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In April, the leadership representing Peace Church in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, submitted a formal application for registration with the government, a legal requirement for conducting worship and other religious activities within the country. However, more than five months later, the church remains in legal limbo. The state committee responsible for processing such registrations is refusing to process the application. Instead, the church has been warned that any unregistered religious activity is forbidden and will consequently result in punishment.
The congregation belonging to Peace Church is not alone in facing this dilemma. At least four other Protestant churches are currently encountering similar delays, and some have already been waiting for more than two years. The issue of governmental registration extends beyond Christian communities, for many other religious groups in Azerbaijan are experiencing the same bureaucratic obstacles. In fact, only one non-Muslim community has successfully registered during the past five years.
This challenging registration process is not a new problem. In 2020, for instance, a Baptist church in Aliabad had been waiting 25 years for legal status. Its congregation members finally received a letter granting them permission to meet for two hours each Saturday morning. Despite that permission, these believers have never received official registration. (Read more details on this case.) Additional reports addressing persecution in this Central Asian nation are available at our country profile.
- Pray for the members of Peace Church and other congregations in Azerbaijan as they seek peaceful interactions with governing officials in the midst of opposition.
- Pray that the officials will respond justly and promptly to the outstanding registration requests, granting our long-suffering Christian brothers and sisters legal permission to meet for worship and fellowship.
- May God grant wisdom, strength and courage to all Azerbaijani believers as they faithfully reach out to others in their communities with the Gospel message of peace.
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