Amirbayov: Placing Azerbaijan on religious freedom watchlist is unwarranted and biased decision

The United States’ decision to place Azerbaijan on a religious freedom watchlist alongside nations like Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia is an unwarranted and biased decision, Azerbaijani Presidential Representative for Special Assignments Elchin Amirbayov told International Policy Digest, Report informs.

“We are proud of our religious diversity, which does not depend on any political conjuncture. Muslim, Jewish, Christian, we are all one family. It’s part of our DNA,” Amirbayov affirmed.

According to him, Western observers, including Emmanuel Dupuy of the L’Institut Prospective et Sécurité en Europe, have condemned the desecration and destruction of Azerbaijani cultural sites by Armenian forces over the years.

The inclusion of Armenia on the same watchlist, however, never materialized, prompting accusations of double standards from Amirbayov. He contrasts this with Azerbaijan’s commitment to safeguarding all cultural and religious sites post-liberation.