HRC 48: Item 3 - ID with the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights Delivered by Ms. Armine Petrosyan, Second Secretary - Embassy of Armenia to Switzerland and Permanent Mission of Armenia to the UN office at Geneva

HRC 48: Item 3 - ID with the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights Delivered by Ms. Armine Petrosyan, Second Secretary

24 September, 2021

September 15, 2021

HRC 48th Session: Item 3 - ID with the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights

Delivered by Ms. Armine Petrosyan, Second Secretary

President,

Armenia has faced UCMs almost ever since its independence. Turkey and Azerbaijan have blocked the land borders of Armenia to exert pressure for political purposes related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including for impairing the right of people to self-determination. This conduct has been driven by desire to impose a collective punishment upon people of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan has developed the economic and transport infrastructure that circumvents Armenia purely on political considerations. In doing so, Azerbaijan grossly violates its international obligations, in particular the commitment to promote peace, economic and social advancement of all peoples and to develop good neighborly relations in accordance with the UN Charter. However, probably the most outrageous among the UCMs introduced by Azerbaijan is the effective travel ban against anyone who allegedly has an Armenian origin. We invite SR to assess it in the context of the International Human Rights Law.

We concur with SR that States should use mechanisms of peaceful settlement of disputes. For the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict it is the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairmanship. Armenia believes that the revival of the peace process in this framework and implementation of the 10 November 2020 and 11 January 2021 statements will pave the way to alleviating the negative impact of the described UCMs.

Armenia further agrees with the focus of the guidelines developed by the Special Rapporteur amid COVID-19 aid concerns that calls on the States to act in a spirit of cooperation, humanitarian principles and human rights standards and prioritize saving lives in the course of the COVID-19. In this regard, it is regrettable that Azerbaijan hinders the access of humanitarian organizations to Nagorno-Karabakh for extending lifesaving assistance to the people in need, including thousands of displaced people of the recent war unleashed by Azerbaijan.

Thus, the unilateral coercive measures perpetrated by Azerbaijan directly impact the enjoyment of the whole system of human rights, including the fundamental rights to life and enjoyment of highest attainable standards of health.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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