The decision of the US Department of State to include Azerbaijan in the watchlist of countries that commit serious violations of religious freedom can only be explained by the desire to enlist the support of the Armenian lobby in the upcoming presidential elections, Moses Becker, Ph.D. in political science, expert on interethnic religious relations, told Report.

"We must understand that the largest number of electors is provided by the state of California, which accounts for the largest Armenian community in the United States numbering from one and a half to two million people. Moreover, this community is quite wealthy and influential," he said.

According to the political scientist, the struggle is now for every vote, for every voter, therefore the inclusion of Azerbaijan in this list is a political game.

"If we talk about the living conditions of religious communities in Azerbaijan, namely the Jewish community, we have never experienced any restrictions in this regard. Even during the Soviet times, the Jewish community of Azerbaijan enjoyed sufficient freedom. It is worth recalling that in 1972, by decree of the national leader Heydar Aliyev, a matzo bakery was built that baked matzo for all the Jews of Azerbaijan," Becker emphasized.

The expert noted that every year President Ilham Aliyev signs a decree on the allocation of fairly large funds for all major religious communities.