Armenia Takes All Steps to Address Forced Disappearances Issue: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Thirteen years ago, in 2010, the UN General Assembly established the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances through resolution 65/209, expressing concern over "the increase in enforced or involuntary disappearances in various parts of the world, including arrests, detentions, and abductions."

Emphasizing the fight against enforced disappearances, including prevention of this crime and combating impunity, Armenia has signed and ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. The convention, along with other fundamental international documents in the field of human rights, reaffirms every person's right not to be subjected to enforced disappearance and the right of victims to receive prompt, fair, and adequate compensation.

The issue of enforced disappearances remains one of the gravest and most enduring problems both during and after conflicts. Throughout this period, the families of the missing continue to wait, search, and believe in the return of their loved ones. Unfortunately, the Armenian society has not been unaffected by this issue. As a result of the Azerbaijani aggression in 2020, hundreds of individuals who went missing from the 1990s, along with new cases of enforced disappearances, have emerged, while Azerbaijani authorities have been inactive in clarifying the fate of Armenian servicemen despite documented and recorded evidence.

Concerned about the fate of hundreds of missing persons during the 44-day war, Armenia also draws attention to cases where numerous videos and testimonies proving enforced disappearances have been presented, yet no information has emerged from Azerbaijan about the fate and whereabouts of the aforementioned individuals.

In this context, Armenia is taking all possible steps to present the issue to international courts, considering that enforced disappearances, under certain circumstances, also constitute crimes against humanity under international law.

One of the messages of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is to remind all states of the necessity to respect the families' right to know the truth about the fate of their relatives.

August 30 is the day we not only reflect on cases of enforced disappearances but also reaffirm our commitment to overcoming all obstacles to clarify the fate of the missing.