Federal Lezghi
National and Cultural Autonomy

New Azeri law on surnames

One more step towards assimilation

 

The Commission on names and surnames of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences recommended to the Cabinet of Ministers to standardize surnames’ endings all over Azerbaijan.

The law violates the right of people to decide on their own how to surname their children as it forces them to adhere to the rules established by this law.

Representatives of indigenous peoples of Azerbaijan express concern due to this legislative initiative. Striving to preserve the identity of the title nation of Azerbaijan, the government ignores the similar interests of the other ethnicities of the country. Changing of surnames in accord with Azeri-Turks model accelerates the process of erasing national identity and assimilation of indigenous minorities. Moreover, representatives of ethnic minorities of Azerbaijan with such surnames will be perceived as ethnic Azerbaijanis.

This law demonstrates again their desire to assimilate ethnic minorities through the standardization of surnames, thus to expediting the process of their assimilation.

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