Neighbourhood police officer Elhan Sokhbetov, who took part in an 8 December raid on a Baku Adventist congregation's worship service, denied that it was a raid. Asked why 13 police officers had raided the service, why eight church members had been held for five hours, insulted, threatened and fined he responded: No-one was threatened.

Pastor Rasim Bakhshiyev told Forum 18 he was warned they would be imprisoned if they meet again for worship. They tried to make us sign statements that we had been led astray in coming to services and that we were renouncing our faith. This was a crude violation of the law.

Prison terms of up to five years, or maximum fines of nearly nine years' worth of official minimum wage, are set to be adopted by Azerbaijan's parliament in mid-November. The extreme penalties will be applicable for groups of people who produce or distribute religious literature without going through Azerbaijan's compulsory prior state censorship of all religious literature.

Also due are new punishments for those who lead Muslim worship if they have gained their religious education abroad, Forum 18 News Service has learnt.

The punishments are included in proposed amendments to the Criminal and Administrative Codes approved by two parliamentary committees on 28 October.