News - UN: Karabakh Armenians’ mass displacement is linked to military operation, 9-month blockade by Azerbaijan

Thirty-four member countries of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council are extremely concerned about the severe humanitarian and human rights crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and the situation of the population that fled there in recent weeks, the aforementioned countries have noted in a statement. According to the report of the UN mission in the region, practically the entire ethnic Armenian population, more than 100,000 people fled to Armenia. Their report notes the suffering this experience must have caused. This mass displacement of ethnic Armenians from their homes is due to the Azerbaijani military operation that began on September 19 and the nine-month blockade of the Lachin corridor, which has led to severe humanitarian conditions, the aforementioned statement emphasizes. The next step for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is to closely monitor the human rights situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, meet with refugees and displaced persons, as well as those who remain in Nagorno-Karabakh, and report to the UN Human Rights Council, the statement added. Therefore, 34 member countries of the UN Human Rights Council urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to invite the representatives of the OHCHR to provide them with such technical assistance as soon as possible. Also, the aforesaid countries call on Azerbaijan to ensure the rights and safety of the remaining Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, and to immediately create conditions for the voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable return of those who want to return to their homeland, and their cultural and religious heritage must be guaranteed and be protected. In addition, the 34 member states of the UN Human Rights Council call on Azerbaijan to comply with the interim measures adopted by the European Court of Human Rights on September 22 as well as with the provisional measures adopted by International Court of Justice on December 7, 2021 and on February 22 and July 6, 2023. The aforementioned countries call on Armenia to continue, with the support of the international community, providing humanitarian aid to those displaced by the crisis, the statement concludes.