New York mayor’s remarks draw criticism from Azerbaijanis worldwide

Azerbaijan diaspora communities around the world have reacted strongly to recent social media remarks by New York Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani concerning the events of 1915 and Azerbaijan’s efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The statements—published on X—were described by diaspora representatives as biased, prompting widespread criticism from Azerbaijani communities abroad, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

On the initiative of the Azerbaijan-American Youth Federation, a petition has been launched aimed at informing global public opinion and ensuring what organisers describe as a more impartial approach by international organisations to the issue.

The petition states that such one-sided narratives are particularly concerning at a time when the United States is supporting a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and when important steps are being taken toward normalisation of relations.

It also references the assessment of a United Nations mission deployed to Karabakh on October 2, 2023, which found no evidence of violence against civilians and no damage to civilian infrastructure in the area.

The document further highlights shelling of Azerbaijani cities during the 44-day war, including Ganja, Barda, and Tartar, as well as the Khojaly massacre of 1992.

It calls for an objective stance based on the UN Charter, UN Security Council resolutions, and international legal norms.

The petition can be accessed via the following link: https://shorturl.at/ZtUnS

The report also notes that several countries, including the United States, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom, and European states, along with diaspora coordination councils, have issued statements opposing the mayor’s remarks and have sent appeals to US President Donald Trump and Mayor Mamdani.

By Jeyhun Aghazada