Remarks by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan at the Human Rights Council Intersessional Meeting on the Prevention of Genocide

10 February, 2021

Introductory Remarks

by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia

Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan

at the Human Rights Council Intersessional Meeting on the Prevention of Genocide

Madam President,

Madam Deputy High Commissioner,

Madam Special Advisor to the Secretary General,

Distinguished colleagues and participants of the meeting,

At the outset I would like to thank you all, representatives of the States, United Nations system, human rights mechanisms and institutions, academic experts and civil society at large, for joining us for this important meeting. I would also like to thank the Office of the High Commissioner and UNOG for all the hard work they did in putting together this virtual event in the current extraordinary circumstances. This yet again comes to prove both the importance of the subject that we are going to discuss today, our strong will not to deviate from the path we have adopted, as well as our flexibility in terms of the means used, but not in terms of the principles we espouse.

Armenia feels privileged and honored to be among those who introduce this intersessional meeting and set the tone for discussion. Shortly after its independence my country initiated the first resolution on genocide prevention and ever since has remained seized in this matter towards raising awareness of the Genocide Convention, of the continued risks and challenges related to atrocity crimes, and towards building legal and institutional capacity of prevention.

As Martin Luther King put it “Morality cannot be legislated, but behavior can be regulated. Laws may not change hearts, but they can restrain the heartless…”. Indeed, we consider this as a norm setting exercise, a journey that will bring us to a better stage, where “Never again” is not just a promise uttered but an action fulfilled for the sake of a world free of the most heinous crimes known to humankind. It is not a naïve appeal to reform the conduct of human beings and their morality, rather an effort to ensure that national and international actors abide by the common rules and standards whenever they identify that humanity and morality are degraded to an extent that may lead to crimes against humanity.

The recent violence that unfolded in our region, recalling the horrors of past atrocities, has once again demonstrated the need to identify failures and challenges faced by international mechanisms to effectively counter the odious scourge from its inception. The HRC resolution 43/29 has identified that justification, biased accounts or denial of past instances of genocide may increase the risk of reoccurrence of violence. It further identified genocide denial as a form of hate speech.

The primary focus of the consistent international action against the hate speech – and genocide denial as a distinct form of it – should address all instances of genocide denial that is initiated, supported, and induced by a State. Involvement of a State in promulgation of such ideas and theories through textbooks and official, government-sponsored historical societies, absence of a proper reaction by the authorities to hate speech are clear signs and early warning signals of an imminent and looming threat. Such a conduct by a State is a continuous violation of human rights of victims and their descendants. Moreover, that is a clear indication that no meaningful action has been taken to guarantee non-recurrence of the genocidal acts. The descendants of perpetrators do not bear the guilt until they choose to justify it and identify themselves with it. Hence, it is of utmost importance to put an end to impunity as an effective tool for ensuring prevention.

As an Armenian I know that silence perpetuates the wounds, keeping alive the memories of suffering and carnage. If I may again turn to Martin Luther King, who said that “the ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people”. Indeed, justice delayed is a justice denied. In this regard we have a 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.

That is where an organized, knowledgeable, strong and representative civil society and free, diverse and independent media should play an important role. It is no coincidence that this notion was one of the novel emphasis of the HRC resolution 43/29, which identified such concrete means as advocacy, monitoring, reporting, education, conflict prevention and resolution, reconciliation initiatives for the prevention of genocide.

Today we jointly brought together all these important actors. Armenia believes that the Human Rights Council and the OHCHR have a mission to fulfil and great work to do towards the prevention of genocide. This intersessional meeting is our joint contribution to that noble objective.

I thank you.

Concluding Remarks

by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia

Ambassador Andranik Hovhannisyan

at the Intersessional Meeting on the Prevention of Genocide

Thank you, Moderator.

As we came to the conclusion of this important intersessional meeting, I would like to thank the moderators, panelists and speakers for enlightening presentation and most meaningful participation.

We warmly congratulate the distinguished Special Advisor to the Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu upon her first formal engagement in the HRC setting, in her current capacity. Armenia appreciates your engagement and thorough insight into the issue that we discuss, and we hope that all of us will collectively be able to further benefit from it taking advantage of your kind offer for close interaction with the HRC members. The HRC resolution 43/29 envisages an interactive dialogue of the Special Adviser with the Council at its 47th session, and we are eagerly looking forward to our meeting this summer.

Armenia will continue its principled and consistent work on the Prevention of Genocide file as a penholder of the HRC resolution. We will further build up on the engagement with an organized, knowledgeable, strong and representative civil society and free, diverse and independent media as we view them as our important and trustworthy partners in this endeavor.

Armenia believes that we should set well-defined and measurable objectives that contribute to the Prevention of Genocide. One of such objectives would be universalization of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. We made it a standing recommendation that Armenia delivers in the framework of the Universal Periodic Review. We believe that with every new State acceding to the Convention one more step is being made towards prevention of genocide.

Finally, the Council mandated the OHCHR to prepare a number of reports that shall be introduced both in the course of this and next year that will address prevention of genocide, responsibility to protect and prevention of human rights violations. Preparation of those reports will provide us with additional opportunities to consult on how our political will and joint commitment to prevention should be translated into meaningful and effective action.

I thank you.

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