ICC NOTE: In a victory for Christians in Azerbaijan, a local Bible printing society has won a 20 year battle for approval according to World Watch Monitor. While the outcome is a positive step, it remains to be seen as to what will be allowed. The Old Testament and the Tora (Hebrew portion of the Bible) remain on the state’s “banned” list of literature. This comes upon the heels of the President’s push for further power after a referendum was passed giving the authoritarian regime power to dissolve parliament, eliminate term limits, and reduce the age to run for office. Currently, Three Azeri Christian pastor remain in prison in Iran with little help coming from the Azeri government despite having diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic. 

10/4/2016 Azerbaijan (World Watch Monitor) – The recent registration of a Bible Society in Azerbaijan, after a 20-year fight, has brought fresh optimism to the country’s minority Christians, but there remains some confusion about the types of books it will be allowed to print, with even Bibles potentially falling foul of the country’s strict regulations.

Terje Hartberg from United Bible Societies called it “a great development, which will start a new chapter in Bible ministry for all Christians in Azerbaijan”.

However, all literature either printed or imported by the Bible Society will remain subject to approval by the government – with every publication labelled with an official sticker – and its distribution permitted only at state-approved venues.

Those who distribute any religious literature outside these strict limitations face administrative or criminal punishment, reports Forum 18, a news agency focused on religious freedom in Central Asia.

“You can’t publish, print, import or distribute any religious publication without prior permission from the State Committee, which will also set numbers allowed. So nothing is approved until it is approved.” – Felix Corley, Forum 18

The Old Testament and Hebrew Bible, meanwhile, remain amongst the list of “banned” books: text from these parts of the Bible have been confiscated in police raids, according to Forum 18.

Asked whether the prohibition of the Old Testament in effect bans the Bible too, Forum 18’s Felix Corley told World Watch Monitor by email: “Well, you can’t publish, print, import or distribute any religious publication without prior permission from the State Committee, which will also set numbers allowed. So nothing is approved until it is approved.

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