We Cannot Allow COP29 to Take Place in Baku with Armenian Prisoners Present: Luis Moreno Ocampo

Former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, has addressed his initiative calling on Armenians around the world to unite and launch a media campaign against the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) scheduled to be held in Baku in November 2024, demanding the release of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

In an interview with Armenpress, Ocampo noted that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev aims to elevate Azerbaijan's reputation through COP29. He pointed out the irony in Aliyev attempting to present the event as a peace conference while Armenian prisoners, including former military-political leadership from Nagorno-Karabakh, are currently held in Baku’s jails. Ocampo stated, “The arrest of prisoners is a message to the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh: ‘If you return to Nagorno-Karabakh, you will suffer, be imprisoned or killed.’ Notably, for geopolitical reasons, Azerbaijan has managed to prevent Europe and the USA from commenting on the situation. States remain silent and then try to forget. However, the UN advisor on genocide issues stated that there is a risk of genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh, but he cannot declare it as genocide due to the limitations of their mandate in the UN. The most he could say is that there is a risk of genocide, and he did.”

Ocampo emphasizes that Azerbaijan has committed genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh. “The Lachin Corridor was the only road connecting the people of Nagorno-Karabakh with the world. By blockading it, Azerbaijan isolated people and forced them into submission, while previously, Baku had repeatedly stated that it intended to exterminate them. It becomes clear that this is genocide,” he noted. He added that the forced displacement of people is also a form of genocide, as legally defined by the Genocide Convention.

Ocampo believes it is essential to continuously raise awareness and act on these issues instead of remaining silent. “Armenians are an example of resistance and resilience,” he remarked. He recalled that U.S. President Joe Biden recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2021 but pointed out that he has said nothing about the genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh that Azerbaijan has perpetrated in 2023. “How much time must pass for what happened in Nagorno-Karabakh to be recognized as genocide? The fundamental player here is Armenia and primarily the Armenian diaspora,” highlighted Luis Moreno Ocampo.

He added that it is a great honor for him to be able to assist Armenians in this critical situation worldwide. “We want to utilize the opportunities that today’s world offers through social networks. The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have a strong voice, and Armenia has a massive community of people worldwide. I liked the proposal from the Armenian groups to work together on the campaign, and I believe the first thing we need to do is create a vast community on social media where Armenians will defend themselves. Then we will engage those fighting against climate change, who will also defend Armenians. This is the plan,” elaborated Ocampo. 

“We cannot allow COP29 to proceed with 23 Armenian prisoners held in Baku. We must make the issue of Armenian prisoners a central question,” says Luis Moreno Ocampo, stressing that it is evident there is no independent judicial system in authoritarian Azerbaijan, making it hard to believe any judge could render a fair decision and release these prisoners.

Ocampo asserts that the Armenian prisoners held in Baku are not just prisoners of war but victims of genocide, detained when they attempted to exit Nagorno-Karabakh. “They are imprisoned because this is Azerbaijan’s message: do not return to Nagorno-Karabakh. Among the imprisoned Armenians, 2 have health issues and attempted to go to Armenia, but Azerbaijan accuses them of military crimes. These are absurd judicial proceedings that are hardly worthy of discussion, as there are no independent judges in Azerbaijan,” emphasized Ocampo.

He expressed hope that the President of Azerbaijan realizes that for COP29 to be held peacefully, Armenian prisoners must be released. “Our campaign is just beginning. I believe it will have a snowball effect. We must use new technological tools and spread our message. We are real people who are concerned about this issue. We are not completely lost if we keep fighting. Our message is to never surrender. The moment you give up, you lose. I enjoy discussions with Armenians. Your creative abilities are incredible. I do not know where or to what we will achieve, but what we are doing is worthy work,” concluded the former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.