The Committee for the Protection of Fundamental Rights of the People of the NKR: Expulsion cannot be the last chapter in the history of Artsakh.

ArmInfo. Exile cannot be the final chapter in the history of Artsakh. This is stated in a message from the Committee for the Protection of the Fundamental Rights of the People of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), received by ArmInfo on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Artsakh on September 2.

The Committee for the Protection of the Fundamental Rights of the People of Artsakh recalled that on September 2, 1991, the Artsakh people made a historic and democratic choice to live in freedom, security, and dignity. "For more than three decades, they built a prosperous society, established democratic institutions, and preserved their ancient heritage in their ancestral homeland. This anniversary is not just a date in the past; "It remains a powerful testimony to the enduring right of a people to determine their own future," the Committee's press service emphasized.

At the same time, they noted with regret that the people of Artsakh are commemorating this day in exile, forcibly displaced from the homes built by their ancestors. "However, physical absence does not erase historical truth, and forced displacement does not abolish fundamental human rights. Depriving the people of Artsakh of a homeland should not be used to normalize their exile or deprive them of their collective identity. The right to safe, dignified, and collective return is a matter of international law and human justice that does not lose its relevance with the passage of time. Exile cannot be the final chapter in the history of Artsakh. The Committee for the Protection of the Fundamental Rights of the People of the NKR unequivocally confirms that the Artsakh issue is not closed," the organization defending the rights of the Artsakh people emphasized. In conclusion, the Committee called on the international community to recognize that lasting peace cannot be built on the forced displacement of indigenous people. "Paying tribute to the grievous sacrifices of the past, we will tirelessly continue to defend and fight for the indisputable right of the people of Artsakh to return to their rightful homeland in safety and dignity," the Committee for the Protection of the Fundamental Rights of the People of Artsakh concluded.

It should be noted that on September 2, 1991, based on the USSR Law "On the Procedure for Resolving Issues Related to the Secession of a Union Republic from the USSR," a joint session of deputies of all levels of the NKAO and the Shahumyan region proclaimed the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR).

It should be recalled that on September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan, under the pretext of an "anti-terrorist operation," initiated a large-scale aggression against Artsakh, which led to the complete de-Armenization of the NKR. This was preceded by a nearly 10-month blockade of the republic. Since the enemy aggression that began in the fall of 2020, which culminated in the complete ethnic cleansing of Artsakh in September 2023, over 150,000 Artsakh residents have lost their homeland and become refugees.