Baku: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has addressed the significant challenges posed by Islamophobia on the integration of Muslims into society. In his remarks at the International Conference titled ‘Islamophobia in Focus: Unveiling Bias, Shattering Stigmas,’ President Aliyev elaborated on the various manifestations of Islamophobia, such as everyday racism, discrimination, hate speech, physical attacks, and stigmatization in media and social media platforms. He emphasized that these prejudiced attitudes impede Muslims from becoming full-fledged members of society.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, President Aliyev pointed out that in certain countries with historical ties to the slave trade, colonialism, and genocide, Islamophobia has effectively become a state policy. These nations, which now claim to uphold democratic values and human rights, have enacted laws restricting the rights and religious freedoms of Muslims. The President noted that these restrictions often extend to education, housing, and employment opportunities, all purportedly in defense of secular values.