Will the Rome Statute Be Applied Against Aliyev? The Minister of Justice Responds

Justice Minister Grigor Minasyan has addressed the implementation of the Rome Statute and the legal processes that can be initiated against Azerbaijani war criminals within its framework. “The Rome Statute has been in effect for 7 days, but we have not just started working in these 7 days; our experts at the Ministry of Justice, along with staff from the office of international legal issues, have been preparing a legislative package for 2-3 months. This package is based on compliance with international standards and the requirements of the criminal code and the code of criminal procedure, which will bring us into the correct realm of international criminal justice,” he said.

According to Minasyan, this international treaty allows for the inclusion of international mechanisms aimed at the identification of war crimes into legislation and practices. In response to a question from Arthur Khachatryan, a member of the 'Armenia' faction, about whether a lawsuit would be filed personally against Ilham Aliyev, the minister stated: “The ratification and implementation of such international treaties compel both our government and future governments to act in accordance with international principles.” He elaborated that if guilt is discovered and established, there will also be accountability within the framework of the convention.