Safeguarding the right to return and ensuring justice for expelled Azerbaijanis

Written declaration No. 779 | Doc. 15798 | 20 June 2023

Signatories:

Mr Kamal JAFAROV, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Ms Iwona ARENT, Poland, EC/DA ; Ms Nigar ARPADARAI, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Kamil AYDIN, Türkiye, NR ; Ms Ieva BRANTE, Latvia, NR ; Ms Sena Nur ÇELİK, Türkiye, NR ; Mr Normunds DZINTARS, Latvia, EC/DA ; Mr Mehmet Mehdi EKER, Türkiye, NR ; Mr Yunus EMRE, Türkiye, SOC ; Ms Sevinj FATALIYEVA, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Erkin GADIRLI, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Tural GANJALIYEV, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Martin GRAF, Austria, EC/DA ; Mr Sabir HAJIYEV, Azerbaijan, SOC ; Mr Rafael HUSEYNOV, Azerbaijan, ALDE ; Ms Parvin KARIMZADA, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Norbert KLEINWÄCHTER, Germany, EC/DA ; Ms Iryna KONSTANKEVYCH, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Mr Oleksandr MEREZHKO, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Mr Asim MOLLAZADA, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Sorin-Titus MUNCACIU, Romania, EC/DA ; Mr Fazil MUSTAFA, Azerbaijan, ALDE ; Mr Dmytro NATALUKHA, Ukraine, EC/DA ; Ms Konul NURULLAYEVA, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Bob van PAREREN, Netherlands, EC/DA ; Mr Marco SCURRIA, Italy, EC/DA ; Mr Samad SEYIDOV, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Yıldırım Tuğrul TÜRKEŞ, Türkiye, NR ; Mr Harald WEYEL, Germany, EC/DA ; Mr Ahmet YILDIZ, Türkiye, NR ; Ms Zeynep YILDIZ, Türkiye, NR

This written declaration does not reflect the position of the Assembly; only of those members that have signed it. It will not be considered further by the Assembly.

We, the undersigned, declare the following:

We are deeply concerned by the injustice suffered by Azerbaijanis from ethnic cleansing and forced mass deportations.

Considering that the ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in Armenia was systematically perpetrated by State authorities;

Expressing deep concern with the systematic destruction of Azerbaijani cultural heritage in Armenia and recalling calls upon UNESCO to send fact-finding missions to this country;

Emphasising that the right to return is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments;

Recognising the Western Azerbaijan community, established in 1989, as a unifying voice representing the expelled Azerbaijanis;

Welcoming the community's dialogue offer to Armenia;

Commending the community’s upholding the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty of States;

Commending the community's willingness to coexist peacefully with Armenians once they return to their homes;

We urge the Council of Europe to support the right to return of Azerbaijanis expelled from Armenia;

We call upon the rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly to address the right to return of Azerbaijanis from Armenia;

We appeal to the Government of Armenia to respond to the community's calls for dialogue, ensure the safe return of Azerbaijanis, and guarantee their rights and security, agreeing to dispatch international missions to assist in this process.