Nalbandian: Artsakh people should not be deprived of cooperation with  human rights organizations because of Azerbaijan`s objections

ArmInfo. Despite the fact  that one of the fundamental documents in the field of human rights  protection - the Universal Declaration of Human Rights marks the 70th  anniversary and is widely recognized as a key document in the history  of human rights, nevertheless, its provisions were not only  constantly ignored, but also grossly violated in many parts of the  world.  

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Edward Nalbandian  stated this in his speech at the high-level meeting of the 37th  session of the UN Council on Human Rights.

The head of the Armenian Foreign Ministry recalled that thirty years  ago, on the same days in February 1988, anti-Armenian pogroms broke  out in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait, as a result of which many  Armenians were killed, maimed and deported. "These pogroms were  committed by the Azerbaijani authorities with a view to punishing  Armenians for the peaceful aspirations of the people of Nagorno-  Karabakh to self-determination." These atrocities were the reason  that Andrei Sakharov, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, wrote that "if  anyone could doubt this before Sumgayit, this tragedy, no one has any  moral opportunity to insist on maintaining the territorial  affiliation of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan. 

"The Sumgait massacre was widely condemned by the international  community, including in the The organizers and executors of this  crime were not properly punished, as it has repeatedly happened in  the history of mankind, impunity has opened the door to new  atrocities, including massacres and ethnic cleansing against  Armenians in Baku, Kirovabad (Gandzak), Maragh and many other places,  Azerbaijan is trying by all means to conceal these atrocities, to  avoid responsibility and to divert attention from itself by  fabricated accusations, including the so-called Khojaly campaign,  thawed appear in the image of the victim and to discredit Armenians,  presenting their alleged perpetrators of violence, "- said  Nalbandian.

At the same time, he stated that this is part of the Azerbaijani  policy of xenophobia towards Armenians.  The Armenian Minister noted  that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination,  the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance and many other  organizations dealing with human rights expressed concern over the  constant incidents of rhetoric of hatred in Azerbaijan used against  Armenians by political leaders, educational institutions and means  mass information, and that a whole generation of Azerbaijanis grew up  listening to this rhetoric of hatred.

"It was precisely this anti-Armenian propaganda that incited to  constant atrocities against Armenians, including the most serious  violations of international humanitarian law committed by the  Azerbaijani armed forces in April 2016 in Nagorno-Karabakh - the  killing of children, women, the elderly, mockery of the bodies of the  deceased, the beheading of those captured in captivity of soldiers in  the style used by notorious terrorist organizations.In the immediate  threat of life, unhindered access to relevant UN agencies and special  and the provision of humanitarian assistance to people living in  conflict zones is of exceptional importance.It is puzzling that they  are consulted with the organizers of such horrendous crimes to obtain  their consent to involve international organizations and provide  humanitarian assistance.The people of Nagorny Karabakh should not be  deprived of the opportunity to cooperate with human rights  organizations because of the objections of Azerbaijan, a country  notorious for human rights violations, "Nalbandian said.

At the same time, according to the RA FM, the Universal Declaration  stipulates that the exercise of individual and collective human  rights and fundamental freedoms should not depend on the status of  the territory on which people live. "This should serve as a guiding  principle for all those committed to the universal application of the  Declaration without" gray zones "where people are deprived of  international assistance in the exercise of their rights. A delayed  reaction, a delayed assessment of the situation, a lack of preventive  measures represent gaps between the pledges and their Indeed,  "deferred right is a deprived right." I want to recall the words of  Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the authors of the Universal Declaration,  "we could not have a peace or atmosphere , in which the world could  grow if we do not recognize the rights of individuals ", concluded  Nalbandian.