Baku, May 25, 2025 – The Europe Today: The Western Azerbaijan Community has issued a strong condemnation of a statement released by the Armenian Apostolic Church on May 23, 2025, criticizing the decision of the Caucasus Muslims Board to resume the activities of the historic Iravan Qadiship.
In its official statement, the Community accused the Armenian Apostolic Church of inciting ethnic hatred and pursuing a denialist agenda. “In its statement, the Armenian Apostolic Church, which promotes racial hatred against Azerbaijanis and takes the position of denialism, once again proves that it is a politicized institution far removed from humanistic values, with its true aim being to deepen discord between peoples,” the statement read.
The Community further expressed concern over what it described as the Church’s opposition to the peaceful return of Western Azerbaijanis, their religious freedoms, and the restoration of their religious and cultural heritage. It emphasized that such actions contradict efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
“Instead of contributing to harmony, inter-religious dialogue, and peace among peoples, the Armenian Apostolic Church’s promotion of hatred, its opposition to the return of Western Azerbaijanis, their freedom of religious belief, and the restoration of their religious and cultural heritage raises serious concerns,” the statement added.
The Western Azerbaijan Community called on the international community to take note of and condemn the politicization and discriminatory rhetoric allegedly advanced by the Armenian Apostolic Church, urging support for the principles of tolerance, cultural restoration, and the rights of displaced persons.
The decision to revive the Iravan Qadiship, a historic Islamic institution, has been seen by many Azerbaijanis as a step toward preserving their cultural and religious identity in regions from which they were historically displaced.
