Alovsat Aliyev: Baku ignores the rights of migrants

 The government of Azerbaijan has set a quota for admission of migrant workers within the 11,970 people for 2012 year, and another 1,000 seats were set by the Cabinet of Minister of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR.)  However, in reality, the number of migrant workers is much greater, said  at today's round table conference on the occasion of the International Day , Alovsat Aliyev , the  head of Center for Migration.

According to him, the real statistics in this field is hidden. In particular, the Inspectorate

Ministry of Labor and the State Migration Service(SMS) , identifying the 200-300 migrant workers, penalizes employers as a single violation.

Employers prefer not to receive authorization for foreign workers,  in order not to make the relevant payments to the state. The absence of formal contracts leads to violations of the rights of migrants. On the other hand, the SMS refused to legalize many of the migrants. According to Aliyev,  last year about 70,000 people appealed to the immigration department. But every four was rejected,  fined or deported.

  The SMS willingly penalizes migrants as a quarter of these funds come at  their  disposal. "Fines become a commercial activity of the migration service,"  said Aliyev.

Problems exist for other types of migrants. In particular, the  Azeris fleeing from political persecution in Iran, are virtually in  powerless position.

"I came here to escape political repression in Iran in 2005; then I was given a certificate of refugee and they promised to give  me a “road map’ in a year or two." Until now, I have not receive it yet. I can not go nowhere, even inside Azerbaijan; my movement is restricted.  There are many people like me. We can not even buy a mobile phone number or  marry. After five years stay in Azerbaijan, I applied for citizenship. But I refused. Courts also did not satisfy my complaint. Now the migration service in general, that we are not migrants, and have no right of residence in Azerbaijan after 5 years," said Nabi Sultanzade from Iran.

Not only Azerbaijanis from  Iran, but also those who left Georgia during the presidency of Zviad Gamsakhurdia, can not obtain Azerbaijani citizenship. At the same time, they own property, have a "registration" in the community, and serve in  the Azerbaijani army.

Taking part in the round table, head of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Dag Sigurdson noted that the refugee problem is always the focus of his meetings with Azerbaijani officials.

The meeting heard from cultural issues and migrant communities of Afghans, Chinese,  and Chechens.–06D-