Baku forcefully Azerbaijanizing Lezgians and Avars residing in the country

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan inadequately treats residents of regions neighboring with Russia, demanding from them that they change their last names, what eventually leads to forcible Azerbaijanization of the Lezgians and Avars.

“Baku accuses Russian citizens residing in Hrah-Uba village of Dagestan’s Magaramkent region, which is currently located on the territory of Azerbaijan’s Khachmaz region, of violation of the immigration legislation. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan forgets that 2-2.5mln Azerbaijanis currently live in Russia,” a source told PanARMENIAN.Net on the condition of anonymity.

According to the source, Hrah-Uba may achieve its goal, if it manages to gain the interest of the Kremlin. One should not pin hopes on Dagestan’s authorities – there are both objective and subjective factors. Thus, Dagestan will not take actions, taking into consideration a rather complicated domestic situation.

“Hrah-Uba villagers do not want to become Azerbaijani citizens. It is clear. The matter is that northern Lezgians remained in Russia, while southern Lezgians occurred in Azerbaijan at the time of borders demarcation between Russia and Azerbaijan. Factually, the Lezgians are among divided nations and they do not want to put up with it,” the source said.

Residents of Hrah-Uba village located on the territory of Azerbaijani held a rally in Makhachkala, demanding protection of their rights as Russian citizens. “Azerbaijan demands from the village residents that they immediately accept Azerbaijani citizenship, otherwise threatening with deportation without compensation for property and land that is categorically unacceptable for us. We apply to the authorities of Russia and Dagestan, asking them to secure protection of the constitutional rights of the residents of Hrah-Uba enclave; to stop deportation of the enclave residents and to reunify families, to provide them with the opportunity of unhindered crossing of the state border; and to recognize Hrah-Uba as a Russian territory,” the demonstrators’ declaration read.