Thursday, September 28 2023 10:37

ArmInfo. A bipartisan group of ninety-six U.S. Senate and House members have called on  Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to apply their discretionary authority under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to sanction Azerbaijani leaders responsible for the brutal blockade and attacks on Nagorno Karabakh's (Artsak) 120,000 indigenous Armenian Christian population, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).  

"President Biden needs to stop rewarding genocide and start holding  its perpetrators accountable. That begins with cutting off military  aid to Azerbaijan and enforcing sanctions against its leaders for  ethnically cleansing 120,000 indigenous Armenians from their ancient  Artsakh homeland," stated Armenian National Committee of America  Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

POLITICO's National Security Daily was the first to report on the  powerful letter led by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill  Cassidy (R-LA) and Representatives Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Gus  Bilirakis (R- FL), and Frank Pallone (D-NJ).  

The 96 lawmakers stress, "in order to hold Azerbaijan accountable for  its actions in blockading and assaulting Nagorno-Karabakh, we  respectfully request that your departments exercise existing  authorities under the Global Magnitsky Act to impose targeted  sanctions on the individuals in the Aliyev government that are  responsible for or participated in the violation of human rights in   Nagorno-Karabakh." 

The Senate and House members stated, "These actions represent a gross  violation of human rights and the perpetration of violent conflict,  which both pose a direct assault on American values and interests.   The perpetrators of these human rights violations must be held to  account by the United States." Joining Senators Whitehouse and  Cassidy and Representatives Magaziner, Bilirakis, and Pallone in  cosigning the letter to Secretaries Blinken and Yellen are:  Senators  Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ),  Sherrod Brown (D- OH), Robert Casey (D-PA), Catherine Cortez-Masto  (D-NV), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D- CA), John  Fetterman (D-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff  Merkley (D-OR), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary  Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Marco Rubio  (R-FL), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch  (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Don Beyer (D-VA), Lisa Blunt  Rochester (D-DE), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Cori Bush (D-MO), Salud  Carbajal (D-CA), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Joaqu¡n Castro (D-TX), Jim  Costa (D-CA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Lloyd  Doggett (D-TX), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Dwight  Evans (D-PA), Charles Fleischmann (R-TN), Jesus Garcia (D-IL), Dan  Goldman (D-NY), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Val Hoyle  (D- OR), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Dan Kildee  (D-MI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Greg Landsman  (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Ted Lieu (D- CA),  Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Tom McClintock  (R-CA), James McGovern (D- MA), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Grace Meng  (D-NY), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Donald  Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Chellie Pingree  (D-ME), Katie Porter (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jamie Raskin  (D-MD), Deborah Ross (D-NC), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Linda  Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam  Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ),  Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), Haley Stevens  (D-MI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Dina Titus  (D-NV), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Norma Torres (D-CA),  Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Trone (D-MD), David Valadao (R-CA), Maxine  Waters (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Susan Wild (D-PA), and  Nikema Williams (D-GA).  The full text of the bi-cameral  congressional letter is provided below and available here:   https://anca.org/assets/pdf/092623_Whitehouse_Magaziner_Artsakh.pdf 

September 26, 2023 The Honorable Antony J. Blinken Secretary of State  U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20520 The  Honorable Janet Yellen Secretary of the Treasury U.S. Department of  the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20220 Re:  Nagorno-Karabakh Dear Secretaries Blinken and Yellen, We urge the  Departments of State and Treasury to immediately exercise  discretionary authority to impose sanctions under the Global  Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (Global Magnitsky Act,  Title XII, Subtitle F of P.L. 114-328; 22 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.) on  individuals in the government of Azerbaijan associated with the  military attacks against and brutal blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.  These actions represent a gross violation of human rights and the  perpetration of violent conflict, which both pose a direct assault on  American values and interests.  The perpetrators of these human  rights violations must be held to account by the United States.   Since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has blocked the Lachin Corridor,  the only route connecting Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh, depriving  some 120,000 Armenians of freedom of movement and access to food,  medication, hygiene products, and other commercial goods. The  blockade's effects are particularly acute for at-risk groups, such as  children, elderly people, people with disabilities and chronic health  conditions, whose access to healthcare services is severely limited  or disrupted. Local journalists have reported a rise in miscarriages  and premature births due to pregnant women not having access to  proper nutrition and prenatal care. Azerbaijan has also undermined  the region's gas and electricity supply, impacting the functioning of  medical and educational institutions and cutting heat as yet another   winter approaches.  After over nine months of trying to starve out  the ethnic Armenian population in Nagorno- Karabakh, the Azerbaijani  military launched a full-scale assault on the region on September 19,  resulting in a ceasefire and the capitulation of the local government  on September 20.  This attack has exacerbated concerns about the  worsening of the humanitarian crisis, and statements from the  government of Azerbaijan about "re- integration" raise the specter of  ethnic cleansing and cultural genocide. Additionally, an explosion at  a fuel station killed at least 125 civilians and wounded nearly 300  as thousands of ethnic Armenians fled Nagorno-Karabakh in fear of  violence from Azerbaijani forces. This horrific incident tragically  underscores the urgent need for humanitarian aid and access.  America  is a world leader on international human rights and must continue to  serve as a mediating force and supporter of peace in the region.  In  order to hold Azerbaijan accountable for its actions in blockading  and assaulting Nagorno-Karabakh, we respectfully request that your  departments exercise existing authorities under the Global Magnitsky  Act to impose targeted sanctions on the individuals in the Aliyev  government that are responsible for or participated in the violation  of human rights in Nagorno-Karabakh.