Armenia demands that Azerbaijan refrain from deporting Armenians remaining in Nagorno-Karabakh and does not prevent the return of those who left, as well as those who wish to leave. Professor Sean Murphy, one of those representing Armenia's lawsuit, stated this while speaking Thursday at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) during its consideration of Armenia's case against Azerbaijan.
According to him, Azerbaijan has already taken measures to deport Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. After the blockade, Azerbaijan carried out military aggression, which caused the forced displacement of more than 100,000 Armenians, including 30,000 children. At the same time, Azerbaijan has not taken any steps for returning of the Armenians, Murphy said.
Azerbaijan assures that Armenians will have all rights under its constitution and international law. But such vague assurances are not enough considering the entrenched Armenophobia in Azerbaijan. What is more, the Azerbaijani pledge of reintegration of the Armenians of Karabakh does not take into account the historical past of Nagorno-Karabakh in the form of autonomy during the USSR. But at the same time, Azerbaijani president Aliyev promised that no one will have the status of freedom and privileges, Murphy stated.
Aliyev's promises are empty considering the actions taking place on the ground. Azerbaijan should allow Armenians to return to Nagorno-Karabakh and create all conditions for this. He must withdraw all military forces from the occupied cities and villages. The ICJ should take into account that we are asking to withdraw the Azerbaijani troops from civilian targets. This circumstance contributed to the departure of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, and it prevents them from returning. If this is not done, the Armenians, who are too familiar with the previous barbaric actions of the Azerbaijani officials and military, will not return to Nagorno-Karabakh, Murphy noted.
There are reports of Azerbaijani shelling of Armenian houses and monasteries in Nagorno-Karabakh; this is done by the same armed forces that used to behead Armenians and were rewarded for it by their authorities, Murphy stated.
Azerbaijan should not interfere with the UN visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and contacts with the Armenian population, and it should not interfere with the activities of the UN in general. The only way for Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to feel safe is to have a permanent UN mission with permanent unimpeded access. It should include representatives of UNESCO, who were previously banned from entering Armenian monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh, and human rights specialists, Murphy said.
Azerbaijan should refrain from actions that hinder the ICRC's activities and actively cooperate with it. Work is needed to search for the missing Armenians, the remains of the dead, and to provide access to those arrested. However, Azerbaijan did the opposite, including abducting people who were being transported by the ICRC, Murphy noted.
Azerbaijan should be obligated to refrain from punitive actions against the former leaders and he representatives of the military command of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan should undertake to refrain from punitive measures against them because they were elected by the people and performed the functions of maintaining order, Murphy stated.
Azerbaijan should not change or destroy the monuments of the 1915 genocide of the Armenians, and their cultural and religious heritage. However, Azerbaijan has vandalized Armenian monuments in the territories under its control after the 2020 war, and will no doubt do the same now that the entire area off Nagorno-Karabakh is under its control. At the same time, Azerbaijan does not consider hundreds of Armenian monuments Nagorno-Karabakh to be Armenian, and there is no reason to believe that it will refrain from distorting them, Murphy said.
Azerbaijan should not destroy documents related to Armenians and their property in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan has announced plans for a "great return," it must ensure that this resettlement does not prevent the return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh. But this will happen if the documents on Armenians' property are destroyed, or Azerbaijan cancels all previous registrations, Sean Murphy noted.
