12
AL-NASHIF v. BULGARIA JUDGMENT
The El-Manar foundation had indeed been dissolved on 15 February
1996 on the ground that its goals were unlawful. However, its representative
had not been among the persons named by the Government as
Mr Al-Nashif's business partners.
The applicants submitted copies of certificates issued by the legal
persons' register at the competent court.
(d) Alleged fundamentalist activities at the Narechenski Bani seminar
59. The Government stated that the seminar had been organised under
the auspices of the Irshad foundation, which was allegedly known as one of
the disguised creatures of the Muslim Brothers, a fundamentalist
organisation. The police had considered the seminar unlawful and
dangerous for national security. The printed and video material that had
been confiscated had disclosed preaching of “religious and ethnic
extremism”. The police had put an end to the seminar. Two of the
instructors who had participated had been deported from Bulgaria.
Mr Al-Nashif had allegedly been one of the organisers. He and all other
participants had received oral warnings.
60. In support of these allegations the Government submitted copies of
newspaper articles.
61. The applicants submitted a declaration by the Chief Mufti of the
Bulgarian Muslims, dated 1 August 2000, apparently prepared for the
purposes of the present case, stating that the only sponsor of the 1997
seminar had been the International Youth Assembly Nedua, registered in
Saudi Arabia and in many other countries, including Bulgaria. The Chief
Mufti further stated that the seminar had been devoted to traditional
religious teaching. The police had gone there, apparently in response to an
anonymous call. They had taken away material, part of which they had then
returned. As the police had not established any wrongdoing, the seminar had
continued after an interruption.
(e) Alleged danger stemming from the Islamic lessons given by the first
applicant from November 1998 to April 1999
62. The Government stated that against the background of the first
applicant's religious activities between 1995 and 1998 the authorities had
justifiably feared that the classes given by him to children could be
dangerous.
63. In support of this allegation the Government submitted copies of
newspaper articles and a copy of a one-page report by a police officer in
Smolyan, addressed to his superiors. The report, dated 14 January 1999,
stated as follows:
“I report hereby that I received the following information through a third person: