SRC reveals results of new survey

A survey conducted by the Social Research Center (SRC) among Western Azerbaijanis found that 93.1% of respondents stated they were forced to leave their homelands. These findings confirm the ethnic cleansing by the Armenian government and highlight that Azerbaijanis were forcibly displaced due to violence and threats. Only 0.7% of respondents reported that they moved voluntarily, and this figure specifically refers to the period before 1988. Moreover, 6.2% of the participants struggled to answer this question.

HAVE YOU LEFT YOUR HISTORICAL LANDS VOLUNTARILY OR FORCIBLY?
Voluntarily – 0.7%    Forcibly – 93.1%    Not sure – 6.2%

The survey results further confirm that the policy of targeted deportation and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis by the Armenian government reached its peak in 1988. The overwhelming majority of respondents (87.1%) indicated that they left their historical lands in that year. Meanwhile, 3.0% stated that they were forced to leave before 1960, and 9.9% left between 1960 and 1987.
The survey clearly demonstrates that 1988 marked the culmination of ethnic cleansing, violence, and mass displacement. Regardless of the geographical location of the areas they lived in, the majority of displaced individuals were forced to leave their lands, resulting in long-term changes to the ethnic and social structure of the region.

IN WHICH YEAR DID YOU LEAVE?
Before 1960 – 3.0%        Between 1960 and 1987– 9.9%        In 1988 – 87.1%

The survey was conducted between January 9 and 12, 2025, among over 1,000 people from Western Azerbaijan. The sample was formed based on the proportional distribution of the population across the historical regions and cities they once lived in. The data collection method used computer-assisted telephone interviews. The research was conducted on a voluntary basis with a guarantee of anonymity. Respondents were informed that the results would be used solely for research purposes in an aggregated form. Considering the number of respondents, the margin of error for the results is 3%, with a 95% confidence interval.