The Lemkin Institute issued a sharp response to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s remarks made during COP29, stating on its X microblog, “The ‘restoration of sovereignty’ over indigenous Armenian lands through genocide is not justice under international law. It is not even legal under international law.”
The Institute’s statement emphasized that Azerbaijan could not have carried out these actions without international support, specifically pointing to military aid from Israel and backing from the U.S. State Department. The Lemkin Institute further noted that all attendees of COP29 should feel shame for their silence on the matter.
This statement highlights the concern regarding violations of indigenous rights and repression in the South Caucasus. The Lemkin Institute called on the international community to focus on the threats to Armenian cultural and national heritage amid Azerbaijan’s actions in the region.