Diaspora

Diaspora

Participant of Congress of World Azerbaijanis deported from Azerbaijan

13 July 2016 11:27 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Mubariz Aslanov – APA. Head of the Congress of Azerbaijanis in Ukraine’s Sumy region Mehriban Salmanova has been deported from Azerbaijan and banned from entering the country for a year.

Speaking to APA, Salmanova said that happened while she returned to Ukraine after participating in the 4th Congress of World Azerbaijanis in Baku on June 3-4.

The diaspora head noted that after the completion of the congress, to which she was invited by the Azerbaijani State Committee for Work with Diaspora, she visited her hometown Shaki, and when she came back to Ukraine she was informed by employees of the State Migration Service at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku that she violated the law and was fined AZN300.

Salmanova said that she was unaware of her violation of law and refused to pay the fine stating that she wasn’t warned by the relevant body. In such case, her entry into Azerbaijan was denied for a year.

The diapora head added that she appealed to Azerbaijan’s president and parliament in this regard.

“The State Committee for Work with Diaspora invited me to the country from June 2 to 5. However, I wanted to stay until June 12 in my homeland where I haven’t been to for a long time. I was not informed that I should register for staying in the country for more than three days. I appealed to the State Committee department in Ukraine in this regard, but received no response,” she said.

The press service of the State Committee for Work with Diaspora told APA that they have information about what happened.

“We are, of course, disappointed by this. However, everyone must honor the legislation of Azerbaijan. According to the requirements of the Migration Code, foreigners and stateless persons temporarily staying in Azerbaijan for a period of more than three days should get registered upon place of stay. The congress participants were informed in this regard. Azerbaijan’s relevant state authorities are regularly carrying out awareness raising activities. We’d like to help the diaspora member, but no one, no government agency has right to go beyond the requirements of the Azerbaijani legislation. We believe that each of our compatriots will understand it. Salmanova appealed to the State Committee and this appeal is being considered under the legislation. Consultations will be conducted with other relevant government agencies and appropriate assistance will be rendered if legislation allows,” said the State Committee.