Azerbaijan detains Russian citizen over his Armenian origin

PanARMENIAN.Net - A Russian citizen, M. V. Uyeldanov (Galustyan) was detained in Azerbaijan over his Armenian origin.

Russian Embassy in Baku asked Uyeldanov’s relatives to “show understanding” to the peculiarities of the country, where "his Armenian origin makes it extremely difficult to protect him," the embassy said in response to an inquiry by the detainee’s sister.

According to a document, the Russian citizen is charged with article 234.4.3 of Azerbaijan’s Criminal Code, commonly applied against opposition members, youth activists and undesirable persons. The article in question is “Illegal production, purchase, storage, transportation, transfer or sale of narcotics, psychotropic substances or precursors in large amounts.”

Uyeldanov-Galustyan works at the Austrian company Do & Co and was in Baku on a business trip.

Uyeldanov’s relatives are reportedly unable to find support from the Russian authorities.

In late spring, an 8-year-old child with an Armenian surname was denied entry to Azerbaijan at Baku’s Heydar Aliyev international airport.

The boy’s name is Luka Vardanyan.

This wasn't the first case when Azerbaijan denied entry to people with Armenian surnames irrespective of their citizenship. The country even deported them in some cases. In 2013, Russian journalist Anna Sahakyan was not allowed to enter Azerbaijan, later being even declared a persona non grata for her Armenian family name.

At various points, Azerbaijan Airlines refused to transport people with Armenian surnames, citing an order from Baku as a reason behind such a decision.