Statement of the Delegation of Armenia during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to food at the 46th Sesson of the Human Rights Council

02 March, 2021

HRC 46^th Session: Session: Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to food

Delivered by Arsen Kotanjyan, Second Secretary

Madam President,

We congratulate Mr. Michael Fakhri on his appointment and wish him all the success in his future endeavors. We welcome SR’s intention to carry out his mandate in a comprehensive and collaborative manner, working closely with Member States, the United Nations system, civil society, academia, business corporations and other stakeholders towards achieving concrete results.

We share the conviction of the SR that serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law are common to the armed conflicts. In the context of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Azerbaijan has brazenly infringed upon the human, economic, social and cultural rights of the Armenian population. In particular access to food, water, health care, adequate housing has been grossly violated. The aggression of Azerbaijan displaced tens of thousands of Armenians, who are deprived from the right of returning to their ancestral homes, of using the agricultural lands and waterways. Moreover, Azerbaijan refuses to return Armenian captives, which is a gross violation of the IHL. Azerbaijan hinders the access of specialized international organizations, including the UN bodies to Nagorno-Karabakh for the humanitarian assistance of the population.

If Azerbaijan seeks for a positive contribution, it may comply to its legally binding obligations concerning the rights of persons affected by the conflict.

I thank you.

First Right of Reply

Madam President,

We requested the floor to exercise our right of reply to Azerbaijan.

The September 2020 Azerbaijani aggression against Nagorno Karabakh was carried out in a flagrant violations of international law, purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Azerbaijan deliberate targeted civilian infrastructures, religious sites, schools, markets, hospitals, maternity wards, communication systems. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch confirmed that the residential areas of Nagorno-Karabakh were attacked by cluster munition, which is strictly prhohibited by the international law. Moerover, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan also used incendiary weapons containing white phosphorus against the peaceful population sheltered in forests. It also caused an irreplaceable environmental damage.

Azerbaijani attacks claimed the lives of 72 civilians, including children, women and elderly people. Tens of thousands Armenians have been displaced from their ancestral homes with their property destroyed and transferred under Azerbaijani control. Thousands of people faced dire humanitarian conditions, coping with scarcity of food, water and medical aid. The indegionous Armenian rich cultural and religious heritage has been destroyed and privatized.

The decades-long state policy of dissemination of hatred against ethnic Armenians has been materialized in cruelty, inhumane and degrading treatment of the captive Armenians, both combatants and civilians alike by Azerbaijan. The social media accounts of the Azerbaijani users are full of images and video footages of ill-treatment of the Armenian detainees, depicting the cases of summary executions and at least two confirmed cases of beheading of the elderly civilians.

The Human Rights Watch has extensively reported on the mistreatment of a number of Armenian Prisoners of War. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights referred to the case of summary execution of the two captive Armenians as a possible war crime. The repatriated corpses of the Armenian servicemen and civilians revealed numerous cases of mutilations.

Madam President,

This horrifying list of crimes committed against Armenian population is much longer. The sanctimonious talks of peace that Azerbaijan preaches are not matched with the violations and cruelties comitted on the ground. Azerbaijan continuesly rejects to release Armenian captives and threatens Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh with a new war. It is a peculiar way to display a peace-loving policy amid the calls upon Armenia to demonstrate positive steps.

I thank you

Second RoR

Madam President,

In 1988 in response to the peaceful call of people of Nagorno-Karabakh for self-determination Azerbaijan unleashed murderous violence, deportations, premediated massacres, and abolishment of the autonomous constitutional status. The impunity granted to the perpetrators paved the way for the ethnic cleansing of Armenians throughout Azerbaijan, and further led to a full-scale military aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh.

Last year again, despite the appeal by the UN Secretary General for a global ceasefire, Azerbaijan opted for an aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh. Despicable atrocity crimes committed against the civilian population and servicemen leave no doubt that Azerbaijan aimed at total anhilliation of the indeginous Armenian population.

The UN Working Group on Mercenaries has confirmed the use of foreign terrorist fighters by Azerbaijan. After the ceasefire has been established alarming reports claim that Azerbaijan resettles families of the terrorist fighters in the occupied Armenian villages.

One of the most important provisions of the ceasefire statement of November 2020 on the exchange of all PoWs is deliberately breached and exploited by Azerbaijan.

Armenia has always been a proponent of peaceful resolution of the conflict with the human rights-based approach at the heart of it. The fundamental rights of the people of Nagorno Karabakh cannot be neglected, the plea for justice must not be left unfulfilled. All the PoWs and abducted civilians should be immediately and unconditionally released by Azerbaijan. Along with a number of other most pressing issues these require the attention of this Council and its mechanisms.

I thank you

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