RA MFA stated regarding the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

August 30 is the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances, established in 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly as a reminder of the horrific human rights violations caused by enforced disappearances.

Enforced or violent disappearance of people is by its very nature a violation of fundamental human rights. it violates a whole range of human rights established by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, as well as international human rights covenants and other key international human rights instruments.

This complex crime violates all human rights, including the right to life, the right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, the right to liberty and security, the right to a fair trial, the right to an effective remedy and the right to know the truth about the circumstances of the disappearance. International law considers enforced disappearance a crime against humanity under certain circumstances.

International humanitarian law aims to prevent people from disappearing due to arbitrary arrests, detention, and other violations during captivity. After the ceasefire was signed on November 9, 2020, Azerbaijan continues to hold Armenian prisoners of war, including civilians, as hostages, and the fates of hundreds of missing and forcibly disappeared as a result of the first and 44-day Karabakh wars remain unknown.

The lack of cooperation on the part of the Azerbaijani authorities makes it impossible to estimate the number of missing persons accurately and obtain reliable information about their fate or whereabouts and whether they are still alive.

Azerbaijan continues to ignore the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the use of interim measures to provide information on Armenian hostages in Azerbaijan, as well as the urgent measures presented by the International Court of Justice on December 7, 2021, which obliges Azerbaijan to stop its racist and discriminatory policies against Armenians.

The issue of disappearances is a humanitarian priority that must be depoliticized and resolved with strong political will and cooperation. In the absence of such an approach, justice and social healing, and therefore long-term peace, will remain elusive. We call on the international community to take responsibility for providing unconditional access to the entire territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, which can alleviate the current humanitarian crisis.

On the International Day of Enforced Disappearances, we express our solidarity with the families of the victims and all those who suffer from these inhuman acts. We fight for the rights of the disappeared; we continue to fight for justice and against impunity for this crime. We reiterate our urgent call to end impunity for enforced disappearances."