USCIRF Report: Armenian Prisoners in Azerbaijan Prevented From Receiving Bibles
Azerbaijan prevented Armenian prisoners from receiving religious items, including Bibles, according to the 2026 annual report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
In February, a USCIRF delegation traveled to Azerbaijan to survey religious freedom conditions and meet with government officials. While Azerbaijani authorities were willing to engage with the commission, “it has not made any significant progress since then to address USCIRF’s recommendations,” the report says.
Family members of detainees say Armenian prisoners are not allowed to receive religious materials. “Additionally, family members have reported that Armenian prisoners are prevented from receiving religious items, such as the Bible; however, the Azerbaijani government has claimed prisoners have access to religious materials,” the report notes.
The document also raises concerns about the fate of Armenian religious heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories after Azerbaijan regained control over the areas in 2020 and 2023.
“Historic Armenian religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding territories remain at risk following Azerbaijan’s retaking of the territories in 2020 and 2023,” it says.
Satellite imagery analysis found that “as of July, satellite imagery identified eight destroyed and another 10 damaged religious sites, including churches, cemeteries, and other artifacts.”
The report also includes a dissenting opinion by USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler regarding Azerbaijan’s designation in the commission’s monitoring system.
“Azerbaijan should be designated a Country of Particular Concern rather than Special Watch List due to its ongoing, egregious, and severe violations of religious freedom,” Hartzler wrote.
She argued that although the country publicly claims to support religious freedom, it acts otherwise. “The country outwardly claims to support religious freedom, yet inwardly does the opposite.”
According to Hartzler, Azerbaijan “tortures its citizens, controls religious activity, expels independent media and the Red Cross, and destroys religious heritage sites.”
She also addressed the treatment of Armenian Christian prisoners from Nagorno-Karabakh.
“The nearly two dozen Armenian Christian prisoners from Nagorno-Karabakh, who were tried behind closed doors without adequate legal counsel, have received beatings, psychological abuse, lack of access to medical care and proper food, denials of Bibles, and the erasure of cross tattoos through burning,” Hartzler wrote.
“Police are not held accountable for these actions,” she added.
Hartzler also said Azerbaijan must change its approach if it seeks closer cooperation with Washington.
“If Azerbaijan wants to be a full partner with the United States and advance shared economic and strategic goals, it needs to take meaningful steps to truly embrace religious freedom.”
The full section of the USCIRF report on Azerbaijan can be found on pages 56–58 of the document.
