Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Baku has strongly condemned the beating of two Azerbaijani citizens in France's National Assembly by Armenians, with the Foreign Ministry issuing a statement condemning the attack.

Responding to the reports about the incident, the ministry expressed hope that relevant French authorities would take due action and that the law enforcement agencies would promptly investigate the crime and bring the culprits to justice.

On February 26, head of the House of Azerbaijan in Paris Mirvari Fataliyeva and Vusal Huseynov were beaten by representatives of the Armenian community of the French National Assembly during an event titled '25 years after Sumgayit: the present situation and future prospects for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh', organized by the Armenian community in France.

Both Fataliyeva and Huseynov, who live in France, joined the event to inform the participants about the Khojaly genocide committed by Armenians against Azerbaijani civilians on that day in 1992 and began chanting appropriate slogans. However, their slogans were met with threats.

The event participants, after closing the doors of the hall, brutally beat the Azerbaijanis. The incident occurred in the presence of several members of the French parliament and none of them took any preventive action.

Police officers and doctors arrived at the scene. Huseynov was seriously injured while trying to protect his fellow citizen from being beaten. His internal organs were injured and his rib was broken.

The Foreign Ministry stated that the violence against the Azerbaijani citizens committed by the Armenian lobby abroad and its instigators once again confirms that the efforts made by the Azerbaijani side to inform the world community about the realities of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict causes their concern.

Despite these acts of violence, Azerbaijan's diplomatic mission abroad and diaspora organizations will continue the work on bringing the message of truth about the atrocities committed by Armenia against the Azerbaijani people, the ministry said.

Besides, the Azerbaijani embassy sent a note of protest to the French Foreign Ministry over the incident.

According to the embassy, protest notes will also be handed to the French president and the National Assembly of the country.

"We strongly condemn this brutal, violent incident, carried out by Armenian Diaspora activists represented in the French parliament, a symbol of the country. We expect reasonable attitudes from the chairman of the French National Assembly and the French state. Moreover, we hope that such events will not reoccur in the future, the identity of those responsible will be determined and they will answer before the law," the embassy stated.

The embassy said it has already begun to hold meetings with representatives of the National Assembly and the French Foreign Ministry to discuss the beating of the two Azerbaijanis in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, a campaign on collection of signatures under a statement condemning the incident was launched at the National Assembly of France.

Azerbaijani Ambassador to France Elchin Amirbayov told Trend news agency that the collection of signatures was organized by Azerbaijan's friends in the Assembly.

"We are currently seeking an evaluation of the incident by both Parliament and the executive power," he said, noting that a medical examination of the victims has been completed and work is underway on drawing up a claim for launching criminal proceedings.

The diplomat said Azerbaijan will not restrain itself in assuring that those responsible are brought to book.

The embassy also expects an official response of the French Foreign Ministry in this regard. "I believe we will receive it tomorrow," he said.

Voicing her attitude toward the incident, French MP Nathalie Goulet said that the beating of the two Azerbaijanis in the National Assembly in Paris contradicts the principles of morale and democracy. Goulet believes that the incident "demonstrates the real face and a low democratic level of the Armenian diaspora".

"Such kind of issues cannot be solved by rioters especially from the Diaspora in an official venue," Goulet said.

"I hope those responsible will be severely punished," she added.