Artsakh Union: MEP urges European Commission ensure right of Artsakh  Armenians to return home

ArmInfo. Member of the European Parliament Marina Mezure has sent a written request to the European Commission demanding that it ensure the right of forcibly displaced Armenians to safe and unimpeded return to Artsakh, based on  the binding ruling of the International Court of Justice of the  United Nations of November 17, 2023, as stated in a post on the  Artsakh Union's Facebook page.

It is noted that the member of the European Parliament made this  request to the European Commission after a meeting with their  delegation, led by the organization's president, Artak Beglaryan.  During the meeting, the Artsakh side presented information on the  crimes committed by the forcibly displaced people of Artsakh, and  outlined key priorities for the restoration of their rights: from the  immediate and unconditional release of Armenian prisoners of war held  in Baku, the protection of the spiritual and cultural heritage of  Artsakh, to the realization of the right to safe, dignified, and  collective return of approximately 150,000 Artsakh people forcibly  expelled from their homeland in 2023. In this vein, Mezure was given  first-hand accounts of the Azerbaijani aggression of 2023 and the  dearmenization of Artsakh, which was accompanied by the trampling of  the fundamental rights of the Artsakh people. The meeting also  addressed the issue of representatives of the former  military-political leadership of the Republic of Artsakh and other  Armenian prisoners held captive in Baku, as well as the fabricated  trials against them, which the European Parliament, Amnesty  International, and independent observers have consistently condemned  as politically motivated and failing to meet any fair trial  standards. The Union emphasized that these individuals are hostages,  not defendants, and added that Europe should view their release as a  prerequisite for relations with Baku, not as a secondary issue  overshadowed by energy interests.

During the meeting, special reference was made to the fate of  Armenian cultural and religious heritage throughout the entire  territory of Artsakh. Centuries-old churches, monasteries, khachkars  (cross-stones) and cemeteries are now under Azerbaijan's control.  They are subjected not only to physical destruction but also to  state-sponsored systematic falsification aimed at distorting their  origins. The Artsakh Union warned Ms. Mesure that this cultural  genocide is inseparable from the continuous policy of ethnic  cleansing of the people themselves: every destroyed church and  falsified inscription aims to completely eliminate any possibility of  the indigenous people's return.The delegation expressed serious  concern regarding the so- called "peace agenda" promoted by the  Armenian authorities and international mediators, pointing out the  glaring disregard for the protection of the rights and interests of  the displaced people of Artsakh.

"The negotiation documents do not contain any provision regarding the  collective return of the people of Artsakh and the protection of  their rights, which is a direct result of the inaction of the  Government of Armenia," noted Artsakh Union President Artak  Beglaryan. "Any settlement built on silence and the disregard of the  fundamental rights of the people of Artsakh cannot bring a stable and  just peace to the region. We reaffirm our determination to achieve  our return, the realization of our other fundamental rights and  justice by using all available legal and political avenues."

During the meeting, Marina Mesure emphasized her ongoing care for the  rights of the people of Artsakh, promising to employ all possible  mechanisms to raise the identified issues and implement the relevant  European Parliament resolutions. She stressed that the ethnic  cleansing of the people of Artsakh cannot be tolerated by civilized  Europe and Azerbaijan must be held accountable for it.

"As a result of the meeting, Ms. Mesure sent a written inquiry to the  European Commission demanding the realization of the right to a safe  and unhindered return of the displaced Armenians, based on the  legally binding order of the UN International Court of Justice of  November 17, 2023. She also raised the question of what role this  fundamental human rights obligation should play in the EU's political  and economic relations with Azerbaijan. Subsequently, Ms. Mesure  published this written inquiry on her official social platforms to  ensure broad awareness of the issue," the organization reported. 

The Artsakh Union highly appreciates Ms. Mesure's prompt response and  sincere commitment to defending the rights of the forcibly displaced  population. "The organization is determined to continue providing Ms.   Mesure's office with documented evidence and legal analyses regarding  cultural vandalism and ethnic cleansing to guarantee that European  institutions are guided not by Baku's false assurances but by  established facts and norms of international law," the Union  concluded