2024-03-03 23:09:04
The Commission for the Protection of Fundamental Rights of the People of Artsakh issued its second statement, in which the preliminary composition of the Commission is specified. Some details were also reported about the directions of the work.
Vardan Oskanyan, former Foreign Minister of RA, coordinator of the commission’s work, supplemented that statement with several comments.
“First, as stated in the statement, this is the initial composition of the Commission. It will definitely expand to get a wider geography, and there will definitely be participants from Russia and the Middle East.
Secondly, the main task before the Commission is the protection of the fundamental rights of Artsakh Armenians and, first of all, their collective repatriation with international guarantees.
Thirdly, I think that today, more than ever, there is an opportune time for the Armenian side to put the issue of collective repatriation of Artsakh Armenians with international guarantees on the negotiation table in response to the persistent and unbelievable demands of Azerbaijan.
There are all international legal grounds for this demand. Moreover, when a part of the Armenian people is displaced from its homeland, only the implementation of this problem will contribute to the establishment of real peace between peoples,” Oskanyan wrote on Facebook, publishing the statement.
“In addition to the announcement of January 18, 2024, the Committee on the Protection of Fundamental Rights of the Artsakh People, formed in cooperation with the main political forces of Artsakh, informs that the initial composition of the committee includes the following individuals:
Vardan Oskanyan, RA Minister of Foreign Affairs (1998-2008)
Gegham Stepanyan, human rights defender of Artsakh
Karen Bekaryan, chairman of the board of “Hayatsk” analytical center, Armenia
Mario Nalpatyan, member of the Central Council of Armenian Dat, Argentina
Gaspar Karampetyan, President of the Armenian Committee of Europe, Belgium
Garnik Kirkonian, international lawyer, USA
– The composition of the commission will be expanded to include individuals from Russia and the Middle East.
– The main task of the commission will be the pursuit and protection of the collective repatriation of the people of Artsakh with international guarantees and the right to live safely, securely and dignified in their homeland.
– The people of Artsakh are forcibly displaced from their home, land and homeland under the threat of genocide, and it is their natural and inalienable right to return to their homeland unhindered, to continue their normal democratic life, to preserve their language, culture, spiritual heritage, reclaim their property, develop and organize their lives internationally with acceptable norms and principles.
– The right of those forcibly displaced as a result of the conflict to voluntarily return to their homeland is recognized as a norm of international law, which is justified by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and regional with many declarations.
– Furthermore, on November 17, 2023, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the Republic of Azerbaijan must ensure the safe and unhindered return of those who left Nagorno-Karabakh after September 19, 2023.
– The commission will carry out multifaceted activities on international platforms to raise, introduce, justify and pursue the problems, interests and rights of the people of Artsakh.
– In order to implement the above-mentioned goals, the commission will carry out constant and consistent work with the Artsakh Armenians, the Armenian community and compatriots of the Diaspora, with the aim of consolidating all resources, including civil society, media, academic and expert circles.
– The commission will represent the people of Artsakh before state and political bodies, as well as in international instances, forums and international courts.
– We expect that the RA authorities and all political forces will show their willingness to support and cooperate with the activities of the Commission. The commission is ready to work indiscriminately with anyone and everyone who is ready to take responsibility within the framework of the goals pursued by this empowered commission,” the statement said.