01/07/2022
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What’s going on:
· On December 23, 2021, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a request to Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., to change the “fake” Armenian names in Google maps to Azerbaijani names (https://www.mfa.gov.az/en/news/no52221).
· Azerbaijan’s request to Alphabet Inc./Google is an attempt to erase Armenians from one of the world’s most prominent digital mapping system. This is a form of cultural genocide.
· If Google complies with Azerbaijan’s request, other tech companies, such as Apple, will likely follow – erasing Armenian names from their maps.
Azerbaijan’s request may violate orders issued on December 7, 2020 by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Armenia v. Azerbaijan case. The orders require Azerbaijan to “take all necessary measures to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration affecting Armenian cultural heritage, including but not limited to churches and other places of worship, monuments, landmarks, cemeteries and artefacts.” https://www.icj-cij.org/public/files/case-related/180/180-20211207-PRE-01-00-EN.pdf.
· If Alphabet/Google changes the map names, it will be assisting Azerbaijan with violating international law and the ICJ orders.
What you can do:
· Tell Google to refuse to comply with Azerbaijan’s request! Sign this petition and share it widely: https://www.change.org/p/google-inc-stop-azerbaijan-from-erasing-armenian-cultural-heritage ~~LINK IN BIO