Murders and violent acts against Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, committed on June 27 by Russian law enforcement officers on ethnic grounds, are literally barbarism, Azerbaijani MP Vasif Gafarov said. EDnews reports, citing Report.az
He noted that recent events in Russia demonstrate that the country is systematically conducting a policy of chauvinism, discrimination, and national inequality at a high level.
"Testimonies of local residents and our compatriots confirm that the situation is not spontaneous - it is part of a centralized policy. Russia, which is waging an aggressive war against Ukraine and has become isolated, is experiencing a shortage of human resources and is trying to attract migrants to the war through pressure, blackmail, and coercion. The money promised to them is not paid, and upon return, people again face threats. This is a gross violation of human rights and international law," Gafarov noted.
The deputy emphasized that not only migrants but also Russian citizens from ethnic minorities are under pressure.
"Chauvinism and discrimination against non-Russian peoples have always been characteristic of Russia and continue today. The main target of this policy is the Muslim peoples of the country. They are under open pressure to force them to go to war against Ukraine. This trend is observed almost throughout Russia. The confessions of the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, and his statistics confirm that these are not isolated cases, but a deliberate state policy," he said.
Gafarov reminded that the Azerbaijani people have not forgotten the blows from Russia over the past two centuries.
"Russia, which occupied Azerbaijan at the beginning of the 19th century, carried out discrimination based on racial and national grounds, participated in the genocide of 1918, occupied the country again in 1920, putting an end to the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, committed the massacre of January 20, 1990, played a key role in the Khojaly genocide of 1992 and the occupation of our territories by Armenia for almost 30 years. Azerbaijan has not forgotten the shelling of its civilian aircraft by Russia. Moscow's passivity and irresponsibility on this issue are unacceptable. Azerbaijan will continue to seek punishment for those responsible and payment of compensation at the international level. In addition, the refusal to allow an Azerbaijani MP to enter an event in Astrakhan, despite an official invitation, also raises concerns and contradicts the spirit of friendship," he emphasized.
He noted that chauvinism in Russia has reached a new level: "Islamophobia is already manifesting itself in the form of open pressure and repression. The persecution of Muslims is especially noticeably increasing. The anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric of people close to the Kremlin, such as Vladimir Solovyov, is further proof that the process is coordinated from the center. Against this background, the activation of revanchist forces in Armenia and Russia's support for the Kocharyan-Sargsyan tandem looks particularly alarming. This indicates Moscow's desire to create new hotbeds of tension in the South Caucasus," the deputy noted.
"All these processes show that Russia is trying to restore its influence in the region by destabilizing the situation. Azerbaijan has always been sincere in its relations with Russia and has demonstrated a position of friendship and partnership. We expect Russia to abandon the policy of chauvinism, discrimination, and national inequality towards Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis. To maintain equal friendly relations that meet the interests of both countries, Moscow must behave sincerely and take appropriate steps," concluded Vasif Gafarov.
