P r a g u e / B a k u – Tony Peck (Prague), the General-Secretary of the European Baptist Federation (EBF), has called on the 800.000 Baptists of Europe to protest to the government of Azerbaijan the arrest of Baptist pastor Zaur Balayev. The 44-year-old pastor was taken into custody on 20 May during a Sunday worship service in Aliabad near the border with Georgia. He has been under arrest ever since. Accoring to Azeri officials, Balayev resisted the police search and set a dog upon the policemen. But church members have rejected out of hand the accusation of “violent resistance against the representatives of the local government”. Balayev had at no time acted violently; believers give religious reasons for his arrest. Church Deacon Ramiz Osmanov confirms that the accusations are fabricated. The church has been refused state registration for 13 years and has suffered various forms of discrimination. Balayev was originally held in regional city of Zakatala, but on 4 June he was transferred to the major city of Gäncä. He is presently resting in the jail`s hospital. His wife and sister were not permitted to visit him when they came to the jail. The prisoner is suffering from a heart ailment.

Peck suggests that each of the EBF`s member bodies address a letter to Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev (Baku), requesting that he enforce justice and religious liberty in his country: “It is our hope and prayer that the false accusations against Pastor Balayev be dropped and he be freed.”

Azerbaijan has 22 Baptist congregations with apptroximately 3.000 members; 96% of the country`s eight million residents are Muslims. Most Christians there are Russian Orthodox. According to the consitution of this Near Eastern country, each citizen is allowed to practice his religion without restrictions.