Friday, December 1 2023 13:37

ArmInfo. In her message to Azerbaiajn, Alexandra Xanthaki, U.N. Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, expressed "concerns over allegations of human rights violations in the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions, have been the subject of previous communications from Special Procedures, including JUA AZE 1/2023, about the ongoing blockade of the Lachin corridor and its deleterious impact on the exercise of the  numerous human rights, and AZE 3/2021, regarding the intentional destruction of and damage to many cultural heritage sites and objects of religious, historical and cultural importance in the mentioned regions."

The message further reads: 

"I thank the Government for its detailed responses to communications,  received on 21 February 2023, and take note of the information  therein.  However, I remain concerned in light of numerous reports  concerning developments that have allegedly occurred between 2021 and  present. A ruling by the International Court of Justice on 7 December  2021 ordered Azerbaijan to "take all necessary measures to prevent  and punish acts of vandalisms and desecration affecting Armenian  cultural heritage, including but not limited to churches and other  places of worship, monuments, landmarks, cemeteries and artifacts".

"The International Court of Justice's ruling also ordered Azerbaijan,  in accordance with its obligations under CERD, to "take all necessary  measures to prevent the incitement and promotion of racial hatred and  discrimination, including by its officials and public institutions,  targeted at persons of Armenian national or ethnic origin. The Court  stressed that propaganda promoting racial hatred and incitement to  racial discrimination or to acts of violence against any group of  persons based on their national or ethnic origin, are prohibited  under article 4 of CERD, as they can generate a pervasive racially  charged environment within society that may lead to harm.

For details follow link:  https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=28351