Azerbaijani communities denounce US religious freedom report as unfounded

Representatives of religious communities in Azerbaijan have strongly dismissed claims in the 2026 report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), calling the findings “unfounded.”

The statement said the assertions of alleged violations of religious freedom and pressure on religious communities in Azerbaijan reflect a biased lobbying position of certain groups, Caliber.Az reports.

“These claims do not correspond to the real situation in the country and ignore significant efforts by the Azerbaijani state to promote religious tolerance both domestically and internationally,” it reads.

The document highlighted that the Azerbaijani Constitution prohibits discrimination and guarantees equal rights and freedoms for all, regardless of religion or belief.

“Beyond these legal protections, Azerbaijan provides conditions for all citizens to preserve and further develop their religious, ethnic, and cultural identity. The President and relevant authorities pay special attention to the needs of religious communities and regularly meet with them,” it added.

The religious representatives noted that mosques, churches, and synagogues operate freely in Azerbaijan without interference from the state or society.

Special focus is given to constructing, safeguarding, and restoring religious sites.

Examples include the restoration of the St. Mary Catholic Church in Baku, the ongoing construction of a second St. John Paul II Catholic Church, the restoration of the Orthodox Cathedral, and the rehabilitation of Zoroastrian temples in Kish.

“The largest synagogue in the region is located in Azerbaijan. In 2025, the first meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was opened in Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, these government efforts were not reflected in the report,” the statement said.

The declaration was signed by Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office; Milikh Yevdayev, head of the Mountain Jews community; Bishop Alexiy of the Baku and Azerbaijan Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church; Bishop Vladimir Fekete, Apostolic Prefect of the Roman Catholic Church in Azerbaijan; Alexander Sharovsky, head of the European Jewish community in Baku; Robert Mobili, chairman of the Albanian-Udin Christian religious community; and Zamir Isayev, head of the Baku Sephardic Jewish community.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov