The 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was held in Geneva from February 22 to March 24, 2021. Due to the limitations of COVID-19 epidemic, the session was held for the first time in a completely remote online format. For the first time in the history of the UN, remote electronic voting was conducted online to adopt the HRC resolutions.
Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ara Aivazian participated in the high-level part of the session. In his speech, Aivazian referred to Armenia’s activities in the first year of the HRC membership, emphasizing the principled work and positions in the prevention of genocides, impunity for crimes against humanity, and the fight against hate speech, as well as in a number of other spheres. The crimes committed by Azerbaijan against the civilian population during the war unleashed against Artsakh were presented, including the involvement of foreign terrorists with the support of Turkey. The Minister also stressed the ongoing crimes after the ceasefire, including POWs, torture of civilians, destruction of the Armenian religious and cultural heritage, and other gross violations of international law. The importance of fighting for justice to independently determine their own future by the people of Artsakh was emphasized.
The agenda of the 46th session of the HRC included a number of other issues: racism, xenophobia, torture, combating inhuman treatment, persons with disabilities, protection of children’s rights, and abolition of the death penalty. Issues of religious freedom, cultural and environmental rights in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic were discussed. A number of interactive dialogues focused on the human rights situation in different countries. On February 26, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict under item 2 of the HRC agenda, stating in particular that she continues to make efforts for her office to gain access to Nagorno-Karabakh. She stated that all violations of international law should be investigated, the guilty should be punished, and the victims should receive compensation. The High Commissioner for Human Rights also emphasized that all captives should be protected under international law and treated humanely.
During the general discussion following her statement, Armenia and a number of other countries raised the issue of protection of the rights of military and civilians captured by Azerbaijan in Artsakh. Portugal addressed the issue, speaking on behalf of twenty-seven member states of the European Union, including Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Liechtenstein, and Armenia, for a total of 34 countries. Besides, a number of other countries with national status separately addressed the issue of protection of the captives’ rights.
During the 46th session of the HRC, Armenia co-authored six resolutions and joined 11 joint statements on urgent human rights issues.
At the HRC session, the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the UN Office in Geneva made 53 speeches, presenting our country’s priorities on human rights issues. The Armenian side presented the war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during the war against Artsakh, the outrageous violations of human rights and international humanitarian law at general and separate discussions of the HRC agenda. The attention of the UN member states was drawn to Azerbaijan’s policy of non-fulfillment of obligations to POWs, captive civilians, targeted destruction of indigenous Armenian religious and cultural heritage, obstruction of access to international organizations in Artsakh, violation of the rights of displaced persons, racist and discriminatory treatment of Armenians. Details on Turkey’s involvement in the war against Artsakh and the use of mercenary terrorists were presented. The Republic of Armenia also referred to the restriction of fundamental freedoms in Azerbaijan, the persecution of human rights defenders, murders, and extreme manifestations of hatred towards Armenians. The commitment of the Armenian side to the peaceful settlement of the conflict was reaffirmed through the negotiation process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, based on respect for the fundamental freedoms of the people of Artsakh and the right to self-determination. The Permanent Representation of Armenia to the above-mentioned issues distributed a number of applications, information materials and reports within the framework of the HRC.
The next session of the HRC will take place in June, this year.
