Statement of the Committee for the Defense of Fundamental Rights of the People of Nagorno-Karabakh
The Committee for the Defense of the Fundamental Rights of the People of Nagorno-Karabakh strongly condemns the illegal expropriation of property belonging to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and the settlement attempts in Stepanakert. These acts are clear violations of international law and an encroachment on the rights and dignity of native Armenians who were forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands.
As a result of the military operation carried out by Azerbaijan in September 2023, Nagorno-Karabakh was ethnically cleansed of its Armenian population. Baku continues to deny the people of Nagorno-Karabakh their fundamental right to return to their homes under international protection, as enshrined in various international human rights documents.
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Moreover, Azerbaijan’s continuous destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage erases the historical presence of Armenians in the region, amounting to cultural genocide.
The Committee also emphasizes the urgent need for the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war, civilian hostages, and the political leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh illegally detained in Azerbaijan. Their continued detention is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights. The international community must pressure Azerbaijan to immediately release these individuals and ensure their safe return to their families.
We call on Azerbaijan to cease these violations and enter into meaningful dialogue with the representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh, in accordance with the decision of the International Court of Justice and the European Parliament resolution of March 2024. It is imperative that discussions include the safe and unimpeded collective return of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to their homes under international protection.
