The European Azerbaijan Center, based in Germany, has issued a statement rejecting the allegations made against Azerbaijan in the March 25, 2025, report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
According to AZERTAC, the statement emphasizes that the report is biased and one-sided, disregarding Azerbaijan’s long-standing traditions of religious tolerance. It highlights that all religious communities in Azerbaijan enjoy equal rights, with over 900 registered religious communities, approximately 30% of which are non-Muslim. Orthodox and Catholic churches, synagogues, and other religious institutions in Baku and across the country stand as evidence of religious diversity and freedom.
The statement refutes the USCIRF report’s claims that Azerbaijan restricts religious freedoms, denies registration to non-Muslim communities, and threatens Armenian religious heritage in Karabakh. It notes that a UN mission in 2023 officially confirmed that no religious or cultural sites in Khankendi had been damaged.
Additionally, the statement criticizes USCIRF for ignoring the destruction of mosques and Islamic heritage sites during Armenia’s 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories. It affirms that Azerbaijan’s measures against religious extremism are carried out within the framework of national laws and security policies.
The statement also underscores Azerbaijan’s active role in promoting interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance through initiatives such as the "Baku Process," international forums, and interreligious summits.
“Reports like the one dated March 25, 2025, which twist facts and ignore context, do not serve peace or understanding — they fuel division and mistrust. We firmly reject such an approach and call on the international community to view Azerbaijan through an objective and truthful lens,” the European Azerbaijan Center stated.
