Armenia appeals to world court over Azerbaijan's alleged ethnic cleansing

On Tuesday, Armenia urged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to make Azerbaijan responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, as reported by Reuters. "Following years of threats, Azerbaijan has completed the ethnic cleansing of the region, now methodically removing all signs of the Armenian people's presence," explained the Armenian delegate, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, on the second day of hearings at the United Nation’s highest court.

Reuters reminds that the case was initially brought to the ICJ in 2021. Armenia accused Azerbaijan of promoting racism against Armenians, endorsing hate speech against them, and destroying Armenian cultural landmarks. Yerevan argued that Baku breached the UN treaty on discrimination. Azerbaijan has denied all the allegations.

On Monday, Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov informed the court that many of Armenia's accusations relate to armed conflicts over Nagorno-Karabakh and are outside the anti-discrimination treaty's domain. Yerevan was also accused of not seriously engaging in negotiations before taking the matter to court. Yeghishe Kirakosyan dismissed these claims.

"Armenia negotiated with Azerbaijan sincerely and extended talks well past their usefulness," he stated.

The ongoing dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the contested region is the context of this case. Azerbaijani forces regained control of Nagorno-Karabakh in September of the previous year, leading to the displacement of the indigenous population.

In November, the court-mandated Azerbaijan to facilitate the repatriation of ethnic Armenians. Azerbaijan insists it is committed to the safety of all residents, irrespective of their nationality or ethnic background. It was further noted that Baku did not compel Armenians to evacuate Karabakh.

Source: Reuters