Igor Kuznetsov: Yazidis and Kurmanches in Krasnodar Territory receive Russian passports

The situation with the Yazidis and Kurmanches, living in the Krasnodar Territory, who were long refused by local authorities of any documents, is gradually becoming better. By today, only no more than 20 percent of them still have Soviet documents, and this figure goes down step by step. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent learnt about it from the interview he took from Igor Kuznetsov, associate professor of the division of archaeology, ethnology of ancient and medieval history of the Kuban State University and one of the founders of the Centre of Caucasian-Pontic Studies.

"From last year on there is a trend to quietly award Russian citizenship to Yazidis, Kurmanches and even Meskhetian Turks. The authorities now are not interested in persecutions," Mr Kuznetsov has emphasized.

However earlier both nations faced one and the same problem at their new residence: local authorities refused to register them and issue any documents. As a result, people lived for years and decades in deprived situation, having no chances to get properly employed, receive medical aid, register marriages or apply to law enforcement bodies.

Those who have Armenian or Georgian passports have to leave Russia every three months in order to observe the legislation or to hide from law enforcers.

A similar situation with the deported Meskhetian population resulted, according to Igor Kuznetsov, to a special programme of their resettling to the USA, where thousands have already moved.

Today in Moscow, the Andrei Sakharov Museum and Public Centre hosted Igor Kuznetsov's open lecture "Lost Nations: Yazidis and Kurmanches", dedicated to the life of these two small ethnic groups in the Krasnodar Territory.

The lecture was organized by the International Youth Human Rights Movement, UNITED Network, HRC "Memorial", A. Sakharov Museum and Public Centre and the Krasnodar Territorial Public Organization "ETnIKA".