US DoS indicates restrictions of citizens' religious rights in Azerbaijan

Despite the religious freedom guaranteed by the Azerbaijani Constitution, in legislation and practice the citizens' religious rights, especially of members of certain religious minorities, are restricted in the country. This was stated in the report of John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, on the situation in the world with the religious freedom, presented on July 28 to the US Congress.

Although the Azerbaijani authorities refrain from direct intervention into the affairs of religious communities, they are required to undergo a mandatory state registration; the unregistered groups are severely fined.

According to the US Department of State (DoS), 96% of the Azerbaijani population are Muslims; of them 65% are Shiites, and 35% are representatives of various trends of Sunnism.

The country's laws provide for responsibility for inciting the religious hatred; however, they provides a framework for the government to liquidate unwanted religious groups, says the DoS. Thus, the police raided to curb the gatherings of the followers of the Turkish Islamic theologian Said Nursi and Jehovah's Witnesses.

In the opinion of Tofig Tyurkel, an expert on religion, the state policy towards increased control over the religious sphere is dictated, in particular, by the aspiration of Azerbaijani authorities to prevent the export of religious extremism into the country.

He treated the authorities' desire to prevent the so-called "politicization of Islam" as another reason for the state control over the religious sphere.