Russians With Armenian Surnames Repeatedly Denied Entry to Azerbaijan – Moscow

Over two dozen Russian citizens with Armenian-sounding surnames, names or patronymics were denied entry to Azerbaijan since the start of the year in a clear sign of ethnic discrimination, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A total of 25 Russian citizens were discriminated against in such a manner, being detained in the Baku airport for many hours, often without food, water or medical assistance, and then sent back at their own expense, the ministry told reporters.

The ministry noted that Moscow repeatedly demanded that Baku cease this practice and give proper judgment to its officials’ behavior, but no investigation into the incidents was ever conducted.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry sent a note stating that Baku had to resort to such measures to prevent "unwanted incident." The Russian side has stated that they consider such an answer to be “unsatisfactory” and will continue demanding that Azerbaijan discontinues such attitude towards Russians.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia remain tense after last year's flareup of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that has been largely dormant since the early 1990s. Azerbaijan's ethnically Armenian region broke away in 1991 and Baku eventually lost control, agreeing to a ceasefire in 1994.