Controversies of the Eurovision Song Contest

== Armenia and Azerbaijan ==

== Armenia and Azerbaijan ==

{{Main|Armenia–Azerbaijan relations in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

{{Main|Armenia–Azerbaijan relations in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

[[File:20150515 ESC 2015 Genealogy 6153.jpg|thumb|"[[Face the Shadow]]", the entry performed by [[Genealogy]] for {{Esccnty|Armenia|y=2015|t=Armenia in 2015}}, had its original title changed due to an alleged reference to the [[Armenian genocide]].]]

[[File:Eurovision_2009_Armenia_voting.png|thumb|[[Public Television Company of Armenia|AMPTV]] displayed images of ''[[We Are Our Mountains]]'' while its spokesperson [[Sirusho]] presented the Armenian votes at the {{escyr|2009||2009 contest}} final, in protest of complaints by [[İctimai Television|İTV]] over its display during the semi-finals.]]

The [[Nagorno-Karabakh conflict|continuing conflict]] between {{Esccnty|Armenia}} and {{Esccnty|Azerbaijan}} has affected the contest on numerous occasions since both countries entered the contest in the late 2000s. In {{Escyr|2009}}, a number of people in Azerbaijan who voted for the Armenian entry were reportedly questioned by Azeri police.<ref>{{cite news|title=Azerbaijanis in Eurovision probe|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8205907.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=2025-01-28|date=2009-08-18|author=<!-- not stated -->}}</ref> The Armenian participating broadcaster, the [[Public Television Company of Armenia]] (AMPTV), requested for {{Esccnty|Armenia|y=2015|t=its entry}} to the {{Escyr|2015||2015 contest}} to be changed from its original title "Don't Deny" to "[[Face the Shadow]]", following claims that it contained a call for [[Armenian genocide recognition|recognition of the Armenian genocide]], which would violate contest rules regarding political statements.<ref name="Rules">{{cite web|title=Eurovision Song Contest: Rules|url=https://eurovision.tv/about/rules/|website=Eurovision.TV|date=2018-10-31|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=2020-06-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617145258/https://eurovision.tv/about/rules/|archive-date=2020-06-17|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Armenia changes song title|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/armenia-changes-song-title|website=Eurovision.TV|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=2020-07-08|date=2015-03-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://agbu.org/spiritual-rebirth/statement-armenian-unity-eurovision|work=AGBU|edition=September 2015|first=Liana|last=Aghajanian|title=A Statement of Armenian Unity at Eurovision}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Giorgi|last=Lomsadze|title=Armenia Dodges Eurovision Controversy|url=https://eurasianet.org/armenia-dodges-eurovision-controversy|work=Eurasianet|access-date=2021-03-20|date=2015-03-17}}</ref> Controversy erupted again in {{Escyr|2016}} when Armenia's representative [[Iveta Mukuchyan]] was shown waving the [[Flag of the Republic of Artsakh|flag]] of the [[Republic of Artsakh]], also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, a [[List of states with limited recognition|breakaway state]] internationally recognised as a part of Azerbaijan but largely inhabited by ethnic [[Armenians]], at the contest's first semi-final.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2016/05/11/iveta-mukuchyan-nagorno-karabakh-eurovision-2016/141727/|work=Wiwibloggs|title=Iveta Mukuchyan on Nagorno-Karabakh flag: "I just want to have peace on the borders"|first=Luis|last=Fuster|date=2016-05-11|access-date=2025-01-28}}</ref> This again contravened Eurovision rules on political gestures and resulted in disciplinary action being levied against ARMTV.<ref>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Halpin|title=EBU sanctions Armenian broadcaster over Nagorno-Karabakh flag incident|url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2016/05/11/ebu-sanctions-armenian-broadcaster-nagorno-karabakh-flag-incident/141783/|work=Wiwibloggs|access-date=2021-03-20|date=2016-05-11}}</ref>

The [[Nagorno-Karabakh conflict|continuing conflict]] between {{Esccnty|Armenia}} and {{Esccnty|Azerbaijan}} has affected the contest on numerous occasions since both countries entered the contest in the late 2000s. In {{Escyr|2009}}, a number of people in Azerbaijan who voted for the Armenian entry were reportedly questioned by Azeri police.<ref>{{cite news|title=Azerbaijanis in Eurovision probe|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8205907.stm|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=2025-01-28|date=2009-08-18|author=<!-- not stated -->}}</ref> The Armenian participating broadcaster, the [[Public Television Company of Armenia]] (AMPTV), requested for {{Esccnty|Armenia|y=2015|t=its entry}} to the {{Escyr|2015||2015 contest}} to be changed from its original title "Don't Deny" to "[[Face the Shadow]]", following claims that it contained a call for [[Armenian genocide recognition|recognition of the Armenian genocide]], which would violate contest rules regarding political statements.<ref name="Rules">{{cite web|title=Eurovision Song Contest: Rules|url=https://eurovision.tv/about/rules/|website=Eurovision.TV|date=2018-10-31|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=2020-06-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617145258/https://eurovision.tv/about/rules/|archive-date=2020-06-17|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Armenia changes song title|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/armenia-changes-song-title|website=Eurovision.TV|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=2020-07-08|date=2015-03-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://agbu.org/spiritual-rebirth/statement-armenian-unity-eurovision|work=AGBU|edition=September 2015|first=Liana|last=Aghajanian|title=A Statement of Armenian Unity at Eurovision}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Giorgi|last=Lomsadze|title=Armenia Dodges Eurovision Controversy|url=https://eurasianet.org/armenia-dodges-eurovision-controversy|work=Eurasianet|access-date=2021-03-20|date=2015-03-17}}</ref> Controversy erupted again in {{Escyr|2016}} when Armenia's representative [[Iveta Mukuchyan]] was shown waving the [[Flag of the Republic of Artsakh|flag]] of the [[Republic of Artsakh]], also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, a [[List of states with limited recognition|breakaway state]] internationally recognised as a part of Azerbaijan but largely inhabited by ethnic [[Armenians]], at the contest's first semi-final.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2016/05/11/iveta-mukuchyan-nagorno-karabakh-eurovision-2016/141727/|work=Wiwibloggs|title=Iveta Mukuchyan on Nagorno-Karabakh flag: "I just want to have peace on the borders"|first=Luis|last=Fuster|date=2016-05-11|access-date=2025-01-28}}</ref> This again contravened Eurovision rules on political gestures and resulted in disciplinary action being levied against ARMTV.<ref>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Halpin|title=EBU sanctions Armenian broadcaster over Nagorno-Karabakh flag incident|url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2016/05/11/ebu-sanctions-armenian-broadcaster-nagorno-karabakh-flag-incident/141783/|work=Wiwibloggs|access-date=2021-03-20|date=2016-05-11}}</ref>