Armenia Urges International Court to Hold Azerbaijan Responsible for Ethnic Cleansing
In a dramatic plea at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Armenia accused Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Armenia’s representative, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, stated that Azerbaijan had completed the ethnic cleansing and was now erasing all traces of ethnic Armenians’ presence.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus neighbors has a long history, with the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh at the center of the tension. Azerbaijan’s armed forces recaptured the region in September, leading to the mass exodus of ethnic Armenians to Armenia.
Armenia filed a case at the ICJ in 2021, accusing Azerbaijan of promoting racism against Armenians, allowing hate speech, and destroying cultural sites. This, according to Armenia, violates a U.N. anti-discrimination treaty. However, Baku denies all accusations.
The court issued emergency measures in November, ordering Azerbaijan to allow ethnic Armenians to return to Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan has pledged to ensure the safety of all residents, regardless of their ethnic origin, and denies forcing ethnic Armenians to leave.
The ongoing hearings at the ICJ will focus on legal objections to the court’s jurisdiction and not the discrimination claims. A final ruling could be years away, and the ICJ lacks enforcement mechanisms for its decisions. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the future of the region.