Global delegates convene in Baku to address Azerbaijanis' deportation from present-day Armenia

The 2nd International Conference titled "The Right to Return: Justice for Azerbaijanis Forcibly Displaced from Armenia" has commenced in Baku.

The conference, organised by the Western Azerbaijan Community, will last for two days, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Delegates from 51 countries, including Türkiye, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Belgium, Georgia, Canada, Spain, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, Japan, Albania, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, China, Denmark, Ethiopia, Estonia, Algeria, France, Croatia, Jordan, Iraq, Korea, Lithuania, Hungary, Malaysia, Morocco, Egypt, Montenegro, Nepal, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, North Macedonia, Thailand, Ukraine, and New Zealand, are participating in the event.

Moreover, the conference is also being attended by representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Azerbaijan.

Notably, December 5 marks the Day of Remembrance for Western Azerbaijanis deported between 1987 and 1991.

Between 1987 and 1991, as part of a broader policy of ethnic cleansing, approximately 300,000 Azerbaijanis were forcibly expelled from the Armenian SSR, which was formed largely on historical Azerbaijani lands. These people have the inalienable right to return to their places of residence.

This deportation marked the culmination of a series of displacements affecting Azerbaijanis in the region over the 20th century. By August 1991, no Azerbaijanis remained in Armenia, with the last expulsion occurring in the Zangazur region. The deportations were accompanied by the destruction of cultural heritage sites and significant human rights violations.

The Western Azerbaijan Community has actively sought to bring attention to this historical injustice. It calls for the peaceful and secure return of displaced Azerbaijanis, emphasizing adherence to international human rights principles, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The community continues to advocate for legal frameworks ensuring the rights and security of returnees while highlighting the systematic discrimination faced by Azerbaijanis during these events​

By Khagan Isayev