Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku, in Azeri
18 Nov 04

Azeri border guards deport Bulgarian journalist of Armenian descent

Presenter Azerbaijani border guards have barred a Bulgarian citizen
with an Armenian surname from entering the country. Eduard Papazyan,
who intended to visit Baku as a member of the Bulgarian national
football team, was sent back straight from the airport.

The leadership of the State Border Service explained that ethnic
Armenians are not allowed to enter the country due to possible acts
of sabotage in Azerbaijan.

Reporter over video of airport Ethnic Armenian journalist Eduard
Papazyan was among the fans that arrived in Baku on the same flight
as the Bulgarian national football team. The border guards detained
this person, who has an Armenian surname, during a passport check at
the border checkpoint at Bina airport. Eduard Papazyan was deported
following an investigation in line with the regulations.

Despite the journalist’s protests, the State Border Service assesses
the move to bar Eduard Papazyan from entering the country as quite a
natural event. The press service of the State Border Service told ATV
that the major reason is that there are no guarantees for the
security of these people. Apart from this, the press service stressed
that state bodies thought it advisable not to allow ethnic Armenians
to enter the country, taking account of the fact that they might
commit acts of sabotage in Azerbaijan.