Western Azerbaijan Community

Statement by the West Azerbaijan Community on the International Day of the Disappeared, August 30

A large number of Azerbaijanis of Armenian descent have disappeared as a result of ethnic cleansing and military aggression by Armenia against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan. The actions committed by Armenia on the forced disappearance of Azerbaijanis constitute a gross violation of human rights.

The right to protection from enforced disappearance is enshrined in various international human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

Armenia refuses to clarify the fate and whereabouts of these individuals, to disclose the exact coordinates of mass graves and other burial sites of Azerbaijanis killed by it, thereby making the pain and suffering of uncertainty that their families are experiencing even more unbearable.

Addressing the issue of enforced disappearances is necessary to protect human rights, explain to the families of the victims the fate of their loved ones, and ensure justice and peace.

The Western Azerbaijan Community once again demands that the Armenian government provide assistance in clarifying the fate of Azerbaijanis subjected to enforced disappearance, begin full cooperation with Azerbaijan on this issue, and bring to justice those who committed acts of enforced disappearance.