The representatives of the forcibly displaced Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh issued a statement stating that as a result of the 44-day war of 2020 and the forced deportations carried out by Azerbaijan, tens of thousands of Armenians in Hadrut, Shushi, Askeran, Martun and Martakert regions of Nagorno-Karabakh are currently deprived of the right to live in their Homeland.
The statement reads:
“Back in the 1990s, tens of thousands of Armenian population of Shahumyan region, Getashen sub-region were also forcibly displaced by Azerbaijan.
Meanwhile, in the clause 7 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, the leaders of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation committed to ensure the return of internally displaced persons and refugees to Nagorno-Karabakh and neighboring regions under the supervision of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This did not happen which to date.
Taking into account the need to restore the rights of the population forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the obligations assumed by Azerbaijan under clause 7 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, we request the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev with this letter to recognize the urgent imperative to restore the violated rights of Armenian refugees, to ensure their safe and a dignified return to their historic lands and former settlements in accordance with their obligations under human and humanitarian law.
We call on the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, as a signatory party to the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 to show a consistent approach to the implementation of all international legal and political mechanisms, which will be aimed at ensuring the implementation of the international obligations undertaken by Azerbaijan. At the same time, please create additional mechanisms for more effective protection of the rights and interests of refugees, voicing and promoting their legal demands.
We call on the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to ensure the implementation of the requirements of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, with the frameworks defined by international law and all possible political levers, taking into account his status as the head of the state that signed the statement and thereby fulfilling the requirements of the statement the circumstance of being a guarantor.
We appeal to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, to organize, monitor and ensure the return of the Armenian population displaced from the territories under Azerbaijani control, as well as to support the implementation of effective and applicable international guarantees for the security of returnees, including the deployment of peacekeeping forces.
At the same time, we draw the attention of the High Commissioner to the fact that the Azerbaijani authorities are currently implementing programs of illegal resettlement of Azerbaijanis in our settlements, hindering our return and illegally seizing our property.
We present this letter as organizations created by people who became refugees and were forcibly displaced as a result of the 44-day 2020 and the first Nagorno-Karabakh war, representing their interests, protecting their rights and acting on their behalf.
NKR Refugees Association NGO - Saro Saryan
Motherhood NGO - Hasmik Mikayelyan
Kachar Scientific Center NGO - Mher Harutyunyan
Center for Support and Development of Women and Children NGO - Inessa Asryan
Unification of Refugees for Justice NGO - Angela Tamrazyan
Refugee Women's Association NGO - Ruzanna Avagyan
Mer Tun NGO - Anahit Tovmasyan
De-occupation of Hadrut NGO - Mary Davtyan
Hadrut Children and Youth Creative Center NGO - Ira Tamrazyan.
