Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

Armenia has been systematically and deliberately targeting Azerbaijani civilian population, residing in the densely populated areas adjacent to the frontline, in a bid to preserve the status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Most recently, a 2-year-old girl Zahra and her grandmother, who were living in Azerbaijan’s Alkhanli village near the frontline, became the victims of the Armenian aggression.

The occupant country’s resorting to nefarious provocations aimed at killing civilians, including children, is a war crime and should be properly assessed by the international community.

To condemn this inhuman act and attract the attention of the world to Armenia’s aggression, Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations all over the world turned to the international organizations. They demanded to properly respond to the Armenian provocations and not to remain indifferent to such injustice.

The relevant appeals were sent to the UN, OSCE, PACE, EU, ECHR and other international organizations, as well as the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.

In the appeals, the Azerbaijani diaspora organizations noted that this provocation once again shows that Armenia is a serious threat to stability and peace in the region and it obstacles the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They called on the international community to take decisive steps in order to force Armenia withdraw its armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

While Azerbaijani diaspora organizations were sending their appeals to the international community, Azerbaijanis living abroad were holding protests in many cities of the world.

On July 7, a group of Azerbaijanis held a protest in front of the Armenian Embassy in Washington, U.S. The protesters were carrying banners saying “I’m Zahra,” “Karabakh is internationally recognized part of Azerbaijan,” “Armenia, leave Karabakh!” and photos of the atrocities of the Armenian authorities against the Azerbaijani civilians.

Protesters also chanted slogans urging the Armenian authorities to stop killing of Azerbaijani civilians and children.

Next day, Azerbaijanis held a protest in front of the UN headquarters in New York. During the protest, organized by the permanent mission of Azerbaijan to the UN, the participants were holding banners with photos of murdered Zahra and chanted slogans condemning Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan. The participants of the protest also disseminated among local residents leaflets providing information about Armenian aggression.

Moreover several protest actions were held in Germany. Members of the Cultural Center of Azerbaijanis of Munich and the Bavarian Federation of Turkish Societies gathered in the centre of Munich and strongly condemned Armenia’s aggressive policy against Azerbaijan and killing of its civilian population.

Heads of the Cultural Center of Azerbaijanis of Munich and the Bavarian Federation of Turkish Societies Sattar Karimov and Mahir Zeytinoglu urged countries of the world and international organizations to harshly respond to the aggressive policy of Armenia. The protest was widely covered in German newspapers.

Another protest action was organized by the Azerbaijani House in Berlin in Brandenburg Gate square. The protestors stressed that a tragic killing of two Azerbaijani civilians is the crime perpetrated against the humanity.

“The only way to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region is liberation of Azerbaijan’s lands from the occupation,” they noted.

The third protest in Germany was held in the city of Hanover. The protest was attended by Azerbaijanis living in the city.

At the protest, organized by the Germany-Azerbaijan friendship group and "Khazar" society, Azerbaijanis living in Hanover voiced slogans condemning the aggressive policy of Armenia.

On July 9, Azerbaijanis held another protest in front of the Armenian Embassy in Germany. The protesters noted that this Armenian provocation reflects the aggressive and terrorist essence of the Armenian state.

Then, in protest against killings of Azerbaijani civilians and children, the protesters put a doll at the front door of the Armenian Embassy. After that, Azerbaijanis put in the mailbox of the Embassy their claim to the authorities of Armenia.

After a week when shocking images showing the bloodied corpse of two-year-old Zahra Guliyeva flooded the airwaves, five battered, bruised and bloody dismembered dolls were strewn on the steps to the Armenian Embassy in Kensington.

Azerbaijanis living in Turkey also held a protest against the Armenian authorities. Thus, members of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Istanbul Society of Culture and Solidarity held a protest march in Istanbul.

However, Armenia still remains unpunished as no international organization has taken a serious action against the aggressor country. Exactly for this reason, twenty percent of Azerbaijani lands – Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions – still remain under Armenian occupation.

---

Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz