Azerbaijan Rebuts Council of Europe Commissioner’s Report, Alleges Bias and Incomplete Assessment

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has responded to the report of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic, who recently visited Armenia and Azerbaijan.The Commissioner's observations, following her visit to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, have drawn mixed reactions from the Azerbaijani authorities.

In a detailed statement, the Ministry acknowledged the historic nature of the visit, emphasizing that it marked the first time in decades that a human rights mission had been able to access the Karabakh region. The visit, conducted with the invitation and agreement of the Azerbaijani government, was touted as a demonstration of transparency and cooperation by Azerbaijani authorities towards international human rights institutions.

The report, according to the Ministry, effectively nullifies claims of "ethnic cleansing" or "forcible displacement" following counter-terror measures taken by Azerbaijani armed forces in September 2023. The Ministry contends that the Commissioner's observations point to the voluntary departure of local Armenians from the Karabakh region without any use of force by Azerbaijani authorities.

The Azerbaijani government emphasizes the steps taken to ensure the right to return and other human rights, particularly in the aftermath of counter-terror measures. The Ministry applauds these efforts as indicative of Azerbaijan's positive intent and attitude towards the reintegration of local Armenian residents.

However, the Ministry expressed dissatisfaction with the report, asserting that it fails to genuinely reflect the human rights situations of all those affected by the conflict unleashed by Armenia. It argues that Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan led to systematic acts of ethnic cleansing, war crimes, and the forcible displacement of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis.

The Ministry decries references in the report to the "blockade" of the Lachin road, asserting that such claims are far from reality and have not been acknowledged by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The statement claims that Azerbaijan exercised its sovereign right to fully control the Lachin road based on international law, citing the ICJ ruling of July 6, 2023, which allegedly rejected Armenian claims.

The Ministry regrets the omission of meetings between the Commissioner and survivors of the Khojaly genocide, as well as members of the Western Azerbaijani Community expelled from their homes in modern-day Armenia. This exclusion, according to the Ministry, hinders an accurate reflection of the visit and a comprehensive approach to human rights issues.

Concluding the statement, Azerbaijan expresses disappointment, asserting that the findings rely not on the Commissioner's direct observations but primarily on information obtained from incomplete and biased sources. Azerbaijan contends that the report lacks complete fairness and impartiality, focusing on a narrow perspective that overlooks a comprehensive review of the situation. The government underscores its expectation of neutrality, impartiality, equality, and universality in the assessment of human rights issues.