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“70-80 percent of the Azerbaijani servicemen serving in the frontline are representatives of ethnic minorities. It can be stated that they are drafted to the army forcefully being immediately sent to the frontline. This is the reason why the majority of the killed soldiers are Talysh people, Tatars and Udis, as it can be inferred from their names,” member of Talish Cultural Council, participant of Talish freedom movement, reporter of “Tolishi Sado” newspaper Shahin Mirzoev, who fled to Armenia from Azerbaijan with his family, told the aforesaid to the reporters, Panorama.am reports.

He was taking part in the international conference titled “Breaking the Siege of Stepanakert: 25 years later” underway in Yerevan.

He noted that only some 20-30 percent of the Azerbaijani servicemen are so called locals, who call themselves Turks. They serve at warehouses or are cooks.

Asked whether they can reject to serve in the frontline, the participant of Talish freedom movement noted that in that case they would put their lives at risk. “They will be detained  at least. In addition to that, their entire family will face hardships. Currently I am in Armenia and there they have forced my 92-year old father to refuse from me,” he added.

Shahin Mirzoev said that he and his family are feeling fine in Armenia. He said that on the next day of their arrival his wife, who suffers from oncological disease, was hospitalized.

To note, Shahin Mirzoev has requested a temporary asylum from the Armenian authorities, as being a member of Talish Cultural Council, participant of Talish freedom movement, reporter of “Tolishi Sado” newspaper he was obliged to flee from Azerbaijan due to the persecutions against ethnic and religious minorities and gross violations of their rights. The Armenian authorities have reacted positively Shahin Mirzoev’s request.