HRC54 – Joint Statement Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh - Embassy of Armenia to Switzerland and Permanent Mission of Armenia to the UN office at Geneva

HRC54 – Joint Statement Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

11 October, 2023

We are extremely concerned by the dire humanitarian and human rights crisis in Nagorno-
Karabakh and the situation of the population who have fled from there in the past weeks.

According to the report of the UN Mission to the region, nearly the entire ethnic Armenian
population of Nagorno-Karabakh has fled to Armenia – more than 100,000 people. Their report
rightly notes the suffering this experience must have caused.

This massive displacement of ethnic Armenians from their homes stems from Azerbaijan’s
military operation launched on September 19th and a nine-month long blockage of the Lachin
corridor leading to dire humanitarian conditions.

We appreciate that High Commissioner Turk’s statement of September 26 urged safeguarding
the rights of ethnic Armenians, protection of civilians, and observance of international law. We
wholly agree that “reported violations of human rights or international humanitarian law require
follow-up, including prompt, independent and transparent investigations.”

We believe the appropriate next step is for the OHCHR to closely monitor the situation of
human rights in Nagorno-Karabakh, meet refugees and displaced persons and those who
remain, and to keep this Council informed. We therefore urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to invite
the OHCHR to provide them with such technical assistance as soon as possible.

At this time, we urge Azerbaijan to ensure the rights and security of those Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenians who remain and to promptly create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified and
sustainable return of those who wish to go home. Their cultural and religious heritage should
also be guaranteed and protected.

We further urge Azerbaijan to comply with the interim measures issued by the European Court
of Human Rights on 22 September and the provisional measures of the ICJ adopted on 7
December 2021, 22 February 2023 and 6 July 2023.

We urge Armenia, with the support of the international community, to continue to provide
humanitarian assistance to those displaced by the crisis.

International access to Nagorno-Karabakh is crucial to provide assistance and independent
monitoring, including to report on the human rights situation.

Furthermore, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan should
be fully respected. We strongly support dialogue among all parties to secure a comprehensive
and lasting peace.

We will continue to follow the situation closely and consider any and all appropriate further
steps by the Council.
* * *

List of States that co-sponsored the Joint Statement.

1. Andorra
2. Argentina
3. Armenia
4. Australia
5. Austria
6. Belgium
7. Bulgaria
8. Canada
9. Croatia
10. Cyprus
11. Czechia
12. Denmark
13. Estonia
14. Finland
15. France
16. Germany
17. Greece
18. Iceland
19. Ireland
20. Japan
21. Latvia
22. Liechtenstein
23. Lithuania
24. Luxembourg
25. Malta
26. Marshall Islands
27. North Macedonia
28. Netherlands
29. New Zealand
30. Norway
31. Poland
32. Portugal
33. Spain
34. Slovakia
35. Slovenia
36. Sweden
37. Switzerland
38. United Kingdom
39. Uruguay
40. United States of America

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