A few days ago, the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross announced that their office was moved from Stepanakert to the city of Barda in Azerbaijan. This was followed by official announcements by the authorities of Russia and Azerbaijan about the start of the withdrawal of the Russian peacekeeping troops from Artsakh.
Despite the very limited and weak capabilities of the only representaties of the international community, by expelling them from Artsakh, the Aliyev genocidal and dictatorial regime aims to completely eliminate the levers of international control. They seek to turn Artsakh into an absolute "black hole" in terms of international attention and human rights protection. It is worth noting that the Aliyev regime also blocks entry to Artsakh for all international structures, once again violating well-known international norms. This episode is one of the successive stages of the genocidal policy and occupation of Artsakh against the people of Artsakh.
The Artsakh Union warns that the withdrawal of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeeping troops from Artsakh increases the possibility of new Azerbaijani crimes being committed there. Furthermore, the complete absence of international presence further reduces the chances of the collective return of the genocide-affected people of Artsakh.
Therefore, it is necessary for the Republic of Armenia and other members of the international community to take practical and consistent steps to protect the rights of the people of Artsakh, fulfilling at least the UN International Court of Justice orders dated 2021 December 7, 2023 February 22, July 6 and November 17. These steps should include:
1. Implementation of international monitoring mechanisms in Artsakh to prevent cases of destruction, misappropriation and damage to the property of the Artsakh people, including spiritual and cultural heritage, graves, natural resources, privateand public property.
2. Initiating efforts to introduce international protection mechanisms to ensure the collective, safe and dignified return of the people of Artsakh.
3. Releasing Armenian hostages illegally held and persecuted in Azerbaijani prisons.
4. Pursuing the International Criminal Court’s investigation of international crimes of Azerbaijan committed in Artsakh and Armenia since May 2021, based on the Rome Statute ratified by Armenia.
These fundamental and urgent steps are crucial to prevent further irreversible crimes and guarantee international justice while protecting and restoring the rights of the people of Artsakh.
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