A lot of noise was made last week by the statement from the National Security Service about the uncovered attempt at an armed coup in Armenia, allegedly being prepared by the Russian Armed Forces in Krasnodar. However, despite the sensationalism and controversy surrounding the news, today’s review will focus on discussions about the first anniversary of the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh.
A year ago, on September 19, more than 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh were forced to leave their homes to save their lives from Azerbaijan's military aggression and flee to the recognized territory of Armenia.
To mark the anniversary, on September 19, the head of the public organization "Union Artsakh," Artak Beglaryan, and the Ombudsman of Artsakh, Gegham Stepanyan, filed a lawsuit with the International Criminal Court (ICC) concerning crimes against humanity.
As reported by Arminfo, the lawsuit emphasizes that as a result of the nine-month blockade that began on December 12, 2022, the residents of Artsakh suffered from a lack of food and medical care. This was followed by the sudden aggression of the Azerbaijani armed forces on September 19, 2023, and the forcible deportation of the entire Armenian population. According to Beglaryan, leading international lawyers François Zimeray and Catalina de la Sota, representing Artak Beglaryan’s and Gegham Stepanyan’s interests, made a statement. It says, in particular: “The forcible deportation of the Armenians of Artsakh has all the hallmarks of a crime against humanity. This was a forcible eviction of people from their places of legal residence, committed with full awareness of its consequences. Nothing can justify the fact of forcibly depriving the civilian population of their homeland and homes. The world must reject this atrocity, which is the purpose of our lawsuit.” The lawyers also stressed that all the conditions exist for those responsible for these crimes to be held accountable under international criminal law. According to them, the complaint was filed under Article 15 of the Rome Statute, which allows the prosecutor to initiate an investigation based on the information provided.
The agency refers to the previous lawsuits against Azerbaijan in connection with Artsakh. Thus, last year, Armenia filed a lawsuit against Azerbaijan in the International Court of Justice over the alleged violation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, and four complaints were also filed with the European Court of Human Rights. One of these concerns the crimes and human rights violations that occurred during the 44-day conflict in 2020, while another addresses the trials of Armenian prisoners of war in Baku. A third case pertains to the invasion of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces into the territory of Armenia and the crimes committed there, and the final complaint relates to the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, massive human rights violations, and ethnic cleansing.
On September 18, during the World Armenian Summit, the Representative of Armenia for International Legal Affairs, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, stated that Armenia does not intend to withdraw its lawsuits against Azerbaijan.
“The lawsuits concern not only Armenians from Artsakh but all Armenians in general. This is an attempt to erase the traces of Armenians in the region. An important aspect of Armenia's claims against Azerbaijan is the protection of Armenian cultural monuments in Artsakh. During the trial under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, we presented a demand to protect the cultural heritage of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, given that one manifestation of Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian policy is the erasure or falsification of history. The court granted Armenia's demand by making an interim decision on December 7, 2021,” Kirakosyan said.
On September 19, Adam Schiff, a member of the House of Representatives and Vice Chair of the US Congressional Armenian Caucus, announced on social media that he had submitted a bipartisan bill to the US Congress titled " Artsakh Revenue Recovery Act of 2024," which provides a mechanism for financial compensation for the people of Artsakh who have lost everything due to Azerbaijan's aggression.
"The ethnic cleansing carried out by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh has led to a humanitarian catastrophe. We must ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. To ensure that the innocent victims of Artsakh are compensated for the enormous losses they have suffered, I have introduced a bipartisan bill that would seize Azerbaijani assets and compensate displaced Armenians,” Schiff wrote.
The bill proposes:
- Azerbaijani assets report requirement. Not later than 60 days after the enactment of the Act, the President shall require any United States financial institution holding an Azerbaijani sovereign asset to promptly provide notice of such asset to the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury. Not later than 60 days 5 after the date of enactment of this Act, and not without standing the requirements of section 202 of the 7 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 8 U.S.C. 1701), the President shall exercise all powers 9 granted to the President by that Act to block and 10 prohibit all transactions in all Azerbaijani sovereign 11 assets if such assets are in the United States, come 12 within the United States, or are or come within the 13 possession or control of a United States person.
Asset seizure. Not later than 90 days 15 after the President blocks and prohibits transactions 16 under paragraph (1), the President shall seize any 17 Azerbaijani sovereign assets described in such para18 graph.
Establishment of the Artsakh revenue recovery fund. Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall establish an account, to be known as the ‘‘Artsakh Revenue Recovery Fund’’ (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Fund’’), to consist of the funds deposited into the account under subsection and any amounts appropriated under the authorization of appropriations under subsection.
Visas and admission. The President may, per section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), deny to any senior official of Azerbaijan or immediate family member of such official - a visa or other documentation to enter the United States; and admission into the United States.
Claim process for recovery of revenue. The Secretary of State shall coordinate with relevant countries near Azerbaijan and international organizations to establish a streamlined process by which eligible persons shall have the opportunity to submit to the Government of Azerbaijan through the Fund’s claims processing team described in paragraph (2), eligible claims described in subsection (b) beginning on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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