Operation Surah Yasin: A Soviet Era Investigation into Religious Activity in Azerbaijan
Historical analysis of the Soviet era in Azerbaijan reveals a complex and often contentious relationship between the state and religious practice. Documents from 1960, including those recovered by the KGB, detail “Operation Surah Yasin,” a significant investigation into religious activities within the republic. The operation, initiated in December 1959, aimed to document the distribution of the “Surah Yasin,” a religious text.
The KGB, led by Major General Pyotr Grigoryev, conducted extensive surveillance, including photographic evidence of the publication and sale of the text. A republican meeting in May 1959, attended by First Secretary Imam Mustafayev, further scrutinized the situation. Fyodor Kopylov’s report highlighted increased religious activity and the KGB’s intensified efforts to curb what it termed “hostile activity” among religious figures.
A key case involved Molla Fathi Fatiyev, an Iranian democrat, who was arrested for illegal religious activity and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. The KGB utilized informants to track Fatiyev’s agitation, primarily focused on encouraging Iranian democrats to return to Iran. This case exemplifies the Soviet government’s approach to suppressing perceived threats to ideological control.
Alongside this, the USSR implemented broader anti-religious campaigns, mirroring efforts to combat American jazz and youth subcultures. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Transcaucasia, reflecting the region’s Shia-Sunni balance, was established. Research from the mid-1960s indicated a Shia majority in Azerbaijan’s eastern and southern regions, with significant religious observance concentrated in southern areas influenced by Iran.
Despite a ban on large gatherings, including Ashura rituals, hundreds of believers were fined and some arrested during quarantine periods, highlighting continued religious practice.
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