Azerbaijan filed complaint against Armenia to International Court of Justice

Baku/06.01.22/Turan: Azerbaijan has filed a second complaint against Armenia to the International Court of Justice for taking urgent measures under the International Convention "On the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination" (EAFRD). This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

The Ministry noted that there is evidence that Armenia has been installing mines in Azerbaijani territory and booby-traps in residential buildings since 2021.

"This prevents the return of internally displaced persons, expelled from their homes 30 years ago as a result of the Armenian occupation.

The Armenian side, in severe violation of the provisions of the Trilateral Statement of 10 November 2020, has continued its military provocations. For instance, since August 2022, more than 2,700 mines of Armenian origin-2021 have been discovered in Azerbaijan. There is evidence that the mines were laid by Armenia after the signing of a trilateral statement on the cessation of all hostilities, the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azerbaijani territory and consent to the return of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons to areas freed from occupation," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry further said in a statement.

At the same time it was emphasized that Armenia openly uses the Lachin road, intended solely for humanitarian purposes, to transport mines and other weapons.

Azerbaijan asked the court to take interim measures through obliging Armenia to take all necessary steps to clear territories in Karabakh, including by providing information about the location, quantity, type and characteristics of mines, booby traps and any other explosive devices.

The petition also demands that Armenia should further refrain from planting any explosive devices in areas where Azerbaijani civilians are returning, it was reported.

Recall that earlier Armenia initiated legal proceedings against Azerbaijan in the UN International Court of Justice under the International Convention "On the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination" (16 September 2021). The lawsuit accuses Azerbaijan of racial discrimination over decades and during the conflict in September 2020.

Azerbaijan filed a counter-suit on 23 September alleging that Armenia has committed and continues to commit a number of discriminatory acts against Azerbaijanis on the basis of their national and ethnic origin. -06В-