Freedom House report on Artsakh concludes Azerbaijan committed ethnic cleansing |

WASHINGTON – On July 1, a joint fact-finding report Report In its report titled “Why Are There No Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh?” Freedom House concluded that “Azerbaijan’s actions meet the criteria for ethnic cleansing… through extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and detention, restrictions on access to food and life-saving medicines, forced evictions, expulsions and deportations of civilians, deliberate military attacks or threats of attacks against civilians and civilian areas, and wanton destruction of property,” the Armenian Congress of America reported.

The report was also prepared by the International Partnership for Human Rights, the Foundation for Democratic Development, the Helsinki Vanadzor Citizens’ Assembly, the NGO Rights Without Borders, the Foundation for the Development and Protection of Law and the Truth Hounds.

“This international investigative effort not only highlights Azerbaijan’s genocide against the Armenian people, but also underscores the critical importance of accountability and the fundamental right of return,” said Mariam Kaloyan, director of parliamentary relations.

The report reveals Azerbaijan’s “intimidation and attacks” on the Nagorno-Karabakh region, its 10-month “blockade” and the humanitarian crisis it has caused, as well as “evidence of the erasure of the Armenian community, culture and heritage in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.”

Furthermore, the report stressed that “the Fact-Finding Mission has determined that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that these practices, as well as the others cited in this summary, also constitute crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, including Article 7 (crimes against humanity) and Article 8 (war crimes), and meet the definition of deportation or forcible transfer of population.”

Furthermore, given their findings and the lack of prosecutions, the report highlights “the urgent need for international legal review and accountability, and recommends a referral to the International Criminal Court to ensure that those responsible for these egregious acts are thoroughly investigated and potentially prosecuted.”

The report concluded:
“Analysis of the actions and rhetoric of the Azerbaijani authorities, combined with the personal experiences of the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, provides us with reason to conclude that their forced displacement was intentional. The evidence suggests a concerted, long-term plan to eliminate the ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh. This policy was achieved through regular operations that constituted serious violations of human rights, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. The Azerbaijani government gradually and methodically imposed living conditions designed to either eliminate the ethnic Armenians over time or to make it impossible for them to remain and survive. The Azerbaijani government’s intentions were further demonstrated by official statements issued immediately after the displacements, stating that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue had been “solved” and that “justice had been restored.” The Azerbaijani government’s continued violation of international norms and continued human rights violations despite international condemnation also indicate that the Azerbaijani government was intent on displacing ethnic Armenians.

“Thus, Azerbaijan’s documented actions meet the criteria for ethnic cleansing in the context of the former Yugoslavia conflict, namely, ethnic cleansing through extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and detention, restricted access to food and life-saving medicines, forced expulsions, displacement and deportation of civilians, deliberate military attacks or threats of attacks against civilians and civilian areas, and wanton destruction of property. The Fact-Finding Mission has determined that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that these practices, as well as the others cited in this summary, also constitute crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, including Articles 7 (crimes against humanity) and 8 (war crimes), and meet the definition of deportation or forcible transfer of population. These findings, along with the lack of prosecutions within Azerbaijan, highlight the urgent need for international legal review and accountability, and recommend referral to the International Criminal Court to ensure that those responsible for these egregious acts are thoroughly investigated and potentially prosecuted.”

armenian mirror observer