SRC reveals results of new survey

During a press conference on January 8, 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, made the following statement: "We have never denied that during the Soviet era, Azerbaijanis lived in Armenia and left the country after the Soviet Union collapsed. Azerbaijanis departed from Armenia in a peaceful and orderly way without any forced displacement. Around 100 families sold their homes, more than 12,000 families exchanged residences with Armenians living in Azerbaijan, and over 160,000 people received compensation from the Armenian government."

However, just days prior to this statement, a speech by former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan from a meeting with members of the terrorist organization "Yerkrapa" on July 23, 1993, was made public. In his address, he acknowledged the policy of ethnic cleansing carried out against Azerbaijanis in Western Azerbaijan. This statement directly contradicts the claims made by the current Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The results of a sociological survey held by the Social Research Center (SRC) among Azerbaijanis from Western Azerbaijan revealed that the statements by the Armenian government and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are false. Their claims distort regional realities, and the assertion that Azerbaijanis left the territory of present-day Armenia voluntarily contradicts the facts. The survey findings suggest that ethnic cleansing policies were implemented against Azerbaijanis.

Considering the Minister’s statement, respondents were asked whether they had received any compensation from the Armenian government when they were to leave their historical lands. None of the respondents confirmed receiving compensation: 98.5% stated they had not received any payments, while 1.5% found it difficult to answer.

Thus, the survey results provide factual evidence refuting claims that over 160,000 Azerbaijanis supposedly received compensation from the Armenian government.

The survey's comprehensive results will be shared with the public.

The survey was conducted from January 9 to 12, 2025, among 1,000 Azerbaijanis from Western Azerbaijan. The sample was formed proportionally based on the population distribution in the historical regions and cities where they previously lived. Data collection was carried out using computer-assisted telephone interviews. Participation in the study was voluntary, with anonymity guaranteed. Respondents were informed that the results would be used exclusively for research purposes in an aggregated format. Based on the number of respondents, the margin of error for the results is 3% with a 95% confidence interval.

"Have you received any compensation from the Armenian government when moving from your historical lands?
Yes: 0%
No: 98.5%
Not sure: 1.5%"