– A jointly issued fact-finding report by Freedom House titled “Why Are There No Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh?” concluded that “the documented actions of Azerbaijan meet the criteria for ethnic cleansing…inflicting it through means of extrajudicial executions, torture, arbitrary arrests and detention, restrictions on the access to food and life-saving medication, forcible removal, displacement and deportation of civilian population, deliberate military attacks or threats of attacks on civilians and civilian areas, and wanton destruction of property,” reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).
Joining Freedom House in preparing the Report were International Partnership for Human Rights, Democracy Development Foundation, Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly-Vanadzor, Protection of Rights without Borders NGO, Law Development and Protection Foundation, and Truth Hounds.
“This international fact-finding effort not only highlights Azerbaijan’s genocidal campaign against the Armenian people, but also underscores the critically important need for accountability as well as the fundamental right of return,” stated Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan.
The Report exposed the “intimidation and attacks,” the 10-month “blockade” of Nagorno-Karabakh and the humanitarian crisis that ensued as well as “erasing evidence of Armenian communities, culture, and heritage from Nagorno-Karabakh,” by Azerbaijan.
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In addition, the Report highlighted that the “fact-finding mission has determined that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that these practices as well as other acts cited in this summary also constitute crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, including Article 7 (crimes against humanity), and Article 8 (war crimes), and align with the definition of deportation or forcible transfer of population.”
Further, given their findings and the lack of prosecution, the Report underscored “the urgent need for international legal scrutiny and accountability, with a recommendation for referral to the ICC to ensure a thorough investigation and potential prosecution of those responsible for these egregious acts.”
Armenian Assembly of America
