Azerbaijani lawmaker condemns Armenia for widespread Islamophobia, ethnic expulsions

Member of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis (Parliament) Gaya Mammadov has issued a scathing critique of Armenia at an international conference in Baku, accusing it of fostering a deeply institutionalized form of Islamophobia. Mammadov claimed Armenia has systematically erased its Azerbaijani Muslim population and Islamic heritage, transforming itself into a mono-ethnic state.

Addressing a panel discussion at the international scientific conference “Islamophobia in Focus: Unveiling Bias, Shattering Stigmas,” held in Baku, Mammadov argued that Armenia has cultivated a deeply rooted culture of xenophobia targeting Muslims, particularly ethnic Azerbaijanis, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“Armenia is now rightly considered one of the most striking examples of a state where systemic Islamophobia has taken hold and manifests itself in various forms,” he stated.

“As an ethnic Azerbaijani born in what is now Armenia, I can attest with full confidence to the historical and ongoing injustices carried out under this ideology.”

Mammadov highlighted the forced expulsion of Azerbaijanis from Armenia as a case of profound historical injustice. “There have certainly been cases of ethnic cleansing and deportations in world history. But Armenia stands out as one of the few—if not the only—states to successfully establish a virtually mono-ethnic territory through the expulsion of other peoples,” he said.

“A century ago, Azerbaijanis were the ethnic majority in these lands. Today, not a single one remains—all were deported,” Mammadov added.

The MP also pointed to the destruction of Islamic heritage in Armenia as further evidence of systemic Islamophobia. According to him more than 300 mosques were destroyed across the country, and today, only one mosque remains standing in the capital, Yerevan.

By Vafa Guliyeva