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Though the constitution of Azerbaijan provides religious freedom, other laws and policies, however, restricted religious freedom in practice, reads the annual report of US State Government.

“Since 1992 the government has amended the Law on Religious Freedom 14 times. The basic violations were adopted secretly.  The law is used as justification for restrictions on religious freedom and police raids, arrests and fines,” reads the report.

The report notes that since 1992 the religious communities had to reregister for five times, those who did not get registered were declared illegal. The commission notes also that for publication, import and distribution of religious materials it is necessary to have governmental permits.

Moreover it is written in the report that despite the claims of the Azerbaijani government that there is tolerance in country, the situation of religious freedom there has deteriorated during the last years: religious organizations have been closed, arrests and fines have been used against them.

"Azerbaijan is the only member of the Council of Europe that practices compulsory censorship of religious and other literature," the document reads.

Azerbaijani government confiscates religious materials on the border, including personal copies of Koran and the Bible, as well as literature of Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Hare Krishnas. "In 2012, the police raided a number of religious communities," the report reads.