Statement delivered by the delegation of Armenia at the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief during the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

04 March, 2021

HRC 46th Session: Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief

Delivered by Armine Petrosyan, Second Secretary

Mme Vice-President,

Armenia has expressed its firm commitment to guarantee freedom of religion or belief and made significant steps to that end, particularly, towards prevention of any kind of discrimination. The legislation and government policies have been adopted in conformity with relevant international instruments. The Constitution and legal system provide for a wide framework of laws and regulations ensuring complete enjoyment of relevant freedoms.

The preservation of historic and spiritual heritage, regardless of its ethnic or religious affiliation is crucial for promoting universal respect for freedom of religion and belief. Armenia hosts a magnificent Blue Mosque in the centre of Yerevan, as well as numerous churches of different denominations, synagogue and the biggest Yezidi temple in the world. On the other hand, Armenians have lived and thrived for centuries in such Muslim majority countries, among others, as Egypt, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Iraq.

Mme Vice-President,

Respect for freedom of religion or belief is closely related to the degree of tolerance and respect for diversity within any given society. Time and again, we see persistent efforts of erasing the indigenous Armenian culture. The destructions of thousands of Armenian religious sites have not ceased by ethnically cleansing Armenians from vast areas of their ancestral homeland. As the recent war has demonstrated it continues with new vigour.

I thank you.

Right of Reply in response to the statement of Azerbaijan, ID with Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief

Mr. Vice-President,

Armenia would like to exercise its right of reply in response to the statement made by the representative of Azerbaijan during ID with Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

Among the most egregious war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during the recent war in Nagorno-Karabakh were the deliberate destruction of Armenian religious monuments. The Cathedral Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots in the town of Shushi has been bombed twice. These attacks were widely deplored, including by the EU High Representative on behalf of the European Commission. The Human Rights Watch called these attacks a possible war crime.

The St. John the Baptist Church, also located in Shushi was vandalized and partially destroyed days after the town was occupied by Azerbaijan.

The destruction and privatization of the Armenian religious heritage has not been limited to the recent war and solely to Nagorno-Karabakh. This is what Azerbaijan was persistently pursuing also on its own territory. One of the most notorious cases is the renovation of St. Yeghishe Church in Nij, Azerbaijan, with the support of a Norwegian NGO. The destruction of Armenian inscriptions associated with the church during the renovations prompted a protest by Norway's ambassador to Azerbaijan.

Mr. President,

In 2018, three NGOs—the Center for the Protection of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan, the Working Group on a Unified List of Political Prisoners in Azerbaijan, and the Union for the Freedom of Political Prisoners of Azerbaijan indicated that among the estimated 130 to 150 political prisoners in Azerbaijan, a reported 68 are imprisoned for their religious beliefs.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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