ArmInfo. Despite the fact that one of the fundamental documents in the field of human rights protection - the Universal Declaration of Human Rights marks the 70th anniversary and is widely recognized as a key document in the history of human rights, nevertheless, its provisions were not only constantly ignored, but also grossly violated in many parts of the world.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Edward Nalbandian stated this in his speech at the high-level meeting of the 37th session of the UN Council on Human Rights.
The head of the Armenian Foreign Ministry recalled that thirty years ago, on the same days in February 1988, anti-Armenian pogroms broke out in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait, as a result of which many Armenians were killed, maimed and deported. "These pogroms were committed by the Azerbaijani authorities with a view to punishing Armenians for the peaceful aspirations of the people of Nagorno- Karabakh to self-determination." These atrocities were the reason that Andrei Sakharov, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, wrote that "if anyone could doubt this before Sumgayit, this tragedy, no one has any moral opportunity to insist on maintaining the territorial affiliation of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan.
"The Sumgait massacre was widely condemned by the international community, including in the The organizers and executors of this crime were not properly punished, as it has repeatedly happened in the history of mankind, impunity has opened the door to new atrocities, including massacres and ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Baku, Kirovabad (Gandzak), Maragh and many other places, Azerbaijan is trying by all means to conceal these atrocities, to avoid responsibility and to divert attention from itself by fabricated accusations, including the so-called Khojaly campaign, thawed appear in the image of the victim and to discredit Armenians, presenting their alleged perpetrators of violence, "- said Nalbandian.
At the same time, he stated that this is part of the Azerbaijani policy of xenophobia towards Armenians. The Armenian Minister noted that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance and many other organizations dealing with human rights expressed concern over the constant incidents of rhetoric of hatred in Azerbaijan used against Armenians by political leaders, educational institutions and means mass information, and that a whole generation of Azerbaijanis grew up listening to this rhetoric of hatred.
"It was precisely this anti-Armenian propaganda that incited to constant atrocities against Armenians, including the most serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Azerbaijani armed forces in April 2016 in Nagorno-Karabakh - the killing of children, women, the elderly, mockery of the bodies of the deceased, the beheading of those captured in captivity of soldiers in the style used by notorious terrorist organizations.In the immediate threat of life, unhindered access to relevant UN agencies and special and the provision of humanitarian assistance to people living in conflict zones is of exceptional importance.It is puzzling that they are consulted with the organizers of such horrendous crimes to obtain their consent to involve international organizations and provide humanitarian assistance.The people of Nagorny Karabakh should not be deprived of the opportunity to cooperate with human rights organizations because of the objections of Azerbaijan, a country notorious for human rights violations, "Nalbandian said.
At the same time, according to the RA FM, the Universal Declaration stipulates that the exercise of individual and collective human rights and fundamental freedoms should not depend on the status of the territory on which people live. "This should serve as a guiding principle for all those committed to the universal application of the Declaration without" gray zones "where people are deprived of international assistance in the exercise of their rights. A delayed reaction, a delayed assessment of the situation, a lack of preventive measures represent gaps between the pledges and their Indeed, "deferred right is a deprived right." I want to recall the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, one of the authors of the Universal Declaration, "we could not have a peace or atmosphere , in which the world could grow if we do not recognize the rights of individuals ", concluded Nalbandian.