POLITICS
A group of Azerbaijani NGO representatives sends Open Letter to Mayor of New York

A group of Azerbaijani NGO representatives has addressed an Open Letter to New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani regarding remarks he made on the X platform that they described as far from the truth concerning the so-called Armenian genocide of 1915, as well as Azerbaijan’s efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty between 2020 and 2023.

AZERTAC presents the full text of the appeal:

“We—a group of civil society representatives from Azerbaijan—consider your statements on the X platform regarding the so-called Armenian genocide of 1915, as well as Azerbaijan’s efforts to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty in 2020–2023, which are far from reality, to be unacceptable. Unfortunately, in line with the spirit of the Biden-Blinken era, you have hurt the feelings of millions of people with this political statement, which is incompatible with your mandate as the Mayor of New York City.

We consider the views you expressed against Azerbaijan and Türkiye, based on one-sided information from Armenian lobby groups and part of the Armenian community in New York, to be contrary to the peace process achieved through the mediation of U.S. President Donald Trump at the Washington Summit on August 8, 2025. This runs counter to the steps toward normalization with Armenia. A certain part of the Armenian diaspora living far beyond the region and outside the borders of Armenia, including the Armenian diaspora in the U.S., is trying to hinder these peace efforts. With this statement, you have effectively defended the destructive agenda of revanchist forces.

It is possible that you have been misinformed. Today, the South Caucasus is turning a heavy, bloody page of history and expanding opportunities and prospects for peace and secure coexistence. There is peace in the region today, and we call on you to support that peace. A new era is opening in the history of the Azerbaijani and Armenian peoples. We regret that certain Armenian diaspora circles support war rather than peace and are misleading U.S. politicians in the wrong direction.

If the protection of human rights and the commemoration of historical tragedies truly hold significant value, then the tragedies inflicted upon the Azerbaijani people by Armenia—the 1992 Khojaly Genocide, the historical, religious, and cultural monuments destroyed by Armenian armed forces in Garabagh and East Zangezur during the occupation, and urbicide—must not be forgotten. Even today, peaceful Azerbaijanis continue to lose their lives or become disabled by landmines previously planted in Garabagh and East Zangezur by Armenian armed forces. For decades, hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis were deprived of their fundamental rights—the rights to security, property, and return to their native lands.

We believe that the statements of an influential official such as yourself should not be based solely on the position of one side; on the contrary, they should reflect the realities. Unfortunately, your statement did not mention the fate and years of suffering of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons (IDPs). We believe that a broader and more independent review of the information will lead to a more accurate understanding of the events in the region and help distinguish between the occupier and the victim of occupation.

We can provide you with more extensive information on this subject and are ready to meet with you.

We would very much like New York not to be known only as a city of monuments and commemorative plaques for the fabricated Armenian genocide. As a Mayor who pays special attention to historical tragedies, you could erect a monument or commemorative plaque in New York regarding the 1992 Khojaly Genocide and organize the laying of flowers at this memorial by both Armenian and Azerbaijani communities every February 26.

We will continue to follow your statements closely.

Signed by:

1. Khatira Valiyeva – Member of the Board of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum

2. Vladimir Timoshenko – Retired Major General, Member of the Board of Veterans of War, Armed Forces, and Labor of the Republic of Azerbaijan

3. Novella Jafaroghlu - Chairwoman of the Dilara Aliyeva Azerbaijan Women's Rights Society

4. Saadat Bananyarli - Chairwoman of the "Azerbaijan National Unit of the International Human Rights Society" Public Union

5. Saltanat Gojamanli - Chairwoman of the "Protection of Human Rights and Legality" Public Union

6. Amir Aliyev – Chairman of the “Center for the Promotion of Human Rights” Public Union

7. Alimammad Nuriyev – Head of the “Constitution” Research Fund

8. Umud Rahimoghlu - Chairman of the International Eurasia Press Fund

9. Saadat Mammadova – Chairwoman of the "Enlightenment Media Center” Public Union

10. Rey Gasimov - Chairman of the “Association of Landmine Victims in Azerbaijan” Public Union

11. Hafiz Safikhanov - Chairman of the “Azerbaijan Campaign Against Landmines” Public Union

12. Konul Behbudova – Chairwoman of the “Karabakh Missing Families” Public Union

13. Fariz Khalilli – Chairman of the "Miras" Public Association for the Promotion of Cultural Heritage

14. Sevinj Alizade – Chairwoman of the “Victory” Support to Families of Martyrs Public Union

15. Tunzala Abdulalimova – Chairwoman of the “For the Motherland - Support to Families of Martyrs” Public Union

16. Jeyran Hasanova – Chairwoman of the “Support to Mothers of Martyrs” Public Union

17. Vugar Gadirov - Chairman of the “Youth Organization for Return and Revival” Public Union

18. Khalid Kazimov - Chairman of the Regional Human Rights and Media Center Public Union

19. Shalala Humbatova - Chairwoman of the “Makhaz” National Heritage Research Public Union

20. Dilgam Ahmad – Chairman of the “Chapar – Center for the Study of National Heritage” Public Union.”