Ministry of Foreign Affairs Statement

Today, the international community marks World Refugee Day, continuing to confront the issue of forced displacement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has issued a statement noting that this year the International Day of Refugees is redefined for Armenia and the Armenian people due to emerging new challenges. The war unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh in September 2020 led to mass forced displacements. Approximately 90,000 people were displaced from their homes and settled in Armenia, of which 88% were women and children. These individuals were forced to leave their homes and the property accumulated over generations to escape mass atrocities.

A significant number of the displaced, particularly from Shushi and the Hadrut region, are unable to return to their native lands today, as they are under Azerbaijani control. Many of them are double-displaced individuals, who were forcibly displaced in the 1990s due to aggression against the Armenian people, resulting in areas falling under the control of Azerbaijani forces and undergoing ethnic cleansing.

Specifically, this includes Armenians displaced from villages in the Shahumyan and Martakert regions, most of whom had settled in areas under the control of the Republic of Artsakh. During the last aggression by Azerbaijan against Artsakh in September-November 2020, these individuals became refugees for the second time as they faced the consequences of the resulting humanitarian crisis.

The 7th point of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, which states that ‘internally displaced persons and refugees shall return to the territory of Artsakh and adjacent areas under the control of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ office,’ has not been implemented. The rights of the Artsakh Armenians have yet to be restored, primarily ensuring their safe return to their places of residence and creating appropriate conditions, including the de-occupation of areas that are under Azerbaijani control.

By politicizing the issue of providing humanitarian aid to the affected population, Azerbaijan is obstructing the entry of international organizations, particularly international humanitarian agencies into Artsakh. As a result, an unprecedented humanitarian situation has been created, where, more than seven months after the cessation of hostilities, internally displaced persons in Artsakh are deprived of comprehensive international humanitarian protection.

Armenia has repeatedly drawn the attention of the international community to the vulnerability of the population residing in conflict zones, calling for their protection based on international law, primarily on the principle of universality of human rights.

The exploitation of refugee issues and the shameful practice of using them as a tool for political pressure is condemnable. The implementation of humanitarian programs and the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to populations in crisis situations should be carried out regardless of any circumstances, including the status of the territory.