Ignoring the right of Western Azerbaijanis to return to their native lands is a justification for a crime against humanity, Ulviyya Zulfikar, spokesperson for the Western Azerbaijan Community, told Report, News.Az reports.

She said that the Western Azerbaijan Community regularly informs the world community about what happened to our compatriots deported from the territory of present-day Armenia, their right to return, as well as the destruction of our material and non-material heritage.

“We have already received official responses from several international organizations. Given that Azerbaijan was repeatedly faced with discrimination and double standards during the 30-year-long occupation of its territories, we did not rule out such approaches in the case of Western Azerbaijanis,” the spokesperson said.

U. Zulfikar noted that some international actors, acting purely for their own political interests, keep demonstrating a biased attitude towards groundless allegations such as the “humanitarian crisis” and “blockade” put forward by Armenia to sabotage the steps towards regional peace.

“Among them, there are those who said "we are not a political organization, we cannot make political statements" during the 30-year occupation of our lands, which now purposefully takes part in dirty campaigns against Azerbaijan. Although the Western Azerbaijan Community appealed to those organizations over the deportation of nearly 300,000 Azerbaijanis from their native lands in 1987-1991, as well as their right to return to homes in line with all international legal norms and principles, these organizations have not yet responded adequately,” she added.

The spokesperson emphasized that the right of Western Azerbaijanis to return is based on all international norms and principles and is reflected in all international documents on human rights. “Ignoring this right is in itself a justification for a criminal against humanity,” U. Zulfikar said.

News.Az