Protest declaration against the attempts for restricting the religious freedom in the Republic of Bulgaria

adopted at a session of the Supreme Muslim Council of the Muslim Denomination in the Republic of Bulgaria, in the city of Sofia, 13^th of June, 2016.

The Supreme Muslim Council as a central collective managing body of the religious institution Muslim Denomination, representing the Muslim community in the Republic of Bulgaria, citing the right of religion which is a fundamental, natural and democratic human right, guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights of the United Nations, the European Convention on human rights, states the following:

Taking into consideration the phenomenon of the increasing Islamophobia during the recent 15 years globally and the tendency for transferring this phenomenon nationwide, we do express our concern with regard to the attempts for restricting the religious rights under the pretext the hysteria and the populism of certain politicians and circles, that by imposing the restrictions on the religious rights is protected the national security and public order.

In this context we are worried by the actions of some municipalities which with their legal documents undermine the religious rights and feelings of the Muslims imposing prohibition and sanctions for wearing certain clothing covering the face. Because according to some Sunni canonical interpretations this is a religious commandment and an obligation for the Muslim women.

Even more strongly concerned and shocked is the Muslim community in Bulgaria by the actions through “Bill on wearing clothing, covering or concealing the face” to be banned the centuries established traditional and prescribed by the religion clothing (hijab, headscarf, shamiya, cloth, etc.) for the Muslim women on the pretext that in this way are protected the national security and the public order, which concerns also the citizens professing Islam.

We would like to recall that the Muslim community in Bulgaria is represented by the Muslim Denomination – the religious institution with more than 100 years history, and all attempts to speak on behalf of the community or to neglect the institution is a pure disrespect of the democracy and the Constitution taking into consideration the fact that the religious institution is called upon to organize the religious life and to defend the religious rights of the Muslim community in Bulgaria.

We declare that we will defend the human and most of all the religious rights, the centuries-old traditions and identity of the Muslim community in Bulgaria with all legal and democratic methods, realizing that this is a general civil duty in one democratic country with full-rights citizens of Bulgaria and Europe.

That is why we clearly and categorically oppose to the attempts for incrimination religious obligations in the Islamic religion and in particular wearing hijab by the Muslim women.

We do hope for a wise and socially responsible approach on behalf of the state institutions in the Republic of Bulgaria in the adoption of laws related to the right of free professing of the religion, the prevention from falling into a cheap political populism, which would turn back the Muslim community in their memories for the obscurantist times before 1989, and would demolish the great common efforts done during the recent 26 years on the way to building the democracy in the Republic of Bulgaria through guaranteeing the respect for the genuine human rights.