Soviet Sports: Russian fans in Baku are photographed and interrogated because of contacting with Armenian citizens
At the airport named after Heydar Aliyev in Baku, on passing the border, the Russian team fans are asked questions about their relation with Armenia and the citizens of that country, Russian portal "Soviet Sports" reports.
Portal correspondent witnessed the scene; one of the fans, the Muscovite Sergei N., having in his passport notes of his stay in Armenia, was sensu stricto questioned by the Azerbaijani border guard.
"For what purpose have you visited Armenia?" "What do you do?" "What did you do during your stay in Armenia?" "Do you have any relations in Armenia?" this was the incomplete list of questions that he had to reply to.
The fan was suggested to make shot there, at the checkpoint, after which he was released. The correspondent of "Soviet Sport" was also asked whether he had visited Armenia.
In May 2011, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published a report which stated that Azerbaijan, both at official level and through the media presents Armenia only in negative light, which leads to a negative perception of the Armenians, and that makes them vulnerable in regard of discrimination. "People of Armenian nationality every day risk to be discriminated. Some people that are born as a result of Armenian-Azerbaijani mixed marriages are forced to take the surname of their Azerbaijani parent in order to avoid problems in case of contacts with the authorities," the statement said.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan discriminated against not only Armenians, but also as a person or related to Armenia and Armenians. Thus, in the report presented to the European Parliament the of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), was noted that many Armenians had left Azerbaijan after the Karabakh conflict started, and speeches, filled with hatred against the Armenians, are common to the media of the republic. The report notes that even civil society groups in Azerbaijan, trying to reconcile Armenians and Azerbaijanis, are subjected to violence and intimidation. Armenians and others from the apparent Armenian descent, for example, those whose surnames end in "-yan", are not allowed entry to Azerbaijan.