BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. The Azerbaijani government has filed a lawsuit with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against Armenia in connection with the gross violation of the rights of Azerbaijanis in the territories liberated from the occupation, Trend reports on December 21 citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
According to the ministry, Azerbaijan has presented a number of proofs of deliberate and targeted destruction of property, including hundreds of civilian houses and other residential premises, during return of Lachin city and two neighboring villages (Zabukh and Sus) previously occupied by Armenia to Azerbaijan from May through August 2022.
The ministry said that during the occupation of the above territories they were exposed to large-scale destruction.
The Azerbaijani government also obtained proofs of the active participation of Armenian officials in the pursuing of the scorched-earth policy, the ministry noted.
Besides, according to the ministry, the Armenian government committed systematic human rights violations along the Lachin road.
The recently revealed facts have shown that the Armenian armed forces continue to lay mines in areas they must leave in accordance with the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020 [signed between Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the second Karabakh war], as well as mine, traps in civilian houses.
These are mines produced in Armenia in 2021 and delivered to Azerbaijan through the Lachin road, which indicates a gross violation of the trilateral statement, the ministry explained.
Demolition of houses within Armenia's scorched-earth policy conducted in parallel with the deliberate and targeted laying of mine devices on the civilian property makes it impossible for Azerbaijani IDP families and communities to return to their former homes and lands which they were forced to leave 30 years ago as a result of the Armenian occupation, the ministry further said.
According to the ministry, the actions of the Armenian government are a violation of the right of Azerbaijanis to freedom of life, movement, and peaceful use of the property.
The policy of inaction and government assistance in Armenia means a violation of the prohibition on discrimination, as well as the provisional measures adopted by the ECHR in 2020, which prevent Armenia from targeting civilian territories in connection with Azerbaijan's application for provisional measures after the outbreak of the conflict.
Azerbaijan has demanded compensation, reparations, restitution and other expenses for the damage caused as a result of gross violation of human rights.
Azerbaijan will continue its efforts to hold the Armenian government accountable for its persistent and deliberate violation of international human rights law, the ministry concluded.