'Little Interest In Reform': U.S. Religious Freedom Body's Updated Report Reflects Abuses In Azerbaijan

The U.S. religious freedom body USCIRF on Tuesday released a new report that provides an update on religious freedom conditions in Azerbaijan, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"Although Azerbaijan has in recent years ceased some problematic practices regarding state interference in its people’s practice of their religion or beliefs, the government has shown little interest in reforming laws and policies that violate Azerbaijan’s international human rights commitments," reads the reports.

Within the last three years, the government has twice amended its religion law to introduce new restrictions on a variety of religious activities, the authors claim.

The report describes the legislative framework that facilitates the official regulation of religious practice, concerns for religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh, the ongoing repression of Shi’a Muslim religious activists, and the impact of the government’s refusal to allow conscientious objection.

"Authorities continued to routinely surveil, fine, detain, and arrest Shi’a Muslims throughout the year," reads the report.

Earlier this year, USCIRF recommended that the State Department include Azerbaijan on its Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.