Bloomberg Photojournalist Deported from Baku

YEREVAN, BAKU (Combined Sources)—Photojournalist Diana Markosian, who works for the Bloomberg News Agency, was deported from Baku for being Armenian when she arrived there on assignment from Istanbul.

“I’m very surprised over the incident,” Markosian said in a telephone interview with the Azeri Turan news agency. “For three weeks, we’ve been negotiating with the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry requesting to allow me entrance to Baku. A person in charge asked for 10 days to settle the formalities. He further requested a number of documents including an official letter from Bloomberg, all which were provided.”

“Upon receiving a verbal confirmation allowing my arrival, I traveled to Baku airport, where I was refused entrance because of my Armenian origin, although I’ve never been to Armenia. The Foreign Ministry representative said he’s unable to help me. I would understand it, but why promise something you can’t deliver?” added Markosian.

“Markosian has dual U.S. and Russian citizenship. She came to Baku with her Russian passport. Her documents are all in order,” Emin Huseynov, the director of the Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, said.

Elkhan Polukhov, the head of the press office for the Azeri Foreign Ministry, said that Markosian did not have accreditation.

Polukhov said the Bloomberg agency had applied to the foreign ministry earlier this month regarding its plans to conduct economic reporting in Azerbaijan. The request was approved.

“Two weeks ago the agency sent a letter of response informing that U.S.-Russian citizen of Armenian descent Diana Markosian would accompany the correspondent as a photographer during the visit to Baku,” said Polukhov.

“Bloomberg management was informed that Azerbaijan is at war with Armenia; 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territory was being occupied by Armenia; and about one million Azerbaijani people turned into refugees and internally displaced persons. For this reason, there will be problems to provide security for Armenian Diana Markosian,” said Polukhov. “We asked the agency to send another photographer instead of Markosian.”

Photos taken by Markosian have been published in newspapers such as the New York Times, Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post.

On April 18, Swedish journalists Charlie Laprevote, My Rohwedder Street, and Charlotta Wijkstrom were detained and deported from Baku, having come there to film a documentary about freedom of expression.

27 Comments

  1. One should be an Azerbaijani idiot to take into account not the citizenship but the ethnicity of a person and refuse professional accreditation based on ethnic factor.

  2. Being a photo-journalist,Diana, could have easily been arrested and detained  by the mentally defective Azeri authorities and charged, as an ,Armenian agent on a mission to photograph secret Azeri military installations. She, should consider herself fortunate for being let go. Remember,not long ago when a young Armenian farmer was kidnapped by Azeris then hauled off to torture chamber where he was charged for spying for Armenia,then tortured to death? Just word of caution, Armenia, should steer clear from upcoming 2012 Eurovision contest, which will take place in ,Baku.  

  3. I wonder how they will treat those Armenians who live in Artsakh, if they become under the rule of Sultan alioff !!!These turkic tribes are worse than Ottoman’s Turks!!

  4. Why does it seem that she is happy that she has never been to Armenia? It’s like she is white-washing her Armenianess and telling the world “Hey, I am not Armenian, by choice.” It’s a disappointing fact that has really encapsulated this and this past Armenian generation.

    That sound byte should make Diaspora organizations wake up and start thinking of new ways to bring Armenians into our community instead of Genocide, genocide, genocide!

    We are a selfish culture and we can learn a lot from other Diasporas here in America, most notably Jewish, Greek and Korean as to how to keep people both American and Armenian.

    And Yes I have been trying to get projects in front of both the AGBU and ARF to no avail. 

    DISAPPOINTING!

  5. Mark B,
    What makes you think she sounded like she was happy never been to Armenia. The point that was being made is that the Azeri authorities had issues simply because she is of Armenian heritage. She is not from the Republic of Armenia and therefore had nothing to do with the Karabagh war. Any Armenian anywhere in the world is viewed with suspicion by the Azeri authorities. It’s a racist reaction and that’s issue that’s highlighted by her case. You’re reading into this, and overreacting.

  6. If I were an Azeri immigration official and read forums like this one, I too would not allow an Armenian to come to our country. Why talk non-sense, guys? We are at war. She is likely to have a bias when she covers our economy for Bloomberg. As for why she never bothered to visit Armenia for her job, well, the reason is simple: there is no economy in Armenia. It is just a system based on diaspora handouts from Russia and America.

    Also, for those here posting racist comments about Azerbaijan being Central Asian … The charge is so childishly outdated and that is laughable even if it is nasy to the core. Did you know that in modern times being from Central Asia is not some kind of a crime? And if being Asian was such a bad deal, did you know know that 100% of Armenia today is in Asia? Grow up.

  7. Gago, really? Do you really think that a country has no reason to bar entry to a member of a nation which has caused it to have 1 million refuges and occipying 25% of its land? Really? Before your charge others of idiocity, please bother to think first, if you can.

  8. If I were an Azeri immigration official and read forums like this one, Sorry, complainant, but your azeri immigration officials do not speak English, 80% of your population is extremely illiterate and destitute, instead of spending excessive money on its military, you should spend on education, your country lacks the rule of law, while the anti-armenian fascism is getting sky high as we speak.

    You can always see that azeris are screaming and yelling, and literally running amuck in the aisles: “20%, , now 25%, one million, …” as their sultan stands at a distance with grazy look in his eyes and cheesy smile on his face. 
    Grish Begian, you are not living in a fantasy world, are not you? Mssion impossible.

  9. Pasha:

    re:  “We are at war.”
    No, not really: a cease fire was asked for by your previous Sultan  Haydar Aliev, father of present Sultan Ilham Aliev,  in 1994.
    The  war was started by Azeris with the purpose of exterminating Artsakh’s 200,000 original-inhabitant Armenians in 1989, which Azeris lost and ceasefire signed in 1994.
    Although Azeris have continued violating the ceasefire since then, and kept killing Armenian soldiers and murdering Armenian civilians. So maybe you’re right: Azeris are still at war.
     
     
    On Economy: and what is Azerbaijan’s economy based on ? the fact that you happen to be sitting  on top of hydrocarbon deposits ?
    What exactly have ‘Azeri’ people done other than live off the oil they pump from the ground ?
    An oil industry that was originally developed by Armenians in Baku, BTW.
     
     
    On ‘occupation’, ‘25%’, ’1 million’: it is amazing how numbers just keep going up. Pretty soon it will be ‘50% occupied’, ‘2 million refugees’, and then some day it will be ‘100%, 8 million’. The official propaganda figure from Azeri  Gov was  ‘20%’, now it is ‘25%’ as per Pasha. The actual number that Armenians liberated outside of Nagorno-Karabagh is 13%.
    And does not include portions of Shahumyan and Martuni regions that Azeri invaders currently occupy.
     
    The real numbers of IDP/’refugees’ are as follows:
    IDPs: 586,000 which includes about 230,000 children born to the original IDPs since 1994 ceasefire (source: iDMC as of Dec 2010). And who is responsible ? Azerbaijan. Azeris started the killing and shed First Blood. Aliev has chosen to spend US$ 3 Billion annually buying offensive weapons of war, instead of housing his IDPs.
     
     
    And Armenians are not, quote, ‘occupying’ anything: Armenians liberated historic Armenian lands from invaders who had previously  invaded from Altai Mountains regions and the  Mongolian Steppes – Central Asia – and had exterminated and ethnically cleansed the native Armenians.
     

  10.  
    Hovo, quit wishful-thinking. Azerbaijan is neither illiterate nor destitute. Don’t take my word for it. Check any international statistics (e.g., IMF, World Bank, UN, etc). Azerbaijan is way ahead of Armenian in all indicators. Among other things, the country has been commended for diversifying its economy, and not solely relying on oil, but using it instead as an economic development catalyst. Just go and sample the major international companies’ web site. A much much larger portion of them have offices in Azb than Armenia. I know it is a tough fact to accept for you guys, but Azerbaijan is leaving Armenia in the dust as it develops. And, don’t worry, we will not start a war just yet. We will continue for 10 more years. By then Armenia will be a desolate country, with everyone having emigrated out due to poor economy. Did you know that in 1990s Armenia had nearly 4 million people. Now, there is about 2.5 million. There is a critical mass below which a country cannot sustain itself. And you are rapidly approaching that limit. Time is on our side. We will just wait you out. And then all of you can sit in Sunny California and frosty Moscow, and rhapsodize Armenian greatness.

  11. Aazeriu:  Seems like you still have not taken a look in a mirror.  I’m worried about you.  Why do you fantasize about the demise of Armenia?  Is your pan-Turanic dream driving you so crazy that you want to destroy every last Armenian?  Can you not imagine living as peaceful neighbors?  Why the propaganda about being victims of Armenians who simply defended themselves against your countrymen’s aggression.  And why the weird new spelling of your name?

    Get your eyes checked.  You have a serious blindspot.  If your eyes check out fine, you may need to have your head examined because the problem might be brain-based.  Also, paranoia and over-aggressiveness sometimes signal a brain injury.  This advice is free of charge as a kindness to my Azeri neighbor.

  12. Aazeriu:     You wish it could be that simple as you describe. But, hey, we are creative Armenians, not consumerist backward Turko-Azeris. If we managed to be on the map throughout the 5000-year time period and survive annihilation and massacres by the savage Turks in Western Armenia and their likewise savage brethren Azeris in Sumgait, Baku, Shahumian, and Maragha, there is a solid hope that we will overcome the difficulties ahead. We have much more historical experience in surviving as a nation than tribes of Caucasus Tatars who only in the 20th century formed a state under the stolen name of Azerbaijan.

  13. If you all believe that Armenia is sooo perfect that you even dare to try and make comparisons, then answer one very simple question…Why is their a literal exodus of Armenian citizens of about 6,000/month (many of them coming to Turkey [mostly illegally] to work and live)? In late January, Sec. of State Clinton congratulated Turkey for having her economy ranked 15th in the world (she’s a member of the G-20)! Last I looked, Armenia’s economy was ranked 86th in the world! Azerbaijan has a vast oil reserve and production. Think about these before you make any further statements!

  14. When I was in Karabakh a few weeks ago , a young professional in Stepanakert gave us a tour and referred to Azerbaijan as an “artificial republic” . This , was of course in reference to the limited history of nationhood, the ethnic make up and the superficial nature of the geo-political structure. I thought was an excellent descriptor and the comments of some of the pro-Azeri posters only re-enforces that perception.
    I continue to be amazed at the manipulation of history in order to justify the present. This area going back to 1918-20 has always had a hostile view of Armenians. The aggression by the Azeris has always been the same… destroy and pillage. In 1989-1994 , the Azeris found out that they carried out their policies once too often. The only time Artsakh was with Azeris is when it it was stolen with the evil help of Stalin. Even the population fluctuations over the last 100 years are “artificial” based on political realignment.
    One final thing. When I was traveling north through Martakert region, we passed by Aghdam. There is a large Azeri cemetery there. I was impressed and proud of the fact that despite  the gross discrimination and oppression they have been subjected to, the Armenians have honored this final resting place with no damage…only respect. I wish that we could declare a similar behavior by the Azeris, but we all know what has happened in North Karabagh and Nakitchevan. Nothing shows the difference in the character of these neighbors than this example.

  15. Robert: You again.
     

    Have you no shame ?
    Did you not promise you’re never coming back to ArmenianWeekly ?
    Turks are supposedly ‘proud’ people: what happened to your alleged Turkish pride ?
    Why are you still here ?
    Despite your exhibited hatred of Armenians, you secretly admire us and want to be one of us – don’t you ? (why else would you keep coming back to our home ?)

    NOTE: in case you haven’t figured it out by now, until you apologize to ArmenianWeekly and to its Editor for calling him nasty names, I and others will keep reminding you (…and all your pseudonyms) of what kind of person you are: there is no name you can hide under. Do the right thing and apologize.
     

  16. Avery,

    Without Turks comment here , AW would be sooooo  boring …

    You want to try?   OK!

    I AM CALLING FOR TURKS NOT TO COMMENT HERE FOR  AT LEAST 2 WEEKS…

  17. Not at all, Necati.  In many other threads Armenians were debating with Armenians, and guess what?  These debates produced most commented articles.  Check the column “Most Commented” on the right .

  18. Necati: why only 2 weeks ? how about  2 years ? Why don’t you, Necati Genis, promise never to come back to AW ?

    One of your Turk friends, ‘Robert’, insulted ArmenianWeekly and its Editor, and as a parting gift promised  never to come back some time ago.
    Guess what ? he couldn’t stay away: he even started posting under different names: we detected and outed him. Shamed him. He still can’t stay away.
     
    Fact is, most Turks and Azeris that post here come here to spread their Anti-Armenian hate and propaganda, and disinformation.
    Myself and others have no choice but counter and set the record straight: it’s like going to the dentist – no fun, but gotta do it.
     
     
    Armenians have lived on this Earth for 1000s of years without the company of Turks and Azeris – very happily.
    Your ancestors’ arrival has been nothing but a nightmare for Armenians: I wish all you guys would just go away and leave us alone.
    We’ll do just fine – thank you.
     

  19. Why am I not surprised?  The Azeris are like notorious wife beaters who are afraid of their shadow when their husky father-in-law or their husky brother-in-law comes to visit them.

    Dear Boyajian, Your answer to Aazeriu is stupendous!

    Dear Grish, You are on target! Tatars of the newly stolen name Azeris have the same backward mentality as the Turks used to be 100 years ago at the times of the Armenian Genocide.  They are as backward as that with a great deal of hatred in their hearts and in their warped being as one can imagine.  That’s exactly why Artsakh was thankfully liberated so that the Artsakhtsi Armenians could saue their skin; otherwise each and every one of them would be atrociously massacred like all the Armenians in Baku, Sumg

  20. Why am I not surprised.  The Azeris are like a notorius wifebeater who is scared in his pants when his husky father-in-law or brother-in-law comes to visit their home.

    Boyajian jan, Your justified answers to Aazeriu is stupendous!

    Dear Grish, You are on target on your last sentence!  Today’s so called Azeri Tatars are as barbaric and backward in nature as the Turks were 100 years ago during the Armenian Genocide.  That’s why Artsakh can never ever be united with those man eating Tatars.  They will go to every Armenian house and eat the Armenian people alive like they did in Baku, Sumgeit and Shahumian.

  21. Thanks for your kind words, Seervart.  Trying to keep a sense of humor when your blood is boiling is a challenge.  Aazeriu is spreading so much disinformation it is frightening.  Can’t let them do it!  Thanks to you and other Armenians here who always set them straight. 

  22. What dark fantasies these Azeris have!  Anyway, they outnumber us 3 to 1, they have unlimited monetary resources, and their older brothers next door outnumber us almost 30 to 1.  Economic blockades, pogroms, spending hundreds of millions lobbying the halls of Brussels and Washington, and still they somehow can’t get the better of Armenia!  According to you Azeris, we have no economy, our people are leaving the country, our military is worthless, blah blah blah, yet your backwards nation and its big brother for 20 years has been powerless to do anything.  You live and breath hatred towards us, and you can’t even take a crap without comparing how great your crap was compared to the Armenian.  You are living on borrowed time.  In 20 years the oil will be almost gone, then what will you do as you watch your skyscrapers empty out and stand abandoned?

  23. Dear Boyajian, I am thankful to God for having been born Armenian.  It is frightening how these Azeris go on fabricating lies as they go along.  Just like Phantom said, in another 20 years when their oil will diminish then where will they be?  If left alone, I mean if Russia wasn’t in the region both the Azeris and their big brother won’t leave us to be in existence; but Russia is in the region.  Otherwise, if the Genocide didn’t happen, we would’ve been around 45 Million and Western Armenia, Nakhichevan, Armenia and Artsakh would’ve been ours and we would have been a much more powerful nation.  Nevertheless, we have to look forward now for what we do have.

  24. Oh look you guys.. we have the stooges here among us again.. oh happy happy joy joy… RObert, Necati, Pasha, and Aaaaaaaaaaaa zeriu…. now this one was just a hoot to read… laughed so loud that i got teary….oh oh oh… bu what took the beef was when Necati said without them it will be BORING…LOL oh my LORD JESUS CHRIST.. help me from rolling on the floor.. and he has the balls (shriveled balls that is) to say that AW should apologize??? Apologize to HIM? lol Comedy all together but then again what to expect from such clowns.. they are embarassing themselves from left to right.. if I were you …..Necati, Robert, Pasha (why would you post under such aweful name) i would go and kiss your govt’ officials forehead to say thank you for producing people such as yourselves… you know why? because there is nothing you people contribute to us but to entertain with your stupidity, arrogance, ignorance and but most importantly just lack of conscious and knowledge… how can one be sooooo overshowed by their own stupidity to embarass themselves like this.. wow you guys.. and i thought there is hope for people like you.. but maybe i was wrong… ….

    May God be with you and hope that instead of spreading hate and falsified information, you can start thinking how to be a human being first…

    Gayane

  25. Boyajian- loved loved loved it..lol

    Avery jan- as always i can count on you to remind Robert about his promise…:) shat apres…

    Stepan- THANK YOU for absolutely summing up the PERFECT word for Azerbajian….ARTIFICAL REPUBLIC.. EXACTLY…

    Gor jan- lav es grel.. apres…

    Seervart jan- always a pleasure to read your posts..:)

    but you guysssssssssss… i am soooooooooooooooo bummmmedd… apparently we are boring or will get bored amongs ourselves…… oh my.. oh my.. what to do.. what to do….but yes … yes.. you know who came up with that analysis??? the world’s unknown and the world’s least qualified mental doctor… NECATI…. so it HAS TO BE right… oh my oh my….i have to reevaluate myself and see what Ican do to not get bored with my fellow Armenians… have to figure out what to say and what to communicate with my fellow ARmenians… aghhhh.. let me really really think about it….

    Ok i am over it.. :)

    Moving on…

    Gayane

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