HRC 48: General Debate on Oral Update by the High Commissioner Item 2: Annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the OHCHR and the Secretary-General. Delivered by H.E. Mr. Andranik Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative

15 September, 2021

September 14, 2021

HRC 48^th Session: General Debate on Oral Update by the High Commissioner

Item 2: Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General.

Delivered by H.E. Mr. Andranik Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative

President,

Armenia expresses its appreciation to our distinguished High Commissioner for the reports and comprehensive oral update she presented. Armenia stands firmly by High Commissioner and her call to reinvigorate our joint action to address the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution, and nature loss.

Armenia further commends the High Commissioner and her collaborators from the Office for organizing on 10 February 2021 one-day intersessional meeting with a dialogue on cooperation in strengthening capacities for the prevention of genocide. It was mandated by the HRC resolution 43/29 on the Prevention of Genocide.

President,

Armenia greatly values and appreciates determination of the High Commissioner to seek access for the OHCHR to Nagorno-Karabakh. We believe that monitoring and reporting of the OHCHR from the field can contribute to the promotion of human rights and prevent their violations in future.

During the recent months the provocative actions of Azerbaijan have not been limited to Nagorno-Karabakh but have been stretched out to the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. The human rights of the civilian Armenian living in the close vicinity to the border have been continuously violated by Azerbaijan. Armenia calls for the meticulous examination and scrutiny of this situation by the OHCHR.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan has been vocal in its attempts to instrumentalize the issue of Armenian Prisoners of War and unlawfully detained civilian captives to exert pressure on Armenia. The mock trials with fabricated charges against the Armenian PoWs have been presided over by the judges known for their notorious politicized trials and verdicts against human rights defenders.

President,

Armenia is convinced that non-politicized, constructive, open and inclusive debates are essential for the promotion and protection of human rights.

Armenia commends China for its determination to eradicate poverty and create equal opportunities for empowerment of the society and its individual members. We would like to express our appreciation to China for its efforts towards the promotion of the right to health. Last but not least, Armenia reiterates its adherence to One China policy.

I thank you.

First Right of Reply

Madam Vice-President,

Armenia requested the floor to exercise its right of reply to Azerbaijan and Pakistan that spoke on behalf of the OIC.

Armenia will keep persistently communicating that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not a religious one and it cannot be anointed in religious terms. Armenia strongly believes that human rights are universal and are not limited to religious affiliations.

It is unfortunate that Azerbaijan continues to abuse its membership and take advantage of the principle of solidarity established among the OIC members to distort the conflict-related realities. Let us bring just one illustrious example in this regard. Azerbaijan has misled the OIC that allegedly the religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh have been damaged by the Armenian side. In reality it is Azerbaijan that hinders the fact-finding mission of UNESCO to Nagorno-Karabakh to assess the state of affairs with regards to the religious sites and this has been publicly confirmed by the Assistant Director General of UNESCO in his relevant statement.

Obviously, Azerbaijan strives to conceal its own damage inflicted to the religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, on the contrary, have supported the mission of UNESCO. It is our conviction that the OIC should not take the allegations of Azerbaijan for granted and not allow Azerbaijan to disseminate such and other blatant misrepresentations through such reputable organization as the OIC.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not settled. As the international mediators, the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the USA, have recently reiterated (and I quote) “special attention should be paid to the achievement of a final comprehensive and sustainable settlement on the basis of the elements and principles well-known to the sides”. The Co-Chairs underscored their readiness to resume working visits to Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, Azerbaijan denies the very possibility of engaging in the peace process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan continues to hinder the access of the international organizations to Nagorno-Karabakh, which was publicly confirmed by the spokesperson of the UN Secretary General.

Armenia believes that the resumption of the peace process in this framework and implementation of the 10 November 2020 and 11 January 2021 trilateral statements will pave the way for the regional security, stability and the promotion of human rights of the people residing in conflict areas.

I thank you.

Second Right of Reply

Vice-President,

The current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is the result of a flagrant violation by Azerbaijan of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and objectives of international law, namely the obligation to refrain from the use and the threat of use of force, peaceful settlement of disputes, and equal rights and self-determination of peoples.

Azerbaijan ignores the calls of the international community to release all detainees and reveal the whereabouts of missing persons. Tens of thousands of displaced people are denied the right to return to their ancestral homes. Baku has not done anything to investigate the well documented cases of atrocities committed by Azerbaijan during the war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

A solution imposed with uninhibited force, heinous war crimes and grave violations of the international human rights law and international humanitarian law will never become a basis for a lasting and sustainable solution. Azerbaijan’s declared pursuit of an environment-friendly solutions and infrastructure projects cannot be a window-dressing to legitimize the anti-Armenian ethnic cleansing campaign it perpetrated. We have no doubt that the United Nations and its member States shall not endorse the latter’s attempts to impose by sheer force demographic, economic, social and cultural realities on the ground under the pretext of sustainable development. The human rights of the people of Nagorno Karabakh cannot be ignored or denied.

Azerbaijan should substantiate its declarations with actions on the ground addressing properly these and other related gross violations of human rights.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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