YEREVAN. – The Armenian State Migration Agency has not yet received a petition from the Azerbaijani family with a request to seek asylum in Armenia.  

Agency Head Gagik Yeganyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that if a person faces the danger of harassment or persecution at his, or her, country of residence and petitions to Armenia, the latter, based on the Geneva Convention and the Armenian Law on Refugees, can protect that person from possible persecution by granting asylum.    

Yeganyan explained, however, that there is a special procedure for granting asylum. If all the respective requirements are met, the person is granted asylum and a refugee status; but if not, the person’s petition is denied.    

The Armenian State Migration Agency head said there were several other cases when Azerbaijani families had petitioned to Armenia with a request to be granted political asylum.

Gagik Yeganyan added that, ever since 2000, they have received about 3,000 petitions with a request to be granted political asylum.   

As reported earlier, Armenia’s National Security Service has confirmed media reports about an Azerbaijani family seeking asylum in Armenia.

Resident of Baku Javid Orujev (born in 1976), his wife and three children on Wednesday applied to the Armenian side, at Bagratashen checkpoint at Armenia-Georgia border, seeking asylum for his family.

The Azerbaijani citizen explained his decision by the persecution against him in his homeland. In particular, Orujev said the pressure of the special services followed his marriage to Roya Mirzoyeva (born in 1983) having Armenian roots. Failing to stand the pressure, Orujev was forced to agree to collaborate with the Azerbaijani special services and inform them about Armenian news received by his wife’s relatives from Armenia and the Diaspora.

Realizing the threat, Orujev made an unsuccessful attempt at settling in a European country. But the special services increased the pressure, and he was deported to Baku. Finding himself in a desperate situation, Orujev decided to seek asylum in Armenia.

The UN Yerevan office and State Migration Service of Armenia are dealing with the matter.