BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 15. The Chairman of the Board of the Western Azerbaijan Community Aziz Alakbarli sent a letter of protest to the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe (CoE) Dunja Mijatović following a series of serious inaccuracies in the report on the outcomes of her visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan on October 16-23 of the past year, the community told Trend.
"First and foremost, we appreciate your visit to Azerbaijan and the sincerity with which you met with Azerbaijani refugees from Armenia on October 23, 2023. Your motivating comments, particularly the admonition 'never be indifferent,' left a lasting influence on members of our community. At the same time, with deep sadness and dismay, we see that your recent report addressed only one ethnic group, in twisted form, and purposefully ignored our issue," the letter stated. "You did not mention the hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia, their awful position, difficulties, or the significant meeting with them, which not only hurts but also violates principles of fairness and impartiality. This absence is not simply an oversight; it's a textbook case of bias, ethnic, and religious discrimination."
"It is appropriate to remind you that immediately after the press release from the Council of Europe on October 26, 2023, regarding your visit to the region, which lacked reference to our issue, on October 27, we sent you a letter expressing our concern. As evident, the biased attitude towards us is persistent. Your report only vaguely calls on Armenia to respect the right of return. Yet, it says nothing about whose right to return is being discussed. Even if we interpret this general appeal as related to the right of return, the uncertainty of the context undermines its meaning and impact," the letter noted.
"The sharp contradiction between the encouraging and supportive tone demonstrated during your meeting with Azerbaijani refugees and the presentation of our issue in the report causes deep sorrow and concern for us. This allows us to assert that the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, which is supposed to safeguard human rights and justice, essentially serves as an instrument in the hands of anti-Azerbaijani circles, rightfully referred to as 'Armenia plus'. The veiling of the issue of Azerbaijani refugees is not only offensive to them but also undermines the remaining trust in the Council of Europe and its mission. This is a betrayal of the principles of justice and impartiality that your authoritative office should adhere to in its work," the letter pointed out.
"While you recommended us 'never to be indifferent', you, by showing distrust in your principles, at least in this case, have done just that. Nevertheless, we'll never remain indifferent to the struggle for justice and the right to return to our homeland. It is with this determination that we demand you fulfill your duties and reconsider your report to reflect our rightful cause, which certain notorious circles have been trying to obstruct for many years," the letter emphasized.
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