Census of deportees from western Azerbaijan kicks off

The census of Azerbaijanis deported from western Azerbaijan (modern-day Armenia) has kicked off, Spokesperson for the Western Azerbaijani Community Ulviyya Zulfugar has said.

She said that the process is primarily carried out in relation to those, who were deported in 1988-1991, noting that the majority of them are alive. They have identity cards (passports), as well as documents proving that they studied in the Armenian SSR and had properties there.

She added that Azerbaijan started the process from this period since it is the most recent one in order to speed up the census.

"Out of 300 settlements, where Azerbaijanis lived at that time, a census has been conducted in more than 150 settlements, and work in this direction keeps going," she added.

The spokesperson also stressed that Azerbaijanis, who were deported during previous waves of deportation (1905, 1918-1920, 1948-1953) are also registered.

"But for now, the main focus is directed to the deportations that occurred in 1988-1991. As soon as this process is completed, we will start registering victims of deportations that occurred in previous years as well as their heirs," she noted.