Luis Moreno Ocampo, the first chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has expressed certainty that the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have all the chances to return to their homeland, Armenpress reports.

“I definitely see an opportunity for return of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh,” Ocampo told Armenpress during the 5th Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide, in Yerevan. “This cannot be ignored. You must continue to struggle. The day you stop fighting, you lose. It is necessary to help their struggle for their right to return,” Ocampo said, adding that Azerbaijan has acknowledged that the Armenians have the right to be present in Nagorno-Karabakh, therefore it is necessary to struggle for the rights of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.

Ocampo said the Azerbaijani actions in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023 amounted to genocide. He added that genocide is not solely defined as mass killings—like in 1915.

“All developments that took place in Nagorno-Karabakh contain all methods and types of genocide, the creation of conditions for the destruction of a group of people: it was the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the exodus of the entire population of Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the serious psychological harm inflicted upon Armenians, the fear, etc. These are all indications of genocide. And that was genocide,” Ocampo said, adding that in all these cases the people must be protected, their rights must be restored.

Speaking about the 1915 Armenian Genocide, Ocampo said that the Armenians are first of all fighting for justice and remembrance.

“Armenia shows that fighting for remembrance is important,” he said.

Asked whether he believes that Turkey could someday recognize the Armenian Genocide, Ocampo said, “We don’t know, but we must involve Turkey and explain. The younger generation is different. I think we can involve them and discuss this issue.”

Luis Moreno Ocampo said the focus now should be on the events in Nagorno-Karabakh, and particularly what’s happening with the 23 Armenians imprisoned in Azerbaijan.

“They are hostages, and the message of keeping them hostage is that if you go back to Nagorno-Karabakh, you will get attacked. We must do something for them,” said the first chief prosecutor of the ICC.