Western Azerbaijan Community welcomes decision to restore Iravan Kaziyat

The Western Azerbaijan Community has welcomed the Council of Kaziyehs of the Caucasus Muslims Office’s decision to restore the Iravan Kaziyat, approve its statute, and elect a Kaziyeh for Iravan.

The decisions were made during the office’s meeting held in Baku on May 22, Caliber.Az reports. 

In a statement, the community recalled that, apart from the Blue Mosque, approximately 300 mosques once existing in Western Azerbaijan were destroyed by Armenia. Additionally, over 500 cemeteries were demolished, and the cultural and religious heritage of Azerbaijanis was systematically erased.

The statement described these actions as “a gross violation of international law and human rights,” and emphasised that reviving the activities of the Iravan Kaziyat marks a crucial step towards ensuring religious freedom, revitalising multiculturalism in the region, and restoring historical justice.

The Community further asserted that this decision represents a meaningful move toward the return of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia to their historical lands.

The statement included a call for the Armenian government to allow Azerbaijanis free access to the Blue Mosque, to restore destroyed Azerbaijani cultural and religious monuments, and to ensure the safe and dignified return of those displaced from Western Azerbaijan.

“We call on all states of the world, the UN and other international organisations to put pressure on Armenia to correct the injustices it has committed,” the commentary reads.

By Sabina Mammadli