HRC 54rd Session: Item 2: General Debate

13 September, 2023

Delivered by Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative

Mr. President,

At the outset I would like to extend my appreciation to all those States that reflected on the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and its implication on the human rights situation in Nagorno-Karabakh during this session of the Human Rights Council. Recently a group of the UN Special Procedure Mandate Holders expressed alarm over this situation and called it a “dire humanitarian crisis.” They urged Azerbaijan to uphold its international obligations to respect and protect human rights. This was only one among numerous other calls that was ignored by Azerbaijan.

Already in February 2023 the International Court of Justice found that there is a real and imminent risk that irreparable prejudice may be caused to the rights of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Thus, it ordered Azerbaijan to ensure unimpeded movement along the Lachin Corridor. In July the Court reaffirmed its ruling.

Azerbaijan has not complied with this Order. Moreover, the situation aggravated to an extent that the ICRC reported that during the last two months the delivery of food and medicine has been totally banned.

Azerbaijan dooms 120.000 civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh, among them 30.000 children to a humanitarian catastrophe and ethnic cleansing. Given the magnitude and severity of the violations this is one of the most pertinent challenges to the protection of human rights worldwide.

While the humanitarian crisis unfolds and the security situation is tense, Armenia has on numerous occasions reiterated its commitment to peace and political settlement.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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