Azerbaijan rejects UN expert’s allegations and calls for avoiding politicised assessments
Azerbaijan has rejected allegations in a UN Special Rapporteur's report on freedom of religion or belief and called on UN experts to avoid politically biased assessments. The statement was made on 23 October 2026.
Yulduz Salimov2 min read
Azerbaijan has rejected allegations contained in the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, stating that the document was prepared with bias and selectivity. The country's position was set out by Shahriyar Hajiyev, the first secretary of the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the UN.
The statement was made during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur in the Third Committee of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The diplomat stressed that Azerbaijan categorically rejects the allegations set out in paragraphs 16 and 17 of the report.
According to Hajiyev, the Special Rapporteur, referring to unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan, did not mention the deliberate destruction and the religious heritage of universal value, including Islamic monuments, during nearly 30 years of occupation. He noted that at least 65 mosques were levelled to the ground and cemeteries were extensively destroyed and looted.
The silence of the Special Rapporteur on these facts, along with the inclusion of unfounded accusations in the report, raises questions about the impartiality and objectivity of the mandate.
Hajiyev also stressed that mandate holders within UN special procedures should carry out their work objectively and impartially, without external interference. According to him, this is exactly what Azerbaijan expects from UN experts.
The diplomat also spoke about measures taken in the country to ensure freedom of religion or belief. He noted that Azerbaijan attaches particular importance to the activity of various religious communities and to the preservation of religious diversity.
According to his data, the number of registered religious communities in Azerbaijan reached 994 in 2025. Of these, 956 were Muslim, while the rest belonged to Christian, Jewish, Baha'i and Krishna communities.
The country has 2,387 mosques, 16 churches, 23 prayer houses, seven synagogues, one Baha'i and one Krishna prayer building.
Source: azernews.az
