Armenian human rights defenders have submitted a lawsuit to the European Court of Human Rights regarding violations of human rights as a result of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor for 8 months. The claim was submitted, in particular, on the issue of family reunification, demanding Azerbaijan to stop actions that lead to the violation of people's right to respect for private life.
Artak Zeynalyan (human rights defender) - There are families that were separated before the total siege, some of them were in Armenia during treatment, and the children were in Artsakh and could not be reunited after the siege. We presented with these cases.
With the application submitted to the ECHR, the human rights defenders demanded the application of an interim measure to ensure the reunification of families. According to Artak Zeynalyan, although the European Court did not apply an interim measure, it has already started communication in these cases, and the examination of the complaint is proceeding quickly.
Artak Zeynalyan - We applied for an urgent measure, the ECHR did not apply it, it was an attempt at innovation, we wanted to develop the right, but the investigation of the case started unusually for us. We submitted the main complaint, the ECHR provided us with an electronic channel, and we entered the examination phase very quickly. It is an inhumane treatment of people who are separated, there are minor children who are separated from their parents. Besides parents suffer from this separation, uncertainty, indifference, hopelessness, these are protected values.
According to Artak Zeynalyan, there are many beneficiaries, the complaint was submitted based on the applications of individuals and families, and they expect that the Strasbourg court will record human rights violations by Azerbaijan, it will be possible to restore violated rights and ensure the reunification of family members. According to the human rights defender, these and also the facts regarding the case of starvation recorded in Nagorno-Karabakh should supplement Armenia's claims and claims against Azerbaijan at the UN International Court of Justice.
Artak Zeynalyan - It is important that the acts of the International Court of Justice are implemented. It is one of the most important components of the modern world order. If there should not be a solution of issues with the threat of force, there should be a legal mechanism, otherwise the states will resort to that step, the threat of force. The member states have expressed their position that the acts of the court should be implemented.
As for the 6 judgments of the European Court of Justice against Azerbaijan in the past three years regarding cases of torture and murder of Armenian citizens. According to Zeynalyan, Baku does not even fulfill the just compensation stipulated by the judgments in this regard, they submitted letters to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. They are currently in correspondence with the committee on several cases.
