The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the UN, held public hearings on the request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by the Republic of Armenia in the case concerning Application of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, in the frameworks of “Armenia v. Azerbaijan” case on Thursday 12 October 2023, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court. Session held under the presidency of Judge Joan E. Donoghue, President of the Court.
In his closing speech, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Representative of Armenia on International Legal Matters particularly said:
Madam President, distinguished Judges of the Court, it is an honour to appear before you again.
I shall now read Armenia’s closing submissions.
On the basis of its Request for provisional measures dated 28 September 2023 and its oral pleadings, Armenia respectfully requests the Court to indicate the following provisional measures pending its determination of this case on the merits:
“Azerbaijan shall refrain from taking any measures which might entail breaches of its obligations under the CERD”;
“Azerbaijan shall refrain from taking any actions directly or indirectly aimed at or having the effect of displacing the remaining ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, or preventing the safe and expeditious return to their homes of persons displaced in the course of the recent military attack including those who have fled to Armenia or third States, while permitting those who wish to leave Nagorno-Karabakh to do so without any hindrance”;
“Azerbaijan shall withdraw all military and law-enforcement personnel from all civilian establishments in Nagorno-Karabakh occupied as a result of its armed attack on 19 September 2023”;
“Azerbaijan shall facilitate, and refrain from placing any impediment on, the access of the United Nations and its specialized agencies to the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, and shall not interfere with their activities in any way”;
“Azerbaijan shall facilitate, and refrain from placing any impediment on, the ability of the International Committee of the Red Cross to provide humanitarian aid to the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, and shall cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross to address the other consequences of the recent conflict”;
“Azerbaijan shall immediately facilitate the full restoration of public utilities, including gas and electricity, to Nagorno-Karabakh, and shall refrain from disrupting them in the future”;
“Azerbaijan shall refrain from taking punitive actions against the current or former political representatives or military personnel of Nagorno-Karabakh”;
“Azerbaijan shall not alter or destroy any monument commemorating the 1915 Armenian genocide or any other monument or Armenian cultural artefact or site present in Nagorno-Karabakh”;
“Azerbaijan shall recognize and give effect to civil registers, identity documents and property titles and registers established by the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh, and shall not destroy or confiscate such registers and documents”;
“Azerbaijan shall submit a report to the Court on all measures taken to give effect to this Order within one month, as from the date of this Order, and thereafter every three months, until a final decision on the case is rendered by the Court”.
Madam President, distinguished Judges of the Court, this concludes Armenia’s oral presentation on its Request for Provisional Measures.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Judges and the Registry for accommodating the Armenian delegation here at the Peace Palace, and for promptly organizing this hearing. I would further like to thank in particular the Registry’s staff and the interpreters for ensuring the hearing’s smooth conduct.
Thank you for your attention and for your consideration of Armenia’s Request.
