Author: Emil Lazarian

• Luis Moreno Ocampo, ex-prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, tells Congressional Human Rights Commission that Azerbaijan's blockade of disputed enclave is a genocide and the US is at risk of complicity
• US should compel Azerbaijan to end blockade immediately, Ocampo says

MONTROSE, Calif., Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Center for Truth and Justice welcomed Luis Moreno Ocampo's call on the United States to demand an end to Azerbaijan's blockade of the Armenian-populated enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Ocampo, the first prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, said that the blockade is a genocide and cautioned that the United States risks complicity through inaction.

In a testimony Wednesday before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Ocampo said that "there is a reasonable basis to believe that Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor constitutes genocide under Article II c) of the Convention" – and that the US, as a convention signatory, must do what it can to end it.

"The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is desperate, with Azerbaijan trying to starve the population to force it to flee," said Maggie Arutyunyan, a member of the leadership of the California-based Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ). "We hope Ocampo's testimony finally compels the United States and other states to move decisively to end this atrocity."

The disputed Armenian-populated enclave, known to Armenians as Artsakh, ended up in Azerbaijan when the Soviet Union collapsed, but has since then operated as a self-governing entity. Azerbaijan seized much of the territory in a 2020 war that killed thousands of Armenians, and what remains of it is connected to the outside world by an access road known as the Lachin Corridor. 

On December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan started blocking that road, and since June 15 all passage has been impeded, cutting off food and other supplies. At least one resident has died of starvation, and witnesses say basic supplies including baby formula are running out.

In his testimony, Ocampo said that the US, as a party to the Genocide Convention, "undertook the duty 'to prevent and to punish'" genocide, and "accepted that under Article III e) complicity in genocide is punishable." Alluding to ongoing Western-sponsored peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said that "US involvement in a negotiation that includes a party, Azerbaijan, which is committing genocide could be characterized as complicity in genocide."

"The duty to prevent does not require the US to intervene militarily in Azerbaijan but rather to use all available means as circumstances permit to have a deterrent effect on Azerbaijan," he said. "The US should openly inform the Azerbaijan government that without the immediate and unconditional removal of the Lachin Corridor blockade, the US would consider Azerbaijan to be committing genocide.

Last month Ocampo issued a report finding that the blockade constitutes a case of genocide. Two weeks ago the first UN Advisor on Genocide, Juan Mendez, also affirmed in a report that Azerbaijan's lack of compliance with a February order by the International Court of Justice to stop its blockade of food and humanitarian assistance to the 120,000 Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh is an "early warning" of genocide. The issue has also been recently discussed at the UN Security Council.

The CFTJ is a group of attorneys dedicated to collecting testimonial evidence of war crimes, is renewing its call on world powers to intervene to end the genocide facing Nagorno-Karabakh.

ABOUT THE CFTJ:
CFTJ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, established in November 2020 in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh war. We are a group of lawyers overseeing the collection of firsthand testimonial evidence from war survivors via in-depth, recorded interviews. We run two law clinics, one in Armenia and one in Nagorno-Karabakh, which are the first of their kind.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Maggie Arutyunyan at 1(818)749-8185
[email protected]

SOURCE Center for Truth & JusticeThe disputed Armenian-populated enclave, known to Armenians as Artsakh, ended up in Azerbaijan when the Soviet Union collapsed, but has since then operated as a self-governing entity. Azerbaijan seized much of the territory in a 2020 war that killed thousands of Armenians, and what remains of it is connected to the outside world by an access road known as the Lachin Corridor. 

On December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan started blocking that road, and since June 15 all passage has been impeded, cutting off food and other supplies. At least one resident has died of starvation, and witnesses say basic supplies including baby formula are running out.

In his testimony, Ocampo said that the US, as a party to the Genocide Convention, "undertook the duty 'to prevent and to punish'" genocide, and "accepted that under Article III e) complicity in genocide is punishable." Alluding to ongoing Western-sponsored peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said that "US involvement in a negotiation that includes a party, Azerbaijan, which is committing genocide could be characterized as complicity in genocide."

"The duty to prevent does not require the US to intervene militarily in Azerbaijan but rather to use all available means as circumstances permit to have a deterrent effect on Azerbaijan," he said. "The US should openly inform the Azerbaijan government that without the immediate and unconditional removal of the Lachin Corridor blockade, the US would consider Azerbaijan to be committing genocide.

Last month Ocampo issued a report finding that the blockade constitutes a case of genocide. Two weeks ago the first UN Advisor on Genocide, Juan Mendez, also affirmed in a report that Azerbaijan's lack of compliance with a February order by the International Court of Justice to stop its blockade of food and humanitarian assistance to the 120,000 Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh is an "early warning" of genocide. The issue has also been recently discussed at the UN Security Council.

The CFTJ is a group of attorneys dedicated to collecting testimonial evidence of war crimes, is renewing its call on world powers to intervene to end the genocide facing Nagorno-Karabakh.

ABOUT THE CFTJ:
CFTJ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, established in November 2020 in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh war. We are a group of lawyers overseeing the collection of firsthand testimonial evidence from war survivors via in-depth, recorded interviews. We run two law clinics, one in Armenia and one in Nagorno-Karabakh, which are the first of their kind.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Maggie Arutyunyan at 1(818)749-8185
[email protected]

SOURCE Center for Truth & Justice

https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/23/09/n34316798/center-for-truth-and-justice-welcomes-ocampos-congressional-testimony-on-nagorno-karabakh-genocide 

FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., has sent a letter to the Biden White House imploring it to speak out against genocide against Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and clarify that the U.S. will not "compromise" with Azerbaijan in the conflict.

"In light of the compelling and urgent testimony provided, I respectfully urge you to immediately clarify that the United States does not tolerate, facilitate, or participate, in negotiations over genocide, and to publicly inform Azerbaijan that unless it immediately lifts its blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, the U.S. will take action through the United Nations to refer the matter to the International Criminal Court for investigation and prosecution," Smith wrote to President Biden in a Thursday letter.

The testimony Smith referenced was from Luis Moreno Ocampo, former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, who testified in front of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, which Smith co-chairs, on Thursday.

Ocampo told the commission "there is a reasonable basis to believe that Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor constitutes genocide" and that Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, "voluntarily, knowingly, and willingly created conditions calculated to destroy 120,000 Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh."

In his letter, Smith expressed concern that Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently said there is a "need for a dialogue and compromise and the importance of building confidence between the parties."

"Mr. President, there is little doubt that this humanitarian crisis was planned, tested, and imposed by President Ilham Aliyev, who rules Azerbaijan as a dictator. His record of human rights abuses is decades in the making as I met with him in Baku in 2013 and 2014 arguing then about both his mistreatment and jailing of Azerbaijani human rights activists and abusive treatment of Armenian Christians," Smith wrote.

He continued, "Thus by encouraging ‘compromise,’ the Secretary appears to facilitate Azerbaijan’s use of genocide as a negotiating tactic. Negotiation may be needed to solve the differences between Azerbaijan and the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, but genocide is an abuse impossible to ignore."

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region within Azerbaijan that came under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian military in separatist fighting that ended in 1994. Armenian forces also took control of substantial territory around the region.

In his letter, Smith expressed concern that Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently said there is a "need for a dialogue and compromise and the importance of building confidence between the parties."

"Mr. President, there is little doubt that this humanitarian crisis was planned, tested, and imposed by President Ilham Aliyev, who rules Azerbaijan as a dictator. His record of human rights abuses is decades in the making as I met with him in Baku in 2013 and 2014 arguing then about both his mistreatment and jailing of Azerbaijani human rights activists and abusive treatment of Armenian Christians," Smith wrote.

He continued, "Thus by encouraging ‘compromise,’ the Secretary appears to facilitate Azerbaijan’s use of genocide as a negotiating tactic. Negotiation may be needed to solve the differences between Azerbaijan and the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, but genocide is an abuse impossible to ignore."

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region within Azerbaijan that came under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by the Armenian military in separatist fighting that ended in 1994. Armenian forces also took control of substantial territory around the region.

Azerbaijan regained control of the surrounding territory in a six-week war with Armenia in 2020. A Russia-brokered armistice that ended the war left the region’s capital, Stepanakert, connected to Armenia only by a road known as the Lachin Corridor, along which Russian peacekeeping forces were supposed to ensure free movement.

However, over the past nine months, the road has been blockaded by Azerbaijani forces in what they say is a move to prevent "arms smuggling."

Armenia says the blockade of the "Lachin corridor," known as "the road of life" by ethnic Armenians in Karabakh, has caused acute shortages of food, medicines and other essentials.

Azerbaijan claims it has let the Red Cross evacuate people to Armenia for medical treatment and that its own information shows there is no shortage of basic food staples, but it has not allowed food and other supplies in for some time.

"The Biden Administration must wake up, recognize the absolutely grave responsibility it has here, and focus on finding and implementing a humane solution," Smith said in a press release. "And this must mean that the blockade is lifted and the people continue to live in their ancient homeland — and not be subject to violence and threats. This situation is now a three-alarm fire."

The White House directed Fox News Digital to an Aug. 31 release from the State Department on the matter.

"We are deeply concerned about deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the continued blockage of food, medicine, and other goods essential to a dignified existence," the statement said. 

"The United States has worked continuously with the sides over the past several weeks to allow humanitarian assistance to reach the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. We reiterate our call to immediately re-open the Lachin corridor to humanitarian, commercial, and passenger traffic. Further, officials from Baku and representatives from Stepanakert should convene without delay to agree on the means of transporting critical provisions to the men, women, and children of Nagorno-Karabakh — including additional supply routes — and resume discussions on all outstanding issues. Basic humanitarian assistance should never be held hostage to political disagreements."

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-white-house-must-act-genocide-threatens-destroy-120000-people-gop-rep-urges

• Tensions have been escalating over blocked aid deliveries
• Cross-border shelling has left casualties on both sides

Armenia will welcome Croatia to the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in the group stage of the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers on Monday.

The hosts extended their unbeaten run to three games in the competition as they held Turkey to a 1-1 draw in their away match on Friday. Artak Dashyan broke the deadlock in the 49th minute of the game and they conceded a late equalizer as Bertuğ Özgür Yıldırım scored on his international debut in the 88th minute.

The visitors are unbeaten in their three games in the qualifiers and recorded a comfortable 5-0 home win over Latvia on Thursday. Bruno Petković bagged a first-half brace and Ivan Perišić provided a couple of assists.

Both teams have seven points at the moment and the visitors are in second place in the Group D standings, thanks to their superior goal difference. The visitors extended their unbeaten run at home in European qualifiers to 37 games with a win on Thursday.

• The two teams have met just once thus far, with the friendly match in 2021 ending in a 1-1 draw.
• Interestingly, both teams have scored eight goals in the qualifiers thus far, the same as first-placed Turkey, though the visitors have conceded just one goal in three games while the hosts have shipped in six goals in four games.
• Armenia have just one win in their last five home games in all competitions, suffering three defeats in that period.
• They have suffered six defeats in their last 10 home games in the European qualifiers, recording just three wins in that period.
• The visitors are unbeaten in their last nine games in European qualifiers. Interestingly, all nine of their defeats in the qualifiers have come away from home.

Havakakan have done well in their recent games and are on a four-game unbeaten run for the first time since June 2021. They have scored at least two goals in three of their last four games but have conceded at least two goals in two games in that period as well.

Vatreni bounced back with a 5-0 win on Thursday following a defeat on penalties in the Nations League final in June and will look to keep that momentum going. They are unbeaten in their last nine games in the European qualifiers.

There's not much history between the two teams and they played a low-scoring draw in their only meeting in 2021, which was a friendly.

Considering the visitors' superior record in European qualifiers and advantage in terms of squad quality, we back them to record a comfortable win.

Prediction: Armenia 1-2 Croatia

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that he would hold talks with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as tensions mount between Armenia and Ankara's ally Azerbaijan.

Turkey has already condemned the election of a new president in Azerbaijan's separatist Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh on Saturday.

The United States is deeply concerned about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. We note that humanitarian supplies are positioned near both the Lachin and Aghdam routes, and we repeat our call for the immediate and simultaneous opening of both corridors to allow passage of desperately needed humanitarian supplies to the men, women, and children in Nagorno-Karabakh. We also urge leaders against taking any actions that raise tensions or distract from this goal. The use of force to resolve disputes is unacceptable.

In light of the recent increase in tensions in the South Caucasus, the United States will continue to strongly support efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve outstanding issues through direct dialogue, with the aim of achieving a dignified and enduring peace. We reiterate that any peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan must protect the rights and security of the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh. We also encourage dialogue between Baku and residents of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The United States further reaffirms the only way forward is peace, dialogue, and the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basis of mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.