Statement delivered by Mr. Nairi Petrossian, Deputy Permanent Representative of Armenia under Agenda Item 9 during the General Debate of the 45th Session of Human Rights Council

01 October, 2020

HRC 45th Session: General Debate under Agenda Item 9

Delivered by Mr. Nairi Petrossian, Deputy Permanent Representative

President,

The Durban Declaration and Plan of Action urged States to pay attention to the negative impact of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and to raise awareness concerning their international obligations.

Azerbaijan has portrayed itself as a country that took pride in adopting ‘multiculturalism’ as a national policy. That sanctimonious line could have worked as a good catchline for self-advertisement should the Government of Azerbaijan have restrained itself from formulating, adopting and running appalling policy and practice of racism, xenophobia and related intolerance directed specifically against presumed ethnic Armenians.

Let us be more specific: should one, whatever his or her citizenship, bear a surname that ends with the syllable spelled as “-YAN,” that person automatically presumed to be ethnic Armenian and harassed. Ethnic Armenians, even those who do not have typical Armenian names are identified and either prohibited to enter Azerbaijan, or imprisoned. Several officials in Azerbaijan lost their jobs when it was unveiled that they have some Armenian ancestry. The books of a renowned novelist were burned on the streets in Azerbaijan because he was preaching peace and reconciliation. A citizen was persecuted just for listening to Armenian music in his car in Baku. A teacher was sacked for teaching to schoolchildren that Armenians are not enemies. Armenian products were ceased and publicly burned at the custom check point in Azerbaijan, and the video footage was disseminated by public TV channels.

Less than a week ago, “Gzavnili” and “Postalon,” two private companies in Georgia, informed their customers that they would not be able to serve people with the Armenian surnames since the Azerbaijani Customs confiscated any parcel bearing an Armenian-sounding name.

It is a matter of grave concern that Azerbaijan spares no effort to export its policy of hate towards Armenians and Armenia to any place where it can reach. Given the bonanza provided to Azerbaijan by the oil and gas trade revenues, it could have dedicated quite a few resources to this dubious line of its export.

The most egregious identity-based crimes against Armenians by Azerbaijan have been recognized by the European Court of Human Rights on two different rulings.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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