HRC 49th Session: Item 3: interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to food

14 March, 2022

Delivered by Mr. Henrik Yeritsyan, Second Secretary

President,

Armenia shares the conviction of the Special Rapporteur that to establish adequate conditions for protecting the right to life, measures should be designed to ensure access without delay for individuals to essential goods and services such as food.

In this regard, we would like to express Armenia’s grave concern on the continuous violation of these rights by Azerbaijan. It has been a week since Azerbaijan cut the gas supply to Nagorno-Karabakh, depriving more than 120.000 Armenians from heating and imposing unbearable living conditions upon them, especially in the current winter conditions. Almost daily shelling of the Armenian villages, including by artillery, severely restricts and deprives the farmers of the possibility to conduct agricultural works. Last October an Armenian farmer was killed by a sniper fire as he drove his tractor in the field. In November an Armenian plumber was killed by Azerbaijani military while repairing a water pipe. In December a group of Azerbaijani servicemen abducted and killed a 65-year-old Armenian shepherd.

All these actions undertaken by Azerbaijan are aimed to deprive the people of Nagorno-Karabakh of their own means of subsistence and to finalize Azerbaijan’s long-term plan of ethnic cleansing.

I thank you.

Right of Reply in response to the statement of Azerbaijan during Interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities

Delivered by Mr. Henrik Yeritsyan, Second Secretary

President,

Armenia exercises its right of reply to Azerbaijan.

The International Humanitarian Law places a premium on the current status of persons with disabilities under the laws of war. This obligation has been continuously violated by Azerbaijan during its aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh when it deliberately bombed hospitals and killed persons with disabilities, who were not able to leave the conflict zone.

At least two civilians who were killed in cold blood by the subversive groups of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the currently occupied Hadrut region of Nagorno Karabakh had mental disabilities. One of them Mikayel Movsisyan was killed in his apartment with three gunshots and the other Artsvik Mirzoyan shot dead in the yard of his house in front of his father. In the same region 82 years old disabled person Radik Stepanyan was found dead and mutilated.

The newspaper Guardian reported on two cases of beheading of elderly Armenians. On both cases the perpetrators themselves shoot videos of their crimes and disseminated on the social networks. Their faces were open and could be easily identified. However, no one has been convicted. Moreover, recently Azerbaijan has announced an amnesty for all participants of the war against Nagorno-Karabakh. Previously too Azerbaijan was glorifying the murderers of Armenians, however, with this new law Azerbaijan has given a blank license for execution of Armenians.

During the aggression of Azerbaijan, overall, 80 civilian causalities have yet been verified, 42 of them were killed as a result of targeted strikes, 38 in captivity.

It is obvious that the actions of Azerbaijan are aimed at ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh from its indigenous Armenian population, including through the attempts to deprive the Armenian population from their own means of subsistence.

During the recent weeks Azerbaijani armed forces have been firing from various caliber weapons, including mortars, towards villages, farms and fields with the sole aim to prevent all and any agricultural activities. At least 70 000 people in Nagorno-Karabakh rely on agricultural work as primary or secondary means of income.

Azerbaijan should translate the talk of peace it pursues into a corresponding appropriate action on the ground. Armenia is committed to bringing peace and prosperity to the region. To this end, Armenia has adopted a strategy of opening an era of peaceful development for the region.

I thank you.

Second Right of Reply in response to the statement of Azerbaijan

Delivered by Mr. Henrik Yeritsyan, Second Secretary

President,

Armenia exercises its second right of reply to Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan conducts a persistent and continuous policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.

First, around 40.000 Armenians who were displaced during the aggression of Azerbaijan in the fall of 2020 are deprived of their right to return to their places of residence in safety and dignity. They do not have access to their farms, orchards and fields.

Second, even those agricultural lands that are not under the control of Azerbaijan are frequently shelled by armed forces of Azerbaijan. There have been cases of killing and abduction of the Armenians while undertaking the agricultural works.

Third, Azerbaijan has been terrorizing civilian population of the Armenian villages in the vicinity of the Line-of-Contact by threats spread through loudspeakers.

Fourth, the Government of Azerbaijan encourages such provocative acts. Despite numerous reports and statements by reputable international organizations, including by the OHCHR, on the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan, no investigation or prosecution has been conducted.

Finally, Azerbaijan employs similar intimidation and provocative tactics with regard to the civilian population of the Republic of Armenia residing in the close vicinity to the border.

In this regard Armenia has continuously reiterated its proposal for the mirror withdrawal of armed forces from the borderline. On numerous occasions Armenia has also reaffirmed its commitment to undertake efforts for the establishment of peaceful coexistence and mutual tolerance in the region.

I thank you.

MFA RA
official website

Dual citizenship

Electronic visa

Visa applications