When Do You Plan to Visit the Lachin Corridor? Ruben Rubinyan to Dunja Mijatović

"The issue is not that I cannot go to the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh; the issue is that no one can go there. I have tried several times, perhaps about a month ago I also tried, but the fact is that I cannot go there. And when you ask me why you are not there, why you do not visit that area, I will answer that it is because of you, because of the member states that are not cooperating with the Commissioner to enable his entry," noted Maria Pejčinović Burić, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, during the plenary session of the Spring Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

The head of the Armenian delegation in PACE, Ruben Rubinyan, reminded the Commissioner of the statement made by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Maria Pejčinović Burić, suggesting that it would be good for the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh to be visited by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović. He highlighted that during their conversations, the Commissioner expressed a desire to visit Nagorno-Karabakh and asked, "I want to ask when you plan to visit the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh? And if you say that Azerbaijan does not allow you to do so, please reply what you intend to do to persuade or compel Azerbaijan to allow you, because I believe this is part of your job."

In response, Dunja Mijatović emphasized that her role is not to check borders, stating, "I have tried to look at the Nagorno-Karabakh issue from a human rights perspective so that I can defend human rights. And until now, I have not had that opportunity. The problem is related to the blockade, and I have raised this matter. I have tried to find the best way to engage both sides. After the signing of the trilateral statement, I was ready to visit Nagorno-Karabakh immediately but couldn't do so. I published a memorandum that had clear demands for Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding missing persons, entry issues, and the rights of children and adults. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe stated that discussions are taking place at the highest level between the two countries. I do not know what is discussed when human rights defense organizations and people cannot visit that area. Therefore, this is the reason. At this moment, I am also ready to visit the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh, but I cannot, as states or the state must work to ensure that. I can go even to war zones, but I cannot go to Nagorno-Karabakh. Therefore, when you ask why I am not there, it means that I cannot, not that I do not want to. The answer to that question should be provided by the member states."

The head of the Azerbaijani delegation in PACE, Samad Seyidov, also accused Dunja Mijatović of maintaining silence regarding their serviceman being subjected to torture in Armenia, with a video circulating online. Dunja Mijatović reminded that such torture was previously inflicted on Armenian servicemen by Azerbaijanis and noted that law enforcement should deal with these issues. She urged not to politicize the structure of the Commissioner for Human Rights.