(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 5. The deportation process of Azerbaijanis took place both in the Russian Empire and Soviet times, Director of the Heydar Aliyev Eurasian Studies Center at Ibn Haldun University, Türkiye, Professor Yaşar Sarı said at the 3rd international conference on "Cultural heritage and the right of return: restoration of the cultural heritage of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia as a path to justice, reconciliation, and peace" organized by the Western Azerbaijan Community today, Trend reports.

The academic highlighted that the initial phases of forced relocations, during which Azerbaijani populations were systematically removed from their ancestral territories, transpired between 1905 and 1906, subsequently from 1918 through 1920, again from 1948 through 1953, and finally from 1987 through 1994.

"Western Azerbaijanis were completely removed from their historical lands. In this way, the demographic structure was radically changed. Therefore, historical injustice was committed against Western Azerbaijan," he explained.

Sarı pointed out the importance of focusing on the legal documents that emphasize the right of these people to return to their homeland.

Since 1988, numerous Azerbaijani cultural monuments in present-day Armenia have been destroyed, vandalized, or had their authenticity altered. Over 300 mosques, including the Damirbulag Mosque, have been lost or compromised, while more than 500 cemeteries have been desecrated. Key historical sites like the Irevan fortress and Sardar mosque have also been demolished. Azerbaijan claims this destruction is state-sponsored, aimed at erasing its cultural presence. International organizations have acknowledged the situation and have called for a fact-finding mission by UNESCO, though this has yet to materialize due to disagreement between the involved parties.

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