Category: 2023

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) received more than 6,000 calls and visits from families of the missing at the ICRC delegation in Yerevan last year.

62 families requested ICRC support to clarify the fate of their missing relatives by opening tracing requests with the ICRC, the organization said in its operational highlights of 2022.

63 families learned about the fate of their relatives. In total, 309 persons from Armenia were registered as missing in relation to the escalations in 2020-2022.

80 families of the missing related to the 2020 escalation were visited as part of the needs assessment.

6 sessions with families of the missing related to the 2020 escalation were organized as part of the Accompaniment project which was piloted in Armavir region.

18 information sessions about the ICRC work and relevant developments in the region were attended by families of 141 missing persons from the conflict in the 90s. In Armenia, 407 persons are still reported missing from the conflict in the 90s by their families.

More than 1,550 oral, video and written Red Cross messages were shared with the families of those detained in relation to the conflict escalations. The ICRC visited the detained individuals on a regular basis and helped them restore or maintain contacts with their relatives.

Human Rights Defender of the Artsakh Republic Gegham Stepanyan on Tuesday published an ad hoc trilingual report on the violations of individual and collective human rights as a result of the 100-day blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan, his office reported.

The report comprehensively and in detail presents data on the violations of 7 individual rights, 5 rights of vulnerable groups and 4 collective rights, which reflect the deepening humanitarian crisis and the genocidal policy of Azerbaijan towards the people of Artsakh. The document also contains 24 pictures and 27 human stories about the blockade, as well as 46 useful documents since 2016 on the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and the violations of the rights of Artsakh people in its context.

In parallel with the complete blockade, Azerbaijan deliberately disrupts the normal operation of the vital infrastructure of Artsakh – the gas and electricity supplies, mobile and Internet communications with the aim to further aggravate the already severe humanitarian crisis and cause human suffering to the people of Artsakh.

The continuous blockade by Azerbaijan, disruption of the operation of vital infrastructure, as well as regularly and consistently carried out armed attacks and threats of use of force are aimed at subjecting Artsakh to ethnic cleansing and destroying the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh by physical and psychological terror and creation of unbearable living conditions.

Below are presented some basic data reflected in the Report on human rights violations as a result of the 100-day blockade:

• The movement of people passing through the Stepanakert-Goris highway (along the Lachin corridor) has decreased by about 178 times (1,376 entries and departures instead of 245,000);

• Almost 43 times less car traffic was recorded on the road compared to what should have been in case of no blockade (2,154 car entries and departures, performed only by the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers, instead of 92,000);

• Approximately 11 times less vital cargo was imported compared to what should have been in case of no blockade (3,707 tons instead of 40,000 tons);

• A total of about 3,900 people, including 570 children, were unable to return to their homes due to the blockade;

• Due to the suspension of the pre-planned operations, about 900 citizens lost the opportunity to solve their health problems via operations;

• Azerbaijan has completely or partially interrupted the gas supply from Armenia to Artsakh for a total of 34 days;

• The electricity supply from Armenia to Artsakh has been completely cut for 71 days now, which led to the introduction of 6-hour rolling blackouts followed by numerous accidents;

• According to preliminary estimates, about 9,800 people have actually lost their jobs and sources of income (including cases of job retention), which is more than 50% of the total number of private sector employees;

• The disruption of the gas and electricity supplies has led to unplanned deforestation – about 6,200 more trees were cut, which, in its turn, will create additional and long-term problems in terms of ensuring a healthy environment;

• The country's economy suffered loss in the amount of about USD 190 million, which led to the failure to meet the projected annual GDP figure of about 21% (USD 903 million);

• The construction of 32.6 km road, tens of kilometers of water pipeline, irrigation systems for thousands of hectares of land, 3,717 appartments, more than 40 social and industrial infrastructural facilities has been stopped;

• A number of violations of rights are more pronounced in case of vulnerable groups, in particular 30,000 children, 9,000 people with disabilities, 20,000 older people, 60,000 women (women and girls) and 15,000 displaced persons.

In addition to the continuous and multiple violations of the provisions of the Tripartite Statement of November 9, 2020, for 27 consecutive days now, the mandatory execution of the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) of the United Nations (UN) on ensuring unhindered entry and departure of people, cars and cargo along the Lachin corridor has not been implemented by Azerbaijan, which once again tramples on the highest international values and principles. Consequently, the international community has not only the right, but also an indisputable obligation to implement the decision of the Supreme International Court of Justice by practical means as soon as possible and to prevent future Azerbaijani crimes, including the new planned and brutal crime against humanity.

All the violations of Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh are carried out within the framework of its state policy of racial discrimination (Armenophobia) and are deeply directed against their right to self-determination and the fact of its realisation, aimed at finally resolving the conflict to their advantage via ethnic cleansing based on the “no people, no rights” logic.

The systematic and consistent policy of ethnic hatred pursued by Azerbaijan, which manifested itself both during the aggression against the people of Artsakh in 2020 and after the establishment of the ceasefire regime, indisputably proves that any status of Artsakh within Azerbaijan is tantamount to ethnic cleansing of Artsakh and the genocide of the Armenians of Artsakh. Therefore, in the context of the Artsakh conflict, the right to self-determination is equal to the right of people to live in their homeland.

The fundamental right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh, as well as the Azerbaijani encroachments and threats against their physical existence on the basis of racial discrimination are more than sufficient grounds for the protection of the people of Artsakh by the international community, as well as the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh based on the principle of “remedial recognition”.

The full report is available here.

The Armenian Genocide Square inauguration took place in central Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, on Monday.

The ceremony took place despite great pressure from the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Armenian National Committee of Jerusalem (ANCJ) reported.

Present at the event were Haifa Mayor Dr. Einat Kalisch-Rotem, city council members, Armenian Ambassador to Israel HE Dr. Arman Agopian, representatives of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the ANCJ, members of the Armenian communities of Israel and representatives of all various communities of Haifa.

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) is collecting signatures on a U.S. House letter calling out newly appointed U.S point person on Armenian-Azerbaijan issues, Louis Bono, for ruling out U.S. sanctions against Azerbaijan for its 100-day blockade of 120,000 Christian Armenians in their indigenous Artsakh homeland, a targeted legislative initiative strongly supported by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), it said on Tuesday.

On March 8th of this year – deep into the second month of Azerbaijan’s blockade, Bono, on his first official trip to the region as Special U.S. Advisor, stated publicly: “This is not a time for sanctions… Sanctions would be counter-productive. It’s not even under consideration at this point.”

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian replied within hours, noting that: “Louis Bono, by taking sanctions on Azerbaijan off the table in his very first public move, signals American weakness, confirming for Ilham Aliyev that the Biden Administration won’t back its anti-blockade talk with concrete action.”

“When our diplomats deliver scripted assurances to Azerbaijan that the United States will not impose any costs or consequences for its blockade of Artsakh, they are – quite openly and intentionally – handing Ilham Aliyev a free pass, signed by Joe Biden, to continue attacking, occupying, and ethnically cleansing indigenous Armenian lands,” added Hamparian.

The Schiff-led Congressional letter states, in part: “We are deeply concerned by your reported comments during the trip ruling out the use of economic and diplomatic sanctions against Azerbaijan for their clear aggression. It was reported that you stated, “this is not a time for sanctions … it’s not even under consideration at this point.” As 120,000 innocent people remain deprived of their basic rights in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) for a third month, due to a blockade that the International Court of Justice (World Court) has ordered Azerbaijan to lift, this is not the time to take any tools off the table.”

In closing, the signatories affirm that: “The United States, the President of the United States, the U.S. State Department, and entire Administration must use all tools at its disposal to ensure the safety of the people of Artsakh, now and in the future, including cessation of financial support to Azerbaijan and imposition of sanctions.”

The U.S. Department of State on Monday released the 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices covering 198 countries and territories around the world, including Armenia.

The report says during last year, there were incidents of violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan that resulted in casualties and detentions.

“There were reports that Azerbaijani forces engaged in unlawful killings, and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of Armenian forces in September. Complaints submitted by Armenia and Azerbaijan to the European Court of Human Rights accusing each other of committing atrocities during the fighting in 2020 and 2016 awaited the court’s ruling. Armenia submitted new complaints regarding the September fighting,” the State Department says.

“Following intensive fighting between Azerbaijani and Armenian forces in mid-September, there were credible reports of unlawful killings involving summary executions of Armenian soldiers in Azerbaijani custody.

"On October 2, Azerbaijani social media accounts circulated a video that Human Rights Watch and the investigative journalism group Bellingcat reported appeared to depict the unlawful summary execution of at least seven Armenian soldiers by troops in Azerbaijani military uniform. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Bellingcat announced respectively on October 14 and October 20 they had verified the video as having been made in mid-September. HRW described the execution as a “war crime for which there needs to be accountability.”

“Another video circulated by social media users beginning on October 11 appeared to depict three Armenian soldiers in the custody of Azerbaijani soldiers on the premises of a military post. The bodies of all three reportedly were later returned to the Armenian government. The Armenian armed forces and Armenian human rights lawyers separately identified the three soldiers,” reads the report.

Armenia’s Supreme Spiritual Council (SSC), under the chairmanship of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, issued a statement on the 100th day of Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) on Tuesday. The full statement is below.

"It is with deep sadness that we state it is already the 100th day that the authorities of Azerbaijan, with the intensifying manifestations of anti-Armenian policy, have blocked the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia.

The physical and psychological pressures, violence and terrorist acts carried out regularly by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of the Republic of Artsakh deepen the catastrophic humanitarian situation. Contrary to the efforts of the peacekeeping personnel stationed in Artsakh, as a result of the criminal actions of the Azerbaijani authorities, people's -children, women and elderly rights to life, treatment, movement and other fundamental rights are being violated.

We highly appreciate the decision of the International Court of Justice of the United Nations regarding the removal of the blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor by Azerbaijan. We welcome the urge of the Assembly of the European Parliament urging the authorities of Azerbaijan to implement the decision of the International Court of Justice of the United Nations.

We express our confusion that despite the strong demands of the international community and its competent and influential structures to open the road, the blockade continues to this day. We urge the structures of the UN, the European Parliament and the European Union, heads of state and religious leaders, to achieve the execution of the judgment of the International Court by Azerbaijan with consistent efforts and ensure the safe and normal life of the Artsakh population.

Toleration of such a blatantly disrespectful approach by Azerbaijan to the decision of the International Court of Justice will intensify the humanitarian crisis, will create new dangers for the lives of more than 120,000 people of Artsakh, will create an unforgivable precedent of grossly circumventing the resolution of international courts, at the same time causing a deep disillusionment with international justice.

Our Holy Apostolic Church, having priority over the salvation and safety of human lives, will consistently protect the realization of the right of self-determination of the people of Artsakh, based on the principle of independence for the sake of salvation and safety."

Former MP Artem Tsarukyan accused the incumbent Armenian authorities of “utter failure” in national security, foreign policy and defense.

Speaking at a debate on Tuesday, he underscored the Turkish-Azerbaijani duo seeks to gain control not only over all of Artsakh, but also internationally recognized territories of Armenia.

“It testifies to the fact that the conflict is not only about Artsakh,” the ex-deputy said.

He stressed Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev eyes a land corridor to Nakhichevan passing through Armenia's Syunik Province through the blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

“It would close the last chapter of Armenia’s history,” he claimed.

Tsarukyan states as far as Armenian-Russian relations are deteriorating, Aliyev's rhetoric is getting tougher and he is putting forward new demands.

"We have to fight for ourselves, and the allies must help us. There are a lot of issues concerning Russia and France that I do not understand. But the lack of information, of course, does not allow for a proper assessment of the state of affairs," he said.