HRC 57 Session: Item 2 – General Debate

Delivered by Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative

Mr. President,

Almost a year ago Azerbaijan committed an ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. We would like to recall that 40 UN member states delivered a Joint Statement at the HRC expressing in this regard "extreme concern by the dire humanitarian and human rights crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh" and "massive displacement of ethnic Armenians from their homes stem[ming] "from Azerbaijan's military operation and a nine-month long blockage of the Lachin corridor." They called on the OHCHR to closely monitor the situation and to keep this Council informed.

The distinguished High Commission too expressed his concern "in particular [on] the impact of renewed use of armed force on civilians." He stressed the importance of safeguarding the rights of the ethnic Armenian population.

The High Commissioner further stated that "any reported violations of human rights or international humanitarian law require follow-up, including prompt, independent and transparent investigations to ensure accountability and redress for the victims, as appropriate."

The ICJ and numerous reputable international watchdogs have also reported about gross human rights violations committed by Azerbaijan.

In this regard, Armenia requests the OHCHR to remain seized of the matter and share its findings with the HRC.

I thank you.

Right of Reply

Mr. President,

Armenia exercises its right of reply to Azerbaijan and to Pakistan that spoke on behalf of the OIC.

We would like to recall that there were around 500.000 Armenians living in Soviet Azerbaijan at the end of 1980s. There are literally non today. They were massacred and deported. Azerbaijan should keep this in mind while inventing new distorted demographic narratives.

A year ago, Nagorno-Karabakh fell victim of the policy of aggression and expulsion of Azerbaijan. The International Court of Justice observed that "according to United Nations reports, more than 100,000 persons of Armenian national or ethnic origin have found themselves compelled to leave their place of residence since the operation commenced by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh." After ethnic cleansing, footages of Azerbaijani vandalism in Nagorno-Karabakh repeatedly appear on social media, showing destruction, looting and damaging of the Armenian property, cultural and religious heritage sites. The UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural rights called it a "cultural cleansing".

The recent report of the Freedom House concluded that there was "a coordinated, long-term plan aimed at ridding Nagorno-Karabakh of its ethnic Armenian population" and that "actions of Azerbaijan meet the criteria for ethnic cleansing." The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe and the Human Rights Watched reported that the population of Nagorno-Karabakh was displaced due to the armed attack of Azerbaijan and years of hatred and intolerance committed against it.

Mr. President,

Armenia will keep persistently communicating that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not a religious one and it cannot be anointed in religious terms. Armenia strongly believes that human rights are universal and are not limited to religious affiliations.

It is unfortunate that Azerbaijan continues to abuse its membership to the OIC to distort the conflict-related realities. Let us bring just one illustrious example in this regard. Armenia supports and Azerbaijan hinders the fact-finding mission of UNESCO to Nagorno-Karabakh and this has been publicly acknowledged by the Assistant Director General of UNESCO. It is very telling that the ICJ ordered Azerbaijan "to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration affecting Armenian cultural heritage, including churches and other places of worship."

Armenia enjoys good relations with nearly all OIC members. We respectively ask them to reconsider including bilateral conflict issues in the OIC statements.

I thank you.

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