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The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Azerbaijan has offered the relatives of M. V. Ueldanov (Galustyan) --arrested in Baku for his Armenian origin --to understand the specificity of that country where “the Armenian origin makes his protection extremely difficult,”O. Dmitriev,the chief of the Consular Department of the Russian Embassy in Azerbaijan, said in anofficial answer,disseminated through social media,to the request of Ueldanov’s sister Marina Mirzoyan.

According to the letter, M. V. Ueldanov (Galustyan), a Russian citizen,is chargedunder Article 234.4.3 of the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan Republic. Quite common in that country, this article – “Illegal manufacturing, purchase, storage, transportation, transfer or selling of narcotics,psychotropic substancesin large amount” – is as a ruleapplied against oppositionists, youth activists, and people undesirable for the authorities.

Ueldanov-Galustyan is employed at “Do&Co”, an Austrian firm dealing with the organization of food on departure, and was on a business trip in Baku.

Ueldanov-Galustyan’s sisterinformed RusAm.info that “Do&Co” had sent him on a business trip to Formula-1 in Bakuon June 6, 2016, and he has not been in contact upon arrival.

She also said that Marat’s colleague Elena Makarenkowas also detained with him, and she has spent 15 days in isolation only because she knew Marat. Elena said that the Azerbaijani policemenhad told her that “it is necessary to know how to choose friends, and not to make friends with people of Armenian origin.”

Armenophobia in Azerbaijan is also evident by the fact that people with Armenian surnames or the surnames that are similar to Armenian ones are not allowed to enter the republic, and this is not the first scandalous case with citizens of other countries, who have Armenian origin. 

For example, a scandalous case recently happened with an 8-year-old citizen of the Russian Federation, Luka Vardanyan, who wanted to spend May holidays in Bakuwith his classmates. As a result, the boy and his mother were held in the airport for several hours and werenot allowed to enter the country.

In 2010 because of illegal actions of the "Aeroflot" representation of Azerbaijan the Armenian delegation was not able to leave Moscow to Baku for the 64th General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union.

In June 2011, a photojournalist of the Bloomberg agency, a citizen of the United States and Russia Diana Markosianwas deported from Baku to Istanbul because of her Armenian origin. MFA of Azerbaijan confirmed that the Armenian origin of the photojournalist of Bloomberg agency has served a reason for her deportation: "During her stay in Azerbaijan Markosian will face security problems because of her Armenian origin."

In July 2011, two players of Russian "Torpedo" club from Armavirwere deported from Azerbaijan immediately after arriving at the airport of Ganja.

In October 2011, representatives of “Azerbaijan Airlines” (AZAL), at the airport "Domodedovo" the representative of "AvtoVAZ" citizen of Russian federation Sergei Gyurjian was removed from Moscow - Baku flight, together with his Israeli colleague ShuhmaheraDemitra, the Director of “LADA International Limited”, who were involved in the delegation in Baku for committing a deal to import LADA cars to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

At the same time, the head of the press service of "Azerbaijani Railways" Nadir Azmammadovstated that "the entry of those having Armenia nationality, as well as citizens of other countries of Armenian origin is officially banned in Azerbaijan."

In December 2012, at the Baku airport, a Russian journalist from Kabardino-Balkaria, SufyanZhemukhova, was detained. The cause of the almost failed deportation was the name of the journalist - Sufyan that reminded the Azerbaijani border guards the ending of the Armenian surnames.

However, if earlier they were only expelled, now a criminal case has been initiated against “the Armenian guest.”