HRC 55th Session Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities

11 March, 2024

President,

Armenia welcomes Ms. Heba Hagrass, the newly appointed SR and expresses appreciation for presenting her vision on the mandate, as well as her priorities and goals for contributing to the realization of an inclusive and equitable society for all.

Likewise, Armenia thanks all previous Special Rapporteurs whose unwavering dedication, expertise and passion for advocating the rights of persons with disabilities have both been a guidance and inspiration for our efforts.

In 2021 Armenia’s Parliament adopted a new Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which introduced advanced protection measures and norms. The Human Rights Watch hailed it as an “important progress”. Since 1 January 2024, a personal assistant service for people with disabilities has been operating in Armenia.

Armenia, for decades, has been experiencing firsthand the devastating impact of conflict on the rights of persons with disabilities. Last year alone, we sheltered more than 100,000 refugees, including 9,000 persons with disabilities from Nagorno-Karabakh.

We trust that the SR will incorporate into her vision and actions the crisis, conflict and displacement situations that magnify the sufferings of persons with disabilities.

Thank you

1st Right of reply

Armenia exercises its right of reply to Azerbaijan.

In its open letter to the international community the European Disability Forum stated referred to the UNHCR (and I quote) “…more than 100,000 refugees arrived in Armenia in less than a week. Among new arrivals, are 30,000 children and many vulnerable people including pregnant women, people with disabilities and others with chronic health conditions. Many fled with just the few possessions they were able to grab, and arrived distressed, exhausted and apprehensive about the future…” (end of quote).

These actions followed a 10-month long brutal blockade of the Lachin Corridor that left people of Nagorno-Karabakh suffering from acute shortages of food, medication, hygiene products, and other essential supplies. The International Disability Alliance and The European Disability Forum expressed concern in this regard stipulating that “as a result of the blockade, around 120,000 people, including more than 9,000 persons with disabilities face grave human rights violations.”

The situation was particularly challenging for persons with disabilities who were deprived of adequate care due to the lack of food and medicine. Most of the hospitals were not operating, since Azerbaijan cut the energy supplies.

The European Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice adopted rulings on Azerbaijan to allow humanitarian medical transfers. Azerbaijan frequently violated those rulings and at least on one case detained a person during the medical transfer under the protection of the ICRC.

During the 2020 war Azerbaijan used cluster munitions, incendiary and phosphorus bombs and other lethal weapons that inflict especially cruel injuries to the people. The use of such deadly weapons enhanced the number of casualties and seriously maimed people. Moreover, all those disabled people who failed to timely evacuate were tortured and killed by armed forces of Azerbaijan. There are videos depicting these horrendous violations of human rights recorded by the tormentors themselves.

Azerbaijan has also developed a false narrative on the so-called use of landmines by Armenia. The ICJ has twice unanimously rejected the false accusations of Azerbaijan about the alleged use of landmines by Armenia. These Orders of ICJ once again vividly demonstrated that Azerbaijan abuses this issue for dissemination of groundless propaganda against Armenia. Azerbaijan itself is not a member to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. This mere fact speaks volumes about its true attitude towards humanitarian demining.

Thank you

2^nd Right of reply

President,

Armenia exercises its right of reply to Azerbaijan.

The International Humanitarian Law places a premium on the current status of persons with disabilities under the laws of war. This obligation has been continuously violated by Azerbaijan, which deliberately bombed hospitals in Nagorno-Karabakh and killed persons with disabilities, who were not able to evacuate.

A number of persons with mental disabilities were killed in cold blood. One of them Mikayel Movsisyan was killed in his apartment with three gunshots and the other one Artsvik Mirzoyan shot dead in the yard of his house in front of his father. 82 years old disabled person Radik Stepanyan was found dead and mutilated.

The newspaper Guardian reported on two cases of beheading of elderly Armenians. On both cases the perpetrators themselves shoot videos of their crimes and disseminated on the social networks. Their faces were open and could be easily identified. However, no one has been convicted. Moreover, recently Azerbaijan has announced an amnesty for all participants of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

By putting forward its false allegations on the use of landmines by Armenia, Azerbaijan aims at diverting attention from the mentioned and numerous other crimes committed against the peaceful Armenian population. It is very telling that Armenia continuously provided Azerbaijan with maps of the minefields. This humanitarian gesture has not been reciprocated by Azerbaijan, which continues to use mines not just as lethal weapons against Armenian population but also as a propaganda tool.

Thank you

MFA RA
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