The Ombudsman raised the issue of the protection of the rights of Azerbaijanians deported from Armenia at an international symposium

The Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva, participated in an international symposium on "Deportation and its psychological effects on society, especially women," held in Ankara and organized by the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the Türkiye-Azerbaijan Friendship, Cooperation, and Solidarity Foundation.

During her speech, the Ombudsman provided detailed information about the ethnic cleansing policy implemented against Azerbaijanis living in Armenia in different periods of history, including the destruction of the historical-cultural heritage and cemeteries of Azerbaijanis in those areas, the settlement of Armenians in those territories, and the change of toponyms. Furthermore, despite 75 years having passed since the deportation of Azerbaijan Turks from their native lands, it was noted that today, a policy of hatred and intolerance towards Azerbaijan is still supported in Armenia.

The Ombudsman also said that at various periods, Armenia has implemented a policy of ethnic cleansing, deportation, and genocide against Azerbaijanis by committing mass killings of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians and taking continuous actions to realize the idea of a "Turk-free Armenia" ideology.  Underlining that women and children have also been suffered from the serious consequences of this policy, S. Aliyeva noted that Armenia's crimes are based on ethnic hatred. She also pointed out that the Ombudsman Office has prepared two reports on hate crimes and hate speech against Azerbaijanis and sent them to relevant international organizations.

The Ombudsman of Azerbaijan said that as a result of the Second Karabakh War, which lasted 44 days and the anti-terrorism operations carried out in September 2023, our territorial integrity has been restored, those territories have been cleared of separatist-terrorist groups, and conditions have been created for the return of internally displaced persons to their native lands.

S. Aliyeva also highlighted the significance of Türkiye's moral support for our people during the war and post-war period, recalling that the Chief Ombudsman of the Republic of Türkiye conducted fact-finding missions in the conflict-affected areas where our civilian population was targeted by Armenia, as well as in our territories that were occupied during the war.

The Ombudsman emphasized that the indifference and double standards displayed by international organizations towards these crimes, which led to massive and severe violations of human rights and freedoms, hinder peacebuilding and that the environment of impunity contributes to the recurrence of such crimes.

In conclusion, S. Aliyeva highlighted that Armenia must create conditions for their return for the repatriation of our compatriots who faced deportation to their homeland and compensate for their damages.

During the event, a video presentation on the policy of hatred against Azerbaijanis prepared by the Ombudsman Office was also showcased.