.jpg "Religious communities in Azerbaijan send protest letter to US Congress")
The religious communities in their letter protest a number of incorrect assumptions on religious freedom in Azerbaijan in the bill titled “The Act of Democracy in Azerbaijan” prepared by Chris Smith, chairman of the US Helsinki Commission, the CMO press service told.
The letter says a variety of communities of different religions have coexisted in Azerbaijan throughout history and that these communities still practice their religion freely.
“Sunnis and Shiites pray together in more than 800 places of worship existing in the country today – a rare unity of denominations that can be an example to the world. Along with the ancient Alban-Udi churches, there are 12 orthodox and catholic churches, and 6 synagogues in Azerbaijan. We all join public events and religious holidays and ceremonies together. Thanks to moral and financial support from the state, hundreds of places of worship have been built or repaired. Despite the Armenian Church in downtown Baku is closed due to Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan, this church too has been repaired and restored at public expenses, and attributes belonging to it have been preserved, while our mosques, sanctuaries, churches, cemeteries in occupied Karabakh and surrounding areas have been ruined by Armenian aggressors. We deeply regret that Smith in his bill makes no mention of the violated human rights in the Karabakh population who have been deprived of their right to worship,” said the letter.
The heads of the religious communities state that the atmosphere of tolerance in the country is not in words but actions.
“The live example is the signatures at the bottom of this letter. We have never had any religious confrontation in Azerbaijan. We urge you to give an unbiased reaction to the realities of Azerbaijan, consider our stance too during the discussion of the bill, and make a proper decision. We would like to end our letter with a prayer that the former leader of the State of Vatican and the All Catholics, Pope of Rome John Paul II when recited when he witnessed the care provided to the three Abrahamic religions in Azerbaijan during his visit to the country in 2002.
“Glory be to the Creator for our witnessing this love expressed by the three major religions!”
The letter was signed by Chairman of the Caucasian Muslims Office (CMO) Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Archbishop Alexander of Baku and Azerbaijan, Ordinary of the Apostolic Prefecture of the Roman Catholic Church in Azerbaijan Vladimir Fekete, Head of the Community of Mountain Jews in Azerbaijan Melih Yevdayev, Chairman of the Baku Community of European Jews Gennady Zelmanovich, and Chairman of the Alban-Udi Christian Community Robert Mobili.
More about:
-1780923278.jpg&h=190&w=280&zc=1&q=100)
