the call of the deputy of parliament,  because there are signs that fall under Article 283 of the Criminal Code (incitement of national, racial, social or religious hatred and enmity), as well as an attack on the freedom of expression, conscience and religion. -16D06-