On removal of the name of Maria Nemtsova, citizen of Russian Federation, a member of “Music for Peace” project from the “List of foreign citizens illegally visited to the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan”

A citizen of the Russian Federation, a member of the "Music for Peace" project, musician Maria Nemtsova, addressed a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking for removal of her name from the “List of foreign citizens illegally visited to the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan”, Axar.az informs citing Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

In her letter, Maria Nemtsova noted that she traveled to Nagorno-Karabakh within the framework of the "Music for Peace" project in 2015 and was unaware of prohibition of traveling to that area without the consent of the Government of Azerbaijan, as well as the consequences of this visit. She underlined that this visit shall not give a meaning of disrespect for Republic of Azerbaijan and its people.

Maria Nemtsova reaffirming her full respect to the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan expressed her apology to the Government and People of Azerbaijan for an unauthorized visit to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

She also, noted that as a result of the conflict, more than one million Azerbaijanis have become refugees and internally displaced people and more than 20,000 people have lost their lives.

In this context, Maria Nemtsova expressed the intention of the "Music for Peace" project to visit to Baku, especially to Jojug Marjanli village in order to organize master classes and perform charity concert programs for Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced people.

Appeal by Maria Nemtsova was considered and the decision was made to remove her name from the list.