BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21
Trend:
Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsperson) of Azerbaijan Sabina Aliyeva appealed to international organizations in connection with the actions of Armenia, undermining peace and stability in the region, Trend reports on Sept.21 citing the Ombudsman's Office.
The appeal was sent to the UN Secretary-General, the Security Council of the organization, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Human Rights Council of the world organization, the leadership of UNICEF, UNESCO, EU, Council of Europe, OSCE, international and European ombudsmen institutions, the Asian Association of Ombudsmen, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Association of Ombudsmen of the member states of this organization.
Besides, the appeal was addressed to the OIC Permanent Independent Commission on Human Rights, the European Network of Ombudsmen for Children's Rights, the International Peace Bureau, the Federation for World Peace, ombudsmen of different countries and national human rights institutions, embassies of Azerbaijan abroad and embassies of foreign states in the country, and the diaspora organizations.
The document stated that the growing contradictions between countries, religious confessions and civilizations, ongoing conflicts, and new war hotbeds directly impede the provision of peace.
"As a result of ongoing armed conflicts and wars, millions of people, including children, women, the elderly and the disabled, are expelled from their homes. The aggressive policy that hinders the peace process, Armenia’s policy of ethnic cleansing, which this country had been pursuing against Azerbaijan for many years, is a constant threat to stability and prosperity in the region,” the document said.
“For years, no effective steps have been taken to implement the four UN Security Council resolutions on ending the military aggression of Armenia, restoring the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan, returning refugees and internally displaced persons to their native lands, thereby ensuring sustainable peace and security in the region, as well as resolutions of the UN General Assembly dated March 14, 2008 on the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the Azerbaijani territories, and they all remained on paper," the document further noted.
“The peace negotiations conducted by international organizations carrying out a mediating mission to resolve the problem had given no result. The leaders of Armenia, feeling free of any pressure at the international level, taking advantage of impunity, continued to commit crimes against Azerbaijan, including criminal acts related to terrorism and its financing," the appeal said.
The document also noted that, despite the right of self-defense in accordance with paragraph 21 of the UN Charter, the Azerbaijani state, remaining committed to the principles and norms of international law, has always pursued a peaceful policy, tried to peacefully restore territorial integrity, but ignoring all the efforts, Armenia, under the guise of double standards, continued its aggressive policy.
"The armed forces of Armenia, which again came out against Azerbaijan with territorial claims in July 2020, began using prohibited weapons, including ballistic missile systems, and began deliberately firing at units of the Azerbaijani armed forces, as well as settlements located far from the combat zone from September 27, 2020. As a result, 94 civilians were killed, including 12 children, 414 people were injured, including 50 children, more than 3,410 houses, 120 apartment buildings, a large number of schools, hospitals, kindergartens, a total of 512 civilian objects were destroyed," the appeal said.
As a result of acts of environmental terror on the Armenian part with the use of prohibited chemical weapons and the deliberate commission of mass arson, the environment of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, including sources of clean water, were physically and chemically polluted, various species of unique plants and animals were destroyed, water basins became dangerous for all living beings.
"Due to the 44-day counter-offensive operations conducted by Azerbaijan from September 27 through November 10, 2020 to restore territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders and establish sustainable peace and security in the region, the lands occupied by Armenia were liberated, and Azerbaijan ensured the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions. The Azerbaijani side has repeatedly stated that it is interested in concluding a peace treaty and resuming normal neighborly relations between the peoples of the two countries. But despite this, the Armenian side does not want to put up with the existing realities, does not fulfill the conditions of the trilateral declaration, and continues military provocations and a discrediting campaign against Azerbaijan."
Azerbaijan puts forward concrete proposals to reduce tension in relations with Armenia, strengthens peace in the region and expands cooperation, the Ombudsman said.
"However, Armenia does not respond to these calls, continues to propagandize hatred against Azerbaijan in various media resources and social networks. The cities, towns and villages in the liberated territories were almost completely destroyed and massively looted by the Armenian armed forces. An even more serious threat is the hundreds of thousands of mines that are installed on these lands. These mines prevent people from returning to their native lands and generally delay the process of reconstruction and development. There have been dozens of cases when, after the war, not only servicemen, but also civilians were killed and injured by mines. Armenia does not provide accurate maps of minefields, poses a threat to people's lives and health, and hinders the implementation of projects of national importance in the liberated territories," Sabina Aliyeva added.
It is still impossible to get information from the opposite side about the fate of 3,890 Azerbaijanis who are considered missing as a result of Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan, she noted.
The Azerbaijani Ombudsman called on world states, international organizations, ombudsman institutions in foreign countries and other national human rights institutions to make joint efforts to restore violated human rights in the region, ensure Armenia's compliance with the norms and principles of international law and restore peace.