Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The Caucasian Muslims Office, Russian Orthodox and Catholic churches, the community of Mountain and European Jews and the Albanian-Udine Christian community of Azerbaijan sent an appeal to the U.S. Congress.

The clerics voiced concern over the anti-Azerbaijan legislation submitted to the U.S. Congress. The representatives of the religious communities and expressed dissatisfaction with the bill containing false judgments on religious freedom in Azerbaijan, naming it as a biased campaign against the tolerant environment in the country.

Chairman of the Helsinki Commission of the U.S. Congress Christopher Smith submitted the bill on “Azerbaijan Democracy Act of 2015” to the Congress on December 16.

Azerbaijan has long been known in the world as a multiethnic and multi-religious country where the national policy is planned and carried out in the spirit of traditional tolerance and harmonic coexistence of different ethnic and religious groups.

“We assure that there is a tolerant environment in our country, not in words but in deeds. An example of this is the signatures under this appeal. Azerbaijan has never had conflicts on religious grounds. Tolerance is in our blood and is an integral part of the policy of the Azerbaijani state,” the appeal reads.

The government is attaching great attention to promoting tolerance and currently Azerbaijan is frequently shown as an example for its multiculturalism and tolerance traditions.

Muslim mosques, Christian Orthodox, Catholic and Albanian-Udine churches, Jewish synagogues, which freely conduct religious ceremonies, are functioning in the Azerbaijani territory. Currently, 800 mosques, as well as 12 Orthodox, Catholic and Albanian-Udine churches and six synagogues operate in the country.

Representatives of all religions together take part in public events, religious feasts and ceremonies. Baku International Center of multiculturalism was created in Azerbaijan in 2014 with presidential decree.

Although the activity of the Armenian Church in Azerbaijan has been suspended in connection with the military aggression of Armenia against the country, the books and attributes belonging to the church were kept, the appeal notes.

The clergymen stressed that however, mosques, shrines, churches, cemeteries, located in the occupied Azerbaijani lands turned into ruins by the Armenian invaders.

They called on the Congress to take into account their position and make the right decision while discussing the legislation.

The appeal was signed by Chairman of Caucasian Muslims Office Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Archbishop of Baku and Azerbaijan, Alexander, Ordinary in Azerbaijan of Apostolic Prefecture of the Roman Catholic Church, Vladimir Fekete, Head of the Community of Mountain Jews of Azerbaijan, Milih Yevdayev, Head of the Baku community of European Jews, Gennady Zelmanovich, and Chairman of the Albanian-Udin Christian community, Robert Mobili.

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Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @SaraRajabova

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