WASHINGTON TIMES: NEITHER FUNCTIONING OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES NOR RELIGIOUS

Baku, 27 0ctober ,(AzerTAj)The Azerbaijani Embassy in the United States has sent a
letter to the editorial board of the Washington Times newspaper in response to a
article on religious freedom in Azerbaijan by the director of the Becket Fund for
Religious Liberty Eric Rassbach published in the newspaper on October 5.
The article reads: “The director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, Eric
Rassbach, was incorrect when characterizing religious freedoms in Azerbaijan
("Religious freedom," Mailbox, Oct. 5).
Azerbaijan is a secular, multiethnic and multireligious country with a
majority-Muslim population. The equality of all citizens-- regardless of ethnic,
religious or linguistic definition -- is guaranteed by law.
Since antiquity, different religions, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism,
Zoroastrianism and Hinduism, have coexisted in Azerbaijan. Numerous mosques,
synagogues and churches function in the country.
The Christian community consists mainly of Russian Orthodox but also includes
Catholics and Protestants. In fact, a Catholic church was reopened recently in Baku,
the country's capital, during the visit of Cardinal Tarcisio Bertoni, the Vatican
secretary of state, on March 8. At the ceremony, the cardinal said: "The Vatican
sees Azerbaijan as a model of religious tolerance."
The Jewish community is also vibrant. For example, the well-known Krasnaya Sloboda
in the Guba region of Azerbaijan has been home to a Jewish community since at least
the 13th century.
Neither the functioning of religious communities nor the religious activities of
foreigners in Azerbaijan has ever been restricted, so long as they act in conformity
with the law.”
-0-