Withdrawal from Armenia's lawsuits against Azerbaijan in international instances will cause irreparable damage to the Republic of Armenia

Withdrawal from Armenia's lawsuits against Azerbaijan in international instances will cause
irreparable damage to the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people
The statements made by the highest authorities of the Republic of Armenia regarding the
potential withdrawal of Armenia's lawsuits against Azerbaijan from international courts and
other instances have raised serious concerns. Such steps will cause irreparable damage to the
Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people.
Here are the key points:
1. Statements made at the highest level of power are absolutely unacceptable.
2. The strategic aim of the lawsuits against Azerbaijan is to hold them accountable
internationally for violations of the rights of the Armenians of Armenia and Artsakh, and the
Armenian people in general. They are indispensable tools for the protection of our collective
and individual rights and international justice.
3. Achieving stable and lasting peace, as well as preventing new Azerbaijani encroachments
against the Republic of Armenia and its people through the occupation of Armenia's sovereign
territories and other crimes, is not possible without international justice.
4. The proceedings in international courts are essential for investigating crimes committed
against the people of Artsakh and protecting collective rights. They are also crucial for the
collective return of the Artsakh people, safeguarding spiritual and cultural heritage, public and
private property in Artsakh, and ensuring a safe and dignified life after their return by
establishing international protection mechanisms.
5. Furthermore, through the submitted lawsuits, the Republic of Armenia has committed to
protecting the rights of victims who have suffered from Azerbaijani crimes, including the
property and other rights of forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians, in international courts.
As a result, persons have refrained from submitting individual complaints to international
courts, and relinquishing legal remedies and transferring the issues to the political realm, there
is no assurance that Azerbaijan will comply with the demands.
Therefore, the withdrawal of the claims submitted by Armenia will inevitably render these
crucial international instruments unusable for protecting the rights of affected individuals due
to the formal requirements of such instruments.
6. There are also numerous individual lawsuits in international courts, in addition to interstate
applications. If these individual lawsuits are dropped, the fate of individual complaints
becomes uncertain.
In such a scenario, the strength of individual complaints will be significantly diminished, or
the international court could potentially consolidate them with interstate complaints that the
country has withdrawn, leading to their rejection. Consequently, individuals will be deprived
of international judicial protection of their rights due to an impermissible political decision by
the government.
7. Complaints and demands presented in international courts hold immense significance for
Armenia's diplomacy. The withdrawal of international demands could inflict irreparable harm
on Armenia's standing in the global arena and weaken the foundations of its diplomatic
resistance framework.
8. The Azerbaijani government has long perpetuated a policy of deep-seated racism and
animosity towards Armenians, extending from Armenia and Artsakh to the Diaspora.
Azerbaijan not only neglects to protect Armenians or prevent violations of their rights but, at
times, at the state level, actively endorses and condones harm against Armenians under the
guise of "peace." This includes heinous acts such as murders, torture, abductions, arbitrary
detentions, and inflicting psychological trauma.
9. Furthermore, the current Azerbaijani genocidal policy exacerbates hostility after each
offense, laying the groundwork for further atrocities. The threats against the collective
existence of the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people have escalated in general.
10. Compounding this issue is Armenian authorities’ one-sided persistent acquiescence to
Azerbaijan's demands, driven by the futile hope that Azerbaijan will cease its actions.
Unfortunately, this has not occurred in the past and it will not happen in the future.
11. The Azerbaijani authorities have never genuinely pursued peace; their international claims
against Armenia were merely artificial gestures; mirroring steps aimed at deceiving the
international community, creating a facade, and concealing their own crimes.
12. Withdrawal from lawsuits against Azerbaijan in international courts by the Armenian
government would legitimize Azerbaijan's policy of hatred and serious crimes against
Armenians, potentially resulting in new violations of our rights and further crimes.
13. In light of the aforementioned, we strongly urge the Armenian authorities not to make any
statements or take actions to withdraw from ongoing lawsuits against Azerbaijan in
international courts.
Furthermore, we urge to initiate new legal actions based on all relevant conventions. This
includes exploring avenues for seeking justice through the International Criminal Court to
address the grave crime of forced displacement of the people of Artsakh.
Signatories:
Gegham Stepanyan, Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Artsakh
Arman Tatoyan, former Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Armenia
Artak Beglaryan, former Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Artsakh
Siranush Sahakyan, Head of the NGO "Center for International and Comparative Law"
Ara Ghazaryan, Founder and Head of "Ara Ghazaryan" law office, international expert