Christians Concerned over Illegally Held Pastor in Azerbaijan

A Baptist pastor is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing today for crimes that more than 25 eyewitnesses say he did not commit, reports persecution watchdog International Christian Concern.

Zaur Balaev, from Aliabad in Azerbaijan, has been accused of attacking five police officers, an accusation denied by the eyewitnesses.

The pastor has already been held for over a month prior to a charge being placed on him by police, which ICC says is "a blatant denial of his legal rights under Azerbaijani law".

ICC reports: "On May 20, Pastor Zaur Balaev was leading a worship service when government officials raided the service and arrested him. They initially accused him of resisting arrest by setting his dog on them, but have since changed their story to accuse him of physically attacking them and damaging a police car door as he was entering the vehicle."

Balaev has now been charged with using violence to resist arrest under Article 315 Part 1 of the country's criminal code.

The Head of the Azerbaijani Government's State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations, Idayat Orujev, denies that the case is about religion.

The prosecutor's accusation, however, states that Balaev is a threat to society and the country's security because he is a Christian.

"In addition, government officials have denied registration to Balaev's church for 13 years. This is no doubt due to the fact that local officials are Muslim and insist that Balaev's congregation is traitor to their ancestors' Muslim faith," ICC has said.

Balaev has been in prison for two months and there is now concern that his health is deteriorating quickly.

No members of his family have been able to see him and they can only communicate by telephone.

ICC reports: "Balaev should have been released after his first month of imprisonment because he had not been criminally charged yet. Instead he was transferred to a prison hours away from his home.

His family has gone into debt from unsuccessfully trying to visit him in this new location and giving officials money so that Balaev can eat."

ICC is calling for Christians worldwide to call or write to an embassy in their country asking that Balaev get a fair trial.

For more information visit: www.persecution.org