Canadian Parliamentarian Calls for Peace and Security in Artsakh, Condemns Azerbaijan’s Human Rights Abuses

OTTAWA, Canada—Member of Canadian Parliament Tony Clement delivered a timely and principled statement in the Canadian House of Commons (Parliament) on Dec. 11, calling for peace and security in Artsakh while harshly condemning human rights atrocities committed by Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC).

“I traveled to the region this summer with One Free World International and observed first-hand the conflict there, and the horrific human rights abuses inflicted upon people who ultimately only wish to live in peace.” said Clement in his address on the occasion of International Human Rights Day.

In his statement to the House, Clement mentioned the consequences—which he had recently observed while on a fact-finding mission in Artsakh—of indescribable human rights violations.

He called on the Canadian government to remain highly vigilant to the alarming situation in the region and condemn all types of violations in order to deter further escalation of the conflict.

“The Artsakh conflict is currently mediated through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe [OSCE], of which Canada is a full member. I urge the government to condemn human rights abuses in the region and work to deter further escalation of the conflict,” concluded Clement.

Earlier this year, from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, Clement joined fellow parliamentarian colleague Rachael Harder to travel to Artsakh for an unprecedented fact-finding mission, led by Rev. Majed El-Shafie of One Free World International. During the mission, Clement and the rest of the delegation carefully observed the aftermath of the human rights atrocities committed by Azerbaijan during the 2016 April War and met with local officials to offer their solidarity and support.

“We sincerely thank Mr. Clement for his principled stance on this matter and echo his words in condemning these war crimes and in calling upon the Canadian government to properly address Azerbaijan’s awful human rights record and uphold the right to self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh and its peace-loving people,” said ANCC President Shahen Mirakian.

Below is video footage of Clement’s Dec. 11 address (Video: ANCC)

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the people of Artsakh declared independence from the Soviet Union and established the current day republic. On December 10, 1991, based on article 70 of the Soviet Constitution, which affirmed the right to self-determination of the peoples of the USSR, Artsakh held an independence referendum in which 99% voted in favor of independence. In response, Azerbaijan launched an all-out war against the newly independent republic, targeting civilians and recruiting mercenaries to join the Azerbaijani army against Artsakh.

Despite the 1994 ceasefire agreement, Azerbaijan has steadily carried out attacks against Artsakh. The most recent large-scale ceasefire violation, which occurred in April 2016, was unprecedented in its scale, duration, and number of civilian casualties and human rights violations.

“Unless we distinguish between perpetrators and victims, we create incentives for further human rights violations by Azerbaijan and reduce the chances of a peaceful resolution,” concluded Mirakian.

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