HRC 49th Session: Item 3: interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment

11 March, 2022

Delivered by Mr. Henrik Yeritsyan, Second Secretary

President,

We thank the Special Rapporteur for this important, insightful report and express our deep concern regarding the ongoing toxification of people and the planet which obviously results in widespread violations of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Moreover, given the indivisible, interdependent and interrelated nature of human rights, negative trends in this regard have repercussions for the enjoyment of human rights in general.

It is with this understanding that Armenia inscribed among the original cosponsors of the resolution recognizing the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right adopted during the 48^th session of the HRC.

We are particularly concerned with regard to the enjoyment of this right by the people residing in the conflict areas who are double victimized by being deprived of the adequate international attention and unimpeded and unfettered humanitarian access to the vulnerable groups. In our region, in particular, the international assistance has been hindered to the people who have been attacked by incendiary and phosphorus weapons, which have not just claimed lives but also have heavily damaged the environment. It is our conviction that such instances deserve a particular attention.

I thank you.

Right of Reply to the Statement of Azerbaijan

President,

Armenia would like to exercise its right of reply to Azerbaijan.

On numerous occasions Armenia raised its voice to draw the attention of the international community to continuous mistreatment and torture of the Armenian PoWs and civilians captured by the Azerbaijani armed forces during and in the aftermath of the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Human Rights Watch published a detailed report of cases of torture, inhumane and degrading treatment of Armenians under the Azerbaijani custody. There are still 38 Armenians, both civilian and military alike, detained in Azerbaijan. Many more people are counted as enforced disappearances.

The UN Special Procedures expressed most serious concern at the (and I quote) “intentional extrajudicial killings and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and even amounting to torture of hors de combat Armenian soldiers as well as outrages upon personal dignity and disrespectful treatment of human remains.” Their communication in this regard addressed to Azerbaijan remained unresponded.

Recently the European Court of Human Rights ruled on three cases of torture of the Armenian nationals detained in Azerbaijan. Two of them died in the custody, while a 77-year-old farmer died following his repatriation.

The International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to “Protect from violence and bodily harm all persons captured in relation to the 2020 Conflict who remain in detention, and ensure their security and equality before the law”.

The cases of torture in Azerbaijan do not happen in a vacuum. In 2021 members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe investigated torture cases in Azerbaijan and came to a conclusion that in one case alone more than 200 servicemen fell victim to torture, and 11 of them were tortured to death.

We once again call upon the international human rights mechanisms to properly address the situation of Armenian detainees who have been subjected to torture and intimidation.

When it comes to the environmental rights, we would like to recall that Azerbaijan used cluster munition and incendiary weapons, including white phosphorus bombs against Nagorno-Karabakh. It caused irreversible damage to the environment.

We further recall that numerous efforts of international organizations for putting together regional projects on the protection of environment were rejected by Azerbaijan. This was the case with the ENVSEC initiative for water monitoring and the OSCE-led environmental mission on the seasonal fires.

I thank you.

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