UN High Commissioner's Office Must Conduct Ongoing Monitoring in Artsakh: Statement

On October 11, during the ongoing 54th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, 34 countries issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over the severe humanitarian and human rights crisis in Artsakh.

The statement was read by the permanent representative of France at the UN Geneva office. It mentions that the mass displacement of the Armenian population from their homes occurred due to military operations carried out by Azerbaijan on September 19, as well as a nine-month blockade of the Lachin corridor.

The authors of the joint statement agreed with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, on the necessity for an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation into the reported violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in Artsakh. They also expressed belief that the High Commissioner's office should conduct ongoing monitoring in Artsakh, meet with refugees displaced to Armenia, and report findings to the Human Rights Council.

The countries expressed their willingness to consider further steps in the Human Rights Council concerning these issues.

The statement calls on Azerbaijan to create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and permanent return of persons who wish to go back to Artsakh, to implement the provisions of the European Court of Human Rights' interim ruling of September 22, as well as the decisions of the International Court of Justice from December 7, 2021, February 22, 2023, and July 6, 2023, and to ensure the protection of Armenian religious and cultural heritage.

The complete statement and the list of countries that have joined it are provided below:

Joint Statement on Artsakh

We are deeply concerned about the severe humanitarian and human rights crisis created in Artsakh, as well as the recent displacement of the population from the region in the past weeks.

According to a report by the UN mission that visited the region, nearly the entire Armenian population of Artsakh—over 100,000 people—has been displaced to Armenia. The report rightly notes the suffering that they have endured as a result of this ordeal.

The mass displacement of the Armenian population from their homes occurred due to the military operation carried out by Azerbaijan on September 19 and the blockade of the Lachin corridor for nine months, leading to a severe humanitarian situation.

We commend the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk for his call for the protection of the rights of ethnic Armenians in his statement on September 26.

We fully agree that "documented violations of human rights and international humanitarian law must be investigated, including through immediate, independent, and transparent inquiry.”

We are convinced that the next appropriate step for the UN High Commissioner's office should be the establishment of direct monitoring of human rights in Artsakh, meetings with refugees and displaced persons, and those Armenians who remain in Artsakh, with results to be reported to the Human Rights Council. We, therefore, urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to invite the High Commissioner's office to provide its technical support as soon as possible.

At the same time, we urge Azerbaijan to guarantee the safety and rights of the remaining Armenians in Artsakh and urgently create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and permanent return of those who wish to go home. The protection of Armenian cultural and religious heritage must also be guaranteed.

We also call on Azerbaijan to comply with the provisions of the European Court of Human Rights' interim ruling of September 22, as well as the decisions of the International Court of Justice from December 7, 2021, February 22, 2023, and July 6, 2023.

We call on Armenia to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the displaced persons affected by the crisis with the support of the international community.

The entry of international missions into Artsakh is crucial to providing support, conducting impartial monitoring, and producing reports concerning the human rights situation.

The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia and Azerbaijan must be unreservedly respected. We strongly support dialogue among all parties to establish comprehensive and lasting peace.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation and consider every and all further steps that the Human Rights Council may initiate and implement.

1. USA
2. Australia
3. Austria
4. Belgium
5. Bulgaria
6. Germany
7. Denmark
8. Estonia
9. Ireland
10. Iceland
11. Spain
12. Latvia
13. Liechtenstein
14. Lithuania
15. Luxembourg
16. Croatia
17. Canada
18. Cyprus
19. Armenia
20. Greece
21. Japan
22. Malta
23. UK
24. Netherlands
25. New Zealand
26. Norway
27. Sweden
28. Switzerland
29. Portugal
30. Slovakia
31. Slovenia
32. Uruguay
33. Finland
34. France