BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 8. The facts of persecution of individual representatives of religion in mono-ethnic Armenia cannot be hidden, said Azerbaijan's State Committee for Work with Religious Associations, commenting on the statement of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the inclusion of several countries, including Azerbaijan, on a certain "watch list" in connection with freedom of religion, TurkicWorld reports.
Unlike Armenia's abovementioned negative tendencies, important work is being done in Azerbaijan to develop and disseminate the traditions of multiculturalism and tolerance in Azerbaijan to the world. Conferences on "Interreligious Harmony for Sustainable Development and Peace" in Washington and on "Promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue for a safer world" in Brussels were organized by the Azerbaijani State Committee for this purpose in the 2022 period alone. Measures have been taken to expand opportunities for cooperation with international institutions, as well as meetings and exchanges of views with their leaders and specialists at various levels, including the institutions of the mentioned United States organization.
The US State Department provides annual statements on the religious situation in individual countries based on the above-mentioned reports. Despite the recommendations of the US Commission, Azerbaijan has not been identified by the State Department as a country belonging to the "special watch list" for 10 years (until January 4, 2024). In addition to Azerbaijan, the list also includes Algeria, the Central African Republic, the Comoros, and Vietnam.
The State Committee views this as one of the unfair actions done against Azerbaijan by those who failed to accept Azerbaijan's successful efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Armenia and the United States are examples of countries that should be "taken under control" from a religious perspective. Instead of focusing on Armenians, donors are now targeting Azerbaijan. The facts about the persecution of individual religious representatives in mono-ethnic Armenia cannot be hidden. Everyone is aware that when Armenia occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory for 30 years, it demolished sacred monuments of Muslims and other religions, including those in Caucasian Albania.
It is no secret that several instances have occurred against Muslims and other religious communities, as well as the African-American population in the United States. According to US civil rights groups, there were 1,005 religiously motivated crimes against Jews and Muslims in the country in 2021. In addition, the 2022 study identified 6,720 cases of religious discrimination against Muslims. Reports that anti-Islamic sentiment has reached dangerous levels reflect only a portion of American reality.
