28.02.2005 - Source: US Department of State

Ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan are eligible for Armenian citizenship ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004") [#29491],  [ID 3327]

"Ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan are eligible for citizenship upon request, and other ethnic Armenians can generally receive resident status and citizenship after a slightly longer process."

Document(s): Open document

01.07.2004 - Source: Caucasian Knot

Government decides on housing program for people deported from Azerbaijan in 1988-92; approved program for providing 3,470 refugee families with flats ("Armenia providing homes for refugees from Azerbaijan") [#23953],  [ID 3328]

Document(s): Open document

03.2004 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR-position on ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaidjan (German) ("UNHCR-Stellungnahme zur Schutzbedürftigkeit von Flüchtlingen armenischer Volkszugehörigkeit aus Aserbaidschan in Deutschland") [#20739],  [ID 3329]

Document(s): Open document

06.02.2004 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

UNHCR: number of refugees from Azerbaijan obtaining Armenian citizenship topped 65,000 by end of January 2004 ("Some 65,000 refugees from Azerbaijan gain Armenian citizenship") [#19271],  [ID 3330]

"In one of the largest naturalizations of refugees in recent decades, the number of refugees from Azerbaijan obtaining Armenian citizenship topped 65,000 by the end of January, 2004, the UN refugee agency reported today.

The naturalized refugees were among the 360,000 ethnic Armenians who arrived in Armenia from Azerbaijan from 1988 to 1993 as a result of the conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. With no resolution in sight for the Nagorno-Karabakh situation, the government and UNHCR have focused on helping refugees integrate locally in Armenia. Naturalization became an option for the refugees in 1995 with the enactment of a citizenship law which included special provisions to make naturalization much easier for refugees from Azerbaijan."

Document(s): Open document

16.09.2003 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Legal status Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan ("Background information; situation of ethnic minorities; groups possibly at risk: religious minorities, members of opposition, homosexuals, deserters") [#47207],  [ID 3331]

"93. Concerning the ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan who arrived in the country, from 1988 to 1992, they are not under the scope of the 1999 Law on Refugees over 52,000 persons have acquired the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia between 1999 and 2003 through a facilitated procedure under the 1995 Law on Citizenship. In December 2000, the National Assembly of Armenia passed the Law on Legal and Socio-Economic Guarantees for Refugees from Azerbaijan, which addressed a number of concerns the refugees had with regard to becoming Armenian citizens. Then again, in late 2002, the Law on the Transfer of Ownership of Cottages and Apartments built by International Donors was passed and is being implemented in 2003. This will greatly accelerate the process of refugees acquiring ownership of their shelter and further facilitate local integration.
94. There were no reports of the forced return of persons to a country where they feared persecution except for the report of the deportation of 4 Afghani asylum-seekers from the Airport in Yerevan in 2001."

Document(s): Open document

03.06.2003 - Source: ReliefWeb

Report on the humanitarian situation of ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan living in ther border region to Nagorno-Karabakh ("Waiting to go home: The plight of Nagorno-Karabakh's refugees (WFP)") [#13880],  [ID 3332]

Document(s): Open document

29.05.2003 - Source: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

The vast majority of ethnic Armenians who fled Azerbaijan during 1988-1993 is eligible for Armenian citizenship, faces no threat of forced return to Azerbaijan, and has largely integrated into Armenia ("World Refugee Survey 2003") [#12983],  [ID 3333]

"At the end of 2002, about 256,000 persons, virtually all ethnic Armenians who fled Azerbaijan during the 1988-93 war over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, were living in refugee-like circumstances in Armenia. Many have lived in dire socio-economic conditions for over a decade; however, the vast majority is eligible for Armenian citizenship, faces no threat of forced return to Azerbaijan, and has largely integrated into Armenia. The U.S. Committee for Refugees (USCR), therefore, considers them to be persons living in "refugee-like" circumstances, rather than refugees in need of protection."

Document(s): Open document
Open document

29.05.2003 - Source: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

The deadline for application to the government to obtain Armenian passports and citizenship papers extended to December 2003 ("World Refugee Survey 2003") [#12983],  [ID 3334]

"Under Article 10 of the 1995 Law on Citizenship,
as amended in March 2002, ethnic Armenians who are reg-
istered with the government as refugees from Azerbaijan
(hereinafter "Armenia refugees") may apply to the govern-
ment to obtain Armenian passports and citizenship pa-
pers. Citizenship is granted automatically to persons who
de-register as Armenia refugees. The March 2002 amend-
ment extended the deadline for application to December
2003.
The government completed regulations to imple-
ment the citizenship law in 1998. Since then, approximately
48,300 Armenia refugees have naturalized, including about
8,500 in 2002. This number, however, is less than 20 per-
cent of the refugee-like population who are eligible. The
majority of those eligible lives in abject poverty and relies
on humanitarian assistance from the government and non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), including the World
Food Program, UNICEF, U.S. Agency for International De-
velopment, and OXFAM. Many are reportedly hesitant to
naturalize because they feel that the benefits of citizenship
do not outweigh the loss of housing subsidies and other
assistance provided to Armenia refugees. Others reportedly
fear being conscripted into Armenia's military (from which
registered refugees are exempt).
In December 2000, the government adopted a law
providing certain guarantees for Armenian citizens who had
been forcibly displaced from Azerbaijan. The law would
help them with housing, community services, and compen-
sation for property left behind in Azerbaijan, should
Azerbaijan and Armenia achieve such a settlement.
During the year, the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees and NGOs helped families among the refugee-like
population who agreed to naturalize to move into 196 per-
manent apartments"

Document(s): Open document
Open document

28.11.2002 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

260,000 ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan live in Armenia ("8th European Country of Origin Information Seminar Vienna, 28 - 29 June 2002: Final Report - Armenia - co-funded by the EU Odysseus Programme") [#9877],  [ID 3336]

"At least nine different categories of displaced populations in Armenia, which are neither
definite nor official, can be determined. The biggest caseload certainly are 260,000
ethnic Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan, who arrived between 1988 and 1992. They
are mostly urban oriented people, from big cities like Baku or Sumgait and are often
well-educated. Many of them are more comfortable with speaking Russian than
Armenian, especially the older generation, aged about over 40 or 50. When somebody
speaks to them, first they start speaking in Armenian, but then normally switch to
Russian. The percentage of elderly among the refugee population is very high: 44% are
over 60 years old, which means also that they are particularly vulnerable because they
are economically not very active and may in many cases only rely on pension payments.
Almost all refugees from Azerbaijan were ethnic Armenians and were granted prima
facie refugee status upon arrival but, unlike ethnic Azeri refugees from Armenia in
Azerbaijan, not naturalised by the operation of law. The legal basis for the status of
these refugees is the definition of refugees as determined by the Law on Refugees of
1999. The definition of refugees contained in the law is identical with that of the 1951
Convention.
One interesting aspect about the Refugee Law is that it gives some preference or
affirmative action to ethnic Armenians. Although ethnic Armenians are not explicitly
mentioned, Art. 25 stipulates that "The provisions of this Law restricting the rights of
applicants for refugee status shall not apply to persons forcibly displaced to the Republic
of Armenia in 1988-1992."

Document(s): Arm-cois2002-rep.pdf

28.11.2002 - Source: Austrian Centre for Country of Origin and Asylum Research and Documentation

Refugees from Azerbaijan can obtain Armenian citizenship through a facilitated procedure where no approval is needed ("8th European Country of Origin Information Seminar Vienna, 28 - 29 June 2002: Final Report - Armenia - co-funded by the EU Odysseus Programme") [#9877],  [ID 3337]

"Refugees from Azerbaijan can obtain Armenian citizenship through a facilitated
procedure where no approval is needed; rather citizenship is simply granted to those
who apply for it. For various reasons the refugees from Azerbaijan are nonetheless reluctant to apply for Armenian citizenship. For one, many of them do not really see the
point of getting it because of their limited economic prospects. Given the dire overall
economic situation in Armenia they do not believe that the acquisition of citizenship
would significantly improve their socio-economic situation. Secondly, they think that by
keeping refugee status they can get more humanitarian assistance, which is a
misconception, as this support is more than limited. Especially now, after the crisis is
over, emergency aid has subsided and been replaced by a more inclusive approach, that
is rather development-oriented, not only targeted at refugees. Thirdly, they think that by
having refugee status they can migrate rather easily, which is again not true.
In fact, a massive protest was staged in front of the UN building in Yerevan when the
Law on Refugees was introduced in 1999. The protesters were demanding Convention
travel documents (CTD) thinking that with the CTD they could go everywhere they
wanted. When they found out that this was not the case they were rather disappointed.
Actually, it would have been better for them to have Armenian passports, which would
allow them to travel to Russia without a visa, whereas with the CTD they would need a
visa.
Still, they cling to these hopes and assume that it is better to wait for the situation to
miraculously improve, simply because even with citizenship many are unable to earn a
living. According to the official statistics, only 15 % of the refugees have naturalised. The
government has a policy of local integration of refugees and refugees have almost the
same rights as citizens including the right to vote in local elections. In fact, the only rights
they do not have are the right to vote in presidential and National Assembly elections
and the right to own land."

Document(s): Arm-cois2002-rep.pdf

14.06.2002 - Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Return of ethnic Armenian refugees: information on refugee status, citizenship, social and economic situation ("Auskunft an die Caritas: Ethnische Armenier aus Aserbaidschan") [#7461],  [ID 3339]

Document(s): hcr-aze0602.pdf