Silence of International Organizations Leads to Aliyev's Aggressive Statements

The interview of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is evidence of genocidal policies. It is also the silence of international organizations that allows for such aggressive statements that undermine the foundations of international law. This was stated by the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Arman Tatoyan, on his Facebook page.

In an interview with the Azerbaijani national television (Azərbaycan Televiziyası) on April 20, 2021, Aliyev spoke about the entire population of Armenia with overt threats of force and war. Referring to the territory of the sovereign Republic of Armenia, he talked about creating a so-called "Zangezur corridor" and forcibly expelling the population of Armenia, regardless of Armenia's will. The President of Azerbaijan also stated, "All forces are mobilized to implement the program. Thus, after 101 years, the Azerbaijani people are returning to the occupied Zangezur."

Earlier, in speeches on April 12 and 13, 2021, Aliyev explicitly mentioned that ordinary people living in Armenia and Artsakh, and the entire Armenian nation, are psychologically distorted, filled with poison, lacking understanding, wild, arrogant, and devoid of morality, among others. In contrast, he showcased what he believes to be the advantages of the Azerbaijani people, considering them superior in terms of class, morality, and psychology compared to the Armenian people.

It is evident that Aliyev's interview on April 20 is proof of genocidal policies, containing terror directed against the entire population of Armenia, which is absolutely prohibited by international law. All of this is conducted through blatant distortion of historical facts, presenting Zangezur as an allegedly historical Azerbaijani territory.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia specifically notes that, particularly after the war in September-November 2020, the President of Azerbaijan has made statements that are indicative of fascist policies. It is clear that the Azerbaijani president is promoting ethnic hatred at the highest state level, specifically anti-Armenian sentiment, and is engaging in the public incitement of enmity.

Studies conducted by the staff of the Human Rights Defender's Office confirm that such state policies of Azerbaijan have underpinned the atrocities committed by its armed forces against Armenian civilians and servicemen during and after the war, including beheadings of living individuals, tortures, and other war crimes.

Currently, the Human Rights Defender is conducting data collection activities in communities of the Syunik region of Armenia. The findings confirm that Azerbaijani soldiers are shooting near peaceful settlements, openly terrorizing civilians and children, even using hand signals to intimidate them.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia firmly calls for the attention of international, especially human rights mandate organizations to these genocidal and fascist statements. International organizations must take into account that their silence during the war contributed to greater Azerbaijani atrocities and incredible violations of rights. This is also the reason for such absolutely aggressive statements by the President of Azerbaijan that undermine the foundations of international law.

Decisive actions that ensure real results are necessary to prevent Azerbaijani genocidal and fascist policies and state propaganda of hatred and enmity, in order to exclude new violations of rights and new war crimes in the future.