Yerevan, Armenia – The 5th Annual Conference titled “Voices Against Erasure: Victims of Atrocity Crimes in an Age of Impunity” of the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) opened today in Yerevan. The conference rests on a simple premise: victims must not remain peripheral to discussions about justice.
The international conference brings together survivors, representatives of victims, lawyers, psychologists, policymakers, scholars, and representatives of civil society from 17 countries to discuss this important topic.
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“The ongoing conflicts in Nagorno Karabakh, Ukraine, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Gaza, Israel, and other regions continue creating more victims, while the survivors of the previous atrocities, including Yazidis, continue to confront the long-term consequences of violence. Our goal is to ensure that victims become full participants in peace negotiations, geopolitical arrangements, and efforts to normalize relations. This will help promote justice and accountability, while preventing them from becoming bargaining chips in political negotiations,” said Gevorg Vardanyan, ESQ., Attorney, CFTJ Conference Chair and Member of the Board of Directors.
While international law increasingly recognizes their rights, many remain unheard, unacknowledged, or excluded from meaningful justice processes. The conference therefore focuses on protecting victims’ rights and on their recognition and reparation, giving particular attention to the challenges that persist in these areas.
Digital Exhibition
Complementing the conference’s central theme, the “Documenting Truth, Preserving Memory” digital exhibition is held. Displayed across six screens, the exhibition features selected testimonies, documentary videos, and visual presentations prepared by experts from the Center for Truth and Justice.
VR Experience
“Nobody’s Listening: The Forgotten Voices of Sinjar” interactive VR experience transports viewers to northern Iraq. It presents the story unfolding in the village of Kocho, in the Sinjar region, and enables users to hear directly from a young Yazidi woman abducted and sexually enslaved by ISIS, from her brother who survives a massacre, and from an ISIS fighter who attacks the village.
Book Launch
Participants are also introduced to Gurgen Petrossian’s book titled “Law Without Illusions: Armenia’s Past, Missed Opportunities, and the Real Possibilities of International Law”. The book explores how Armenia can transform international law into an effective foreign policy tool.
Award Ceremony
The conference will conclude with an award ceremony honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to making the victims’ voices heard and advancing the pursuit of justice and lasting peace.
During the two-day event, participants from Armenia, the USA, Nigeria, Kenya, Myanmar, the Kurdistan Region – Iraq, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, Spain, Switzerland, Egypt, and Argentina will discuss two main themes: experiencing harm and living with its consequences, and justice, its limitations and contemporary realities.
The Conference is organized by the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ) in collaboration with the American University of Armenia.
About the Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ)
CFTJ is a US-registered nonprofit organization, established in November 2020 in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh war. The Center brings together a group of lawyers overseeing the collection of firsthand testimonial evidence from war survivors via in-depth, recorded interviews.
Center for Truth and Justice
