Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the human rights violations against Shia Muslims in Azerbaijan, as detailed in the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s report Country Update: Azerbaijan, published on 5 December.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government recognises that there are ongoing challenges in Azerbaijan in relation to Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB), particularly for devout Muslims. The Minister for Europe raised human rights with Foreign Minister Bayramov during his visit to Baku on 22 November. On 14 November during Azerbaijan's Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council the UK reiterated our concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly and called on Azerbaijan to improve human rights protections for all.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of freedom of religion or belief in Azerbaijan.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The British Embassy in Baku is able to have open discussions about religious freedom with Government representatives and has been in contact with Grand Mufti, the spiritual leader for both the Sunni and Shia communities in Azerbaijan, who occasionally meets with the Leader of the Armenian Church.