The International and Comparative Law Center, under the auspices of the Armenian Legal Center, has published a detailed report addressing the recent ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, which is rooted in long-standing anti-Armenian discrimination in Azerbaijan. The report argues that the blockade, military offensive and subsequent forced deportation of Armenians from Artsakh are not isolated incidents but a culmination of deeply ingrained institutionalized policies against Armenians.
The report differentiates between “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide,” noting that while genocide is defined by the intent to destroy a group wholly or partially, ethnic cleansing involves the forcible removal of a group from a particular area through violence and terror. In the case of Artsakh, the European Parliament and various experts have categorized the events as ethnic cleansing, with some extending this classification to genocide due to the severe conditions and systematic destruction involved.
Evidence presented in the report shows that Azerbaijan’s policies, including the blockade and military actions, reflect a deliberate attempt to eradicate Armenian presence in Artsakh. The blockade, which began in December 2022, created dire conditions by restricting the flow of essential goods and services, leading to severe shortages of food, medicine and fuel. The resulting humanitarian crisis saw widespread malnutrition, health deterioration and disruptions to education and healthcare services. The report details how Azerbaijani forces targeted agricultural workers and obstructed local food production, exacerbating the suffering of the Armenian population.
The military offensive that commenced in September 2023 further intensified the crisis. The report documents how this offensive, marked by intense combat and widespread damage to civilian infrastructure, resulted in significant civilian casualties and severe disruptions in evacuation efforts. Reports of war crimes, including torture and mutilation of Armenian civilians, underscore the brutality of the offensive and its role in the forced displacement of the Armenian population from Artsakh.
The report also highlights the ongoing destruction of Armenian cultural and religious sites by Azerbaijani authorities, who have systematically erased Armenian heritage from the region. This destruction includes the demolition of churches, historical monuments and khachkars (carved stone memorials), as well as the alteration of sites to remove Armenian cultural traces. The report cites satellite imagery and documentation from organizations such as Caucasus Heritage Watch to illustrate the extent of this cultural erasure, which has been met with condemnation from international bodies including UNESCO and the European Parliament.
The report underscores that this cultural destruction and the blockade’s impacts reflect a broader pattern of anti-Armenian sentiment in Azerbaijani society. It describes how Azerbaijani state rhetoric, including glorification of anti-Armenian violence and derogatory depictions of Armenians, has fostered an environment of dehumanization and discrimination. This environment has been perpetuated through state-backed initiatives such as the “Trophy Park” in Baku and widespread anti-Armenian hate speech on social media.
Moreover, the report points out that the treatment of Armenians under Azerbaijani rule, including the detention of Artsakh’s political leaders on politically motivated charges and the ongoing glorification of anti-Armenian violence, reflects a disregard for international human rights standards. It highlights how the systematic denial of Armenian cultural identity and the destruction of heritage sites are integral to Azerbaijan’s broader strategy of eliminating Armenian presence in Artsakh.
In conclusion, the report calls for international action to address these violations, emphasizing the need for accountability and support for the displaced Armenian population. It stresses that the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage, coupled with severe human rights abuses and the institutionalized discrimination in Azerbaijan, pose an ongoing threat to Artsakh Armenians and underscores the urgency of international intervention to prevent further atrocities and support the restoration of Armenian rights and heritage.
We needed this report.
Thank you, Armenian Legal Center and Armenian Weekly.
Fortunately, there are Armenian Diaspora organizations and news outlets like the Armenian Legal Center, ANCA and the Armenian Weekly, which are free from the control and are out of reach from traitorous anti-Armenian people and ruling cliques like Pashinyan, who are sabotaging Armenia, its people, its interests and its future.
Since we can’t expect any quest for justice from the current traitorous authoritarian Armenian government of Pashinyan, who would suppress it and who sweeps it under the carpet, these patriotic Diaspora organizations are truly the only ones left which continuously represent and defend the Armenian people and its interests around the world.
I wouldn’t agree that Pashinyan sold out, but I do agree that his will is compromised and weakened. He repeatedly failed to withstand against the aggression of Azerbaijan’s 21st Century Armenian Genocide Project, abetted by their Turkish, Israeli, and Russian culprits. What I get is that Pashinyan is fearful, because Armenia faces threats from NATO Turkey, oil rich Azerbaijan, and US backed Israel, but also from Russia. Russia backstabbed Armenia.
Too many Armenians were stuck regaling in the glories of 1994 and failed to realise just how weak in relative terms Armenia had become by 2020. Hence the belief that Pashinyan had sold out and the popular myth circulated by pro Russians and some Russians themselves that Russia stood back to show Armenia that it needed to be more loyal if to deserve support although the alliance with Russia never covered Arktash and ultimately was a disaster for Armenia as it led to complacency and since it’s Inception in 1996 Azerbaijan slowly began to recover and eclipse Armenia, heavy losses of the Russian military in Ukraine has discredited the insinuations popular late 2020 until early 2022 that the loss could have been prevented had Russia been more supportive . It’s worth noting in addition to it’s hydrocarbon resources which Azerbaijan capitalised on it isn’t legally allied to Russia and hence didn’t have the tie in that Armenia gladly accepted in the belief it would safeguard their military advantage only to find out the hard way.
Whilst community publications abroad are useful especially to serve outside state control they tend to risk having idealistic misplaced views on matters in the homeland and advocate hardline positions out of any personal and local risk. It’s easy to talk tough when far from the fray..