BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 5. The international community has been largely unable to protect refugees and internally displaced persons, Professor of International Law and International Relations at the Institute of Balkan Studies of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Nadia Boyadjieva said, Trend reports.
She made the remark at the Second international conference of the Western Azerbaijan Community on "The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia."
“Refugees have the same inalienable human rights as everyone else, but there are special rights that reflect their situation. Among them, protection from torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, the right to freedom of movement and choice of residence within the state, the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, the right to freedom of expression, as well as the right to a decent standard of living ensuring health and well-being are particularly important,” she emphasized.
According to her, refugees are generally considered to be people who leave their country due to fear of persecution, violence caused by conflicts, or other factors that seriously disrupt public order and, as a result, need international protection.
"Today, despite the existing norms of international and humanitarian law, diplomatic mechanisms, and multilateral approaches, the world community has largely proved unable to ensure the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons," Boyadjieva noted.
Baku hosts the Second International Conference of the Western Azerbaijan Community on "The Right to Return: Advancing Justice for Azerbaijanis Expelled from Armenia."
More than 100 delegates from 51 countries are participating in the conference.
The event will discuss the history of the forced eviction of Western Azerbaijanis from Armenia, the basis of their right of return, the restoration of cultural heritage, and diplomatic efforts in this field.
To note, December 5 is the Day of Remembrance of the Deportation of Western Azerbaijanis from 1987 to 1991. On this day last year, more than 100 representatives from 44 countries attended a similar international conference on "Ensuring Safe and Dignified Return of Displaced Azerbaijanis from Armenia: Global Context and Just Solution."
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