On the eve of the UN COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, 60 U.S. Congressmen are calling on the U.S. leadership to hold Azerbaijan accountable for war crimes, hostage-taking, and the illegal occupation of Armenian territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh. This urgent call to action comes amidst a dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-populated enclave within Azerbaijan, which has been under a crippling blockade orchestrated by Azerbaijani forces for almost a year.
The statement, initiated by Democrat Frank Pallone and Republican Ed Markey, underscores the gravity of the situation and the urgent need for international intervention. “Since world leaders have not been held accountable for the genocidal ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, they are obliged to use the COP29 summit as an opportunity to analyze the blatant human rights violations in Azerbaijan and counteract the actions of their genocidal regime,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a protracted and bloody dispute rooted in territorial claims and ethnic tensions, has witnessed a recent escalation marked by documented war crimes and human rights abuses perpetrated by Azerbaijani forces.
In a letter addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on October 3, U.S. Senators and Representatives stated: “In connection with the approach of COP29, we ask the State Department to put pressure on Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and the Azerbaijani government to take tangible measures aimed at maintaining peace in the region, protecting human rights, and observing international laws and norms. We emphasize that despite irrefutable evidence and international condemnation, Azerbaijan has not faced any significant consequences for carrying out ethnic cleansing and other actions.”
The Congressmen specifically demand the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, hostages, and prisoners of war, including ethnic Armenians unjustly detained by Azerbaijan. The blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh has created a humanitarian catastrophe, with severe shortages of food, medicine, and essential supplies. The international community has widely condemned Azerbaijan’s actions, recognizing the blockade as a deliberate act of collective punishment targeting the Armenian population.
The upcoming COP29 summit in Baku presents a critical opportunity for the international community to address the situation and hold Azerbaijan accountable for its actions. The Congressmen believe that allowing Azerbaijan to host such a prestigious event while continuing to engage in human rights violations and defying international law sends a dangerous message of impunity. They urge world leaders to utilize the summit as a platform to demand concrete steps from Azerbaijan, including:
● The immediate lifting of the blockade and the restoration of free and unhindered access to Nagorno-Karabakh for humanitarian aid and international observers
● The unconditional release of all Armenian hostages and prisoners of war
● Accountability for war crimes and human rights violations through an independent international investigation
Despite the gravity of the situation, this issue remains largely overlooked, as evidenced by the low engagement with reports on these critical developments.
Concerned citizens are encouraged to amplify the call for accountability by:
● Contacting their representatives and urging them to support actions against Azerbaijan’s human rights violations
● Sharing information about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh on social media using relevant hashtags
● Donating to reputable organizations providing humanitarian aid to the affected population in Nagorno-Karabakh
By raising awareness and demanding accountability, the international community can contribute to ending the humanitarian crisis and promoting a just and lasting resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.