Armenia Calls on Azerbaijan to Immediately Cease Discrimination Against Armenians

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia has issued a statement noting that:

“On November 11, 2020, the Republic of Armenia sent a letter to the Republic of Azerbaijan, indicating that the policy and actions adopted by Azerbaijan over the past decades grossly violate the requirements of the 1965 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Among other things, Armenia calls on Azerbaijan to immediately cease discriminatory practices against Armenians and other ongoing violations, including, but not limited to:

• the dissemination of anti-Armenian sentiments,
• the failure to undertake effective measures to eliminate anti-Armenian propaganda,
• the encouragement or incitement of racial discrimination against Armenians by state bodies or public institutions,
• the discriminatory deprivation of ethnic Armenians of their personal rights, such as the right to security of person, access to and use of properties that constitute cultural heritage,
• the failure of competent domestic courts and other state authorities to effectively protect and restore the rights of ethnic Armenians,
• and the undertaking of steps toward ethnic cleansing of Armenians.

In the mentioned letter, Armenia demands that Azerbaijan fulfill its obligations under the convention and invites it to discuss the violations of the Convention’s requirements through negotiations.

In the event that the government of Azerbaijan rejects Armenia's proposal or does not respond within the set timeframe, Armenia reserves the right to resolve the existing legal dispute in accordance with the procedures established by the Convention.”