On 10 February an Intersessional meeting of the Human Rights Council on the Prevention of Genocide took place in Geneva. The meeting was mandated by the resolution initiated by Armenia.
Andranik Hovhannisayan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN Office in Geneva and other International Organisations, Nazhat Shameem Khan, President of the Human Rights Council, Ms Nada Al-Nashif, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights and Ms Alice Wairimu Nderitu, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide made opening remarks. The event gathered together representatives of UN member states, international organisations, academia and non-governmental organizations. Participants appreciated Armenia’s leadership in international efforts of Genocide prevention.
Permanent Representative of Armenia, Andranik Hovhannisyan stated that shortly after its independence Armenia initiated the first resolution on genocide prevention and ever since has remained seized in this matter towards raising awareness on the Genocide Convention, of the continued risks and challenges related to atrocity crimes, and towards building legal and institutional capacity of prevention.
He stressed that recent violence that unfolded in our region, recalling the horrors of past atrocities, has once again demonstrated the need to identify challenges and failures faced by international mechanisms in countering such crimes. The HRC resolution 43/29, which was initiated by Armenia and unanimously adopted in June 2020 stipulates that justification or denial of past instances of genocide may increase the risk of reoccurrence of violence.
Armenian side stressed the responsibility of states in the area of prevention as well as the key role of civil society and independent media.
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The speech of the RA Permanent Representative Andranik Hovhannisyan is available at the following link .
MFA