ANCA Condemns UC Berkeley’s Cancellation of Artsakh Film Screening Under Azerbaijani Government Pressure

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) strongly condemns the University of California, Berkeley’s decision to cancel a student-sponsored screening of My Sweet Land, a documentary highlighting the stories of Armenian survivors and displaced civilians from the 2023 Artsakh conflict. The cancellation, scheduled for April 24, 2025—the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide—came after documented pressure from the Consulate of Azerbaijan, as revealed by an email published by Zartonk Media.

The screening, organized by the Berkeley Armenian Students Association (Cal ASA) in collaboration with Berkeley Law’s Human Rights Center, was abruptly postponed, with the university citing “logistical issues” and “limited staff capacity.” However, an email dated April 22, 2025, from the Consul of the Consulate General of Azerbaijan to UC Berkeley officials urged the cancellation, accusing the film of promoting a “radical ideological stance.” The email explicitly requested that the university “cancel the event or reconsider your institution’s association with it.”

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian stated, “UC Berkeley’s decision to cave to foreign government pressure is a shameful act of censorship that silences Armenian voices and undermines academic freedom. On Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, of all days, this capitulation to Azerbaijan’s genocide denialism is an affront to the Armenian American community and all who value truth and justice.”

The Berkeley Armenian Students Association issued a statement accusing the university of yielding to foreign political interference, calling the cancellation “an act of censorship” that “dishonors the memory of the Armenian Genocide.”

California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, Chair of the Senate Education Committee, also condemned the decision, demanding transparency from UC Berkeley and expressing solidarity with the Armenian students. “As an institution with a storied history of free speech, UC Berkeley has failed its students and the Armenian community,” Pérez said.

The ANCA calls on UC Berkeley to immediately reschedule the screening of My Sweet Land, issue a public apology to the Armenian community, and commit to protecting academic freedom from foreign interference. The organization is mobilizing its nationwide network to ensure that Armenian voices are not silenced and that Azerbaijan’s attempts to whitewash its ethnic cleansing of Artsakh are met with resolute opposition.