"The growth of religious discontent in the country is favorable for external centers"

In mid-May, the first charter flights carrying Azerbaijani pilgrims began departing from Baku airport for Saudi Arabia. As in previous years, the national Hajj quota was fully filled — around 1,500 people travelled to Mecca despite the cost of the pilgrimage reaching $6,100 per person.

Every March, as bonfires flicker in the courtyards of Azerbaijani homes and trays of sweets are laid out, a quiet contradiction emerges. A predominantly Muslim society celebrates a holiday that predates Islam by more than a millennium—and does so without perceiving any contradiction at all.

The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, commenced on June 4 with Muslims from across the globe converging on the holy city of Mecca amidst strict health protocols due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The USA put Azerbaijan on a special list of countries that commit severe violations of religious freedom.