Statement on the draft resolution “Prevention of Genocide” delivered by H.E. Andranik Hovhannisyan, Permanent Representative of Armenia ` at the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

03 April, 2024

Mr. President,

It is an honor to present draft resolution L.16 entitled “Prevention of genocide”, which enjoys wide co-sponsorship from all five regional groups.

The draft resolution is a manifestation of Armenia’s continuing and resolute commitment to the international efforts for genocide prevention. It is a call to prevent deterioration of the human rights violations into such an egregious crime as genocide is. The contribution of the Human Rights Council to this end is pertinent and urgent as we all witness gross abuses of human rights in different parts of the world.

With this resolution the Council will note that genocide and other mass atrocities often are committed within the context of armed conflict. It will reaffirm that starvation of civilians as a method of combat is prohibited under international humanitarian law and that it is therefore prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population.

The resolution will emphasize that impunity is a significant risk factor for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and that it needs to be addressed through investigating allegations, prosecuting and punishing the perpetrators. It will also acknowledge the contribution of the International Court of Justice regarding the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.

The resolution will take stock of the UN and other international activities conducted in this regard, inter allia welcoming the HRC intersessional meeting that marked the 75th anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

It will emphasize that early warning should be linked to addressing the prevention of genocide and will task to convene HRC panel discussion on early warning and genocide prevention. It will request the Secretary-General to prepare a follow-up report and will invite the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide to an interactive dialogue with the HRC.

Mr. President,

Martin Luther King famously said that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” We strongly believe in our joint mission to ensure the application of justice that the victims and their descendants deserve, including through recognition, accountability, truth, reparation, guarantees of non-recurrence and preservation of historic memory.

We would like to express our profound gratitude to all co-sponsors, to all States and other stakeholders that enriched this initiative with their valuable and constructive contributions.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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