Former international Criminal Court Prosecutor Supports Artsakh

Human rights advocate and former prosecutor general of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, emphasized the importance of advancing the issue of ethnic cleansing in Artsakh during the upcoming United Nations Climate Summit, which will be held in Baku in November.

Ocampo discussed this issue and other legal and political avenues to fight for the rights of Artsakh Armenians during a videoconference with civil society representatives of Armenia and Artsakh on Tuesday, the Aparaj newspaper reported.

To this end, Ocampo particularly highlighted the role of the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide as an important legal tool in the legal protection of stateless peoples.

Ocampo also noted that the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide had stated that there is a risk of genocide in Artsakh, and this already implies the obligation of the international community to act.

He emphasized the importance of raising the issue of Armenian captives in Azerbaijan within the framework of the upcoming UN Climate Change conference, known as COP29, and demonstrated that Azerbaijan continues to hold Armenians captive.

Ocampo stressed that, despite Azerbaijan’s claims, the Armenians of Artsakh are the rightful citizens of the land.

He said, however, that the success and outcome depends on the will of the Armenian people to fight.