Believers save Baku mosque from demolition
The government’s attempt to demolish the Haji Javad Mosque on the former Soviet Street in Baku ended in failure. Coming from all four corners of Baku, believers formed a human chain around the mosque and succeeded to protect it. In the second half of the day, the police and representatives of the local government left the area, while believers demonstratively performed prayers out in the street, rather than inside the mosque.
The Haji Javad mosque is located in an area, where large-scale infrastructure rehabilitation works as well as construction of a new road are underway. Under the rehabilitation plan, the given building, not having any special architectural value, is also planned to be bulldozed.
The Administration of the Caucasus Muslims does not comment on the issue. The executive authorities said they have warned the believers about the planned demolition. There is no alternative to this decision, news agency Contact writes.
During the confrontation, the police detained about a dozen believers protecting the mosque.
Details about the rehabilitation project for the former Soviet (Sovetskaya) Street are available here.
Photo provided by JAMnews freelance correspondent Aziz Elkhanoglu.
