BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 27. Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsperson) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Sabina Aliyeva has sent a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, on the right of return of Azerbaijani compatriots deported from Armenia, Trend reports.
The Ombudsperson indicated in the letter that, contrary to international law, our compatriots were systematically deported from the territory of present-day Armenia at different times as a result of an ethnic cleansing policy.
The letter notes that in several international legal documents, including UN General Assembly Resolution 194, the right of people to return is recognized as a fundamental human right, and every person has the right to return to his/her homeland. At the same time, it was noted that under the general principles of international law, the right of return applies not only to persons forcibly evicted from their lands, but also to their family members and their future descendants, and the right to claim compensation for material and moral damages is recognized.
In his letter to Commissioner Filippo Grandi, she stressed the importance of her mandate to actively pursue initiatives to achieve international recognition of the right of return of Azerbaijanis forcibly expelled from their historical lands and to place this issue on the global human rights agenda.
Aliyeva also urged to support the reflection of this sensitive issue in relevant UN reports and recommendations, expressing confidence that such activity will contribute to long-term peace and the establishment of justice in the region.