PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released its 2026 annual report on religious freedom, addressing developments in 2025.
The document states that Azerbaijan committed serious violations of religious freedom.
The report also addresses the destruction of Armenian religious and cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh. It emphasizes that historic Armenian religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas have remained at risk following the return of territories in 2020 and 2023. As of July, satellite imagery recorded eight destroyed and ten damaged religious sites, including churches, cemeteries, and archaeological locations, Factor.am reports.
In addition, families of Armenian detainees said they were denied access to the Bible, while Azerbaijani authorities claimed such access was available.
The report also notes that U.S.-Azerbaijan relations largely focused on efforts to reach a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the U.S. acting as a mediator. In August, President Donald Trump hosted Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House for talks. The sides signed memorandums of understanding aimed at economic development, trade, and defense cooperation.
It is also highlighted that the U.S. Congress repeatedly raised concerns over human rights violations in Azerbaijan throughout the year. In March, 60 members of Congress called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to halt military assistance to Azerbaijan, citing, in particular, the destruction of Armenian religious heritage. Hearings on human rights were held in April, and in July, more than 80 lawmakers demanded the safe return of displaced Armenians.
In September, U.S. lawmakers reaffirmed an initiative to review sanctions against Azerbaijan, aimed at assessing whether Azerbaijani officials were involved in human rights violations. At the same time, resolutions were introduced condemning pressure on civil society.
The report recalls that on December 29, 2023, the U.S. State Department placed Azerbaijan on a Special Watch List due to violations of religious freedom. "Due to ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom, Azerbaijan should be designated as a Country of Particular Concern rather than placed on the Special Watch List. While the country outwardly claims to support religious freedom, it does the opposite internally. It persecutes its citizens, controls religious activity, expels independent media and the Red Cross, and destroys religious heritage sites," said USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler.
She also emphasized that around two dozen Armenian Christian detainees from Nagorno-Karabakh, tried in closed proceedings without adequate legal, medical, and food support, were subjected to physical and psychological abuse. They were not allowed to possess a Bible, and crosses tattooed on their bodies were burned off. At the same time, law enforcement officials were not held accountable for these actions.
Hartzler added that Azerbaijan has continued to destroy Christian heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh, erasing traces of more than 2,000 years of presence. According to her, if Azerbaijan seeks to deepen cooperation with the U.S., it must take concrete steps to protect religious freedom.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh, placing the entire territory under heavy shelling. As a result, on September 20, the authorities of Artsakh accepted a ceasefire proposal from the command of the Russian peacekeeping mission, agreeing to Baku's terms, including the disarmament of the Defense Army and the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. The attack left 223 people dead, including 20 civilians, six of them minors. Starting from September 24, the forced displacement of the population began, with more than 100,000 people fleeing to Armenia. According to some data, about 20 Armenians remained in Nagorno-Karabakh, of whom 11 later returned to Armenia, one died, and one was detained.
Source: PanArmenian.Net
