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The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Aynur Baghirzade, an Azeri attorney based in California, against the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
“The Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region welcome the April 14, 2025, decision by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Aynur Baghirzade, a California attorney, who leveled unfounded accusations against the ANCA, ANCA-WR and thirty other defendants,” the ANCA said in a press release.
“The court struck the plaintiff’s Third Amended Complaint, dismissing this action, denying remaining motions as moot, and declaring the case closed,” it added.
Baghirzade first came to public attention through a lengthy series of incendiary social media posts that, among other invectives, described Armenians as a “carcinoma” that needed to be “deleted.”
“The ANCA shares our community’s thanks with Dick A. Semerdjian and his colleagues at Schwartz Semerdjian Cauley Schena & Bush LLP for their exemplary representation of the the ANCA, ANCA-WR and other individuals and organization named in Baghirzade’s filings. Mr. Semerjian represents the finest of our Armenian and American traditions, stepping up in a consistently principled and professional manner to defend our community against false and defamatory allegations,” the ANCA said.
The Azeri lawyer had filed false accusations against the ANCA and other Armenian community organizations, seeking 7,5 million dollars in compensation, among others.
ANCA warned that the Azeri attorney’s actions were part of Azerbaijan’s state policy aimed at obstructing the work of ANCA offices through unfounded and fabricated lawsuits in an attempt to discredit the organization.
