The Azerbaijani community in the State of California has launched an electronic petition against the so-called “Azerbaijan Democracy Act of 2015” introduced at the U.S. Congress by Congressman Christopher Smith.

The petition says that the bill "if passed and enacted, will inflict a tremendous damage on one of the most important friendships the U.S. has in the world, namely the long-lasting friendship with the Republic of Azerbaijan, which is a secular nation in the Caspian region and an exemplary model for interfaith tolerance and harmony".

"Congressman Smith has introduced this bill primarily at the behest of the well-financed Armenian lobby, which pursues only one goal: to damage Azerbaijan as much as possible. The reason behind Armenian lobby's pathological hatred and racism against Azerbaijan is quite clear: Armenia still holds a considerable part of Azerbaijan's territory under occupation after expelling 800,000 Azerbaijanis from these occupied lands. And advocating for Armenia's corrupt and abusive government, the Armenian lobby in America does its best to legitimize this illegal occupation and cover up the brutal ethnic cleansing, as well as damage Azerbaijan-U.S. strategic relationship. Therefore this bill is extremely biased and unfair towards Azerbaijan, which is one of the most valuable and reliable U.S. friends in a difficult neighborhood."

"Considering the tremendous value and importance of the U.S.-Azerbaijan friendship as well as the biased nature of this “Act” being heavily pushed by an ethnic special interest group, this bill should definitely be rejected," the bill says.

The Azerbaijani community urges the U.S. Congress "to vehemently reject the “Azerbaijan Democracy Act of 2015” that would damage first and foremost America’s own national interests".

The petition can be signed here https://www.change.org/p/reject-the-racist-anti-azerbaijani-bill-at-u-s-congress.