September 19, 2023

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Statement on the Azerbaijani Military Aggression against the Republic of Artsakh

19.09.2023

On 19 September 2023, the Azerbaijani armed forces launched another military aggression against the Republic of Artsakh in violation of the principles of international law and the provisions of the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020 on the cessation of hostilities. The capital city of Stepanakert and other settlements are currently under heavy artillery shelling and missile attacks and airstrikes. There are casualties, including among civilians.

The military aggression, unleashed by Azerbaijan under the ongoing illegal siege of the Republic of Artsakh, is an undisguised act of genocide and an extreme form of denial of the fundamental rights of the people of Artsakh. The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has already openly declared about its intention to carry out the forcible displacement of 120 thousand population of Artsakh, which is equal to the destruction of the people of Artsakh as such, its integrity.

Subjecting the entire country to illegal siege and using starvation as a method of warfare, Azerbaijan has decided to resort to force being sure it will not meet any opposition from the international community. The Azerbaijani authorities have been preparing grounds for this military offensive for the recent weeks by openly and falsely accusing Artsakh and Armenia in military provocations. Whereas, it is to be highlighted that none of those falsifications have been proved by the reports of the Russian Peacekeeping contingent.

The Azerbaijani military aggression against Artsakh is the direct result of failure of the international community to act, which has become an acceptable method in Azerbaijan’s arsenal due to the lack of collective measures on the part of the international community aimed at ceasing Azerbaijan’s genocidal actions and the illegal blockade of Artsakh that has been ongoing for more than 9 months. By ignoring warnings about Azerbaijan's criminal intentions and refusing to act accordingly, all the responsible international actors failed to prevent yet another Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh.

The Republic of Artsakh demands from the international community to take all appropriate measures to immediately stop continuation of the Azerbaijani military aggression and ensure safety of the population. The prevention of the crime of genocide is the erga omnes obligation of each state individually, including the actors involved. Failure to act contributes to the commission of the crime.