Baku, Azerbaijan, March 5
By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend:
Azerbaijan always focuses on the further strengthening of tolerance, head of the department of interethnic relations, multiculturalism and religious issues of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Etibar Najafov said, Trend reports on March 5.
“Ensuring the freedom of religion of citizens is a part of domestic policy in the country,” he said. "Azerbaijan regards the freedom of religion of its citizens as a part of their rights and freedoms. Ensuring freedom of religion has been indicated in the country's legislation."
Najafov stressed that along with freedom of religion in Azerbaijan as an example of a high level of relations between the state and religion, it is necessary to emphasize the equality of all religions before the law.
"Another achievement in the sphere of relations between the state and religion is that the state renders the necessary support to each of the religious structures, including financial assistance,” he said. “Recently, Russian Orthodox, Georgian Orthodox, Albanian-Udi churches and temples, Jewish synagogues have been overhauled in Baku and the Azerbaijani districts."
Najafov added that Azerbaijan also renders spiritual support to the religious structures operating in the country.
“International Day for Tolerance was celebrated in Azerbaijan on November 16 for the first time in the South Caucasus region,” he added.
He stressed that ensuring religious freedom in Azerbaijan at a high level, equality of all religions before the law, rendering state support to the religious structures contributed to establishing interreligious relations in the country on the basis of mutual respect.