Armenia Refutes Allegations of Racial Discrimination Against Azerbaijanis at ICJ
In the ongoing lawsuit filed by Azerbaijan against Armenia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2021, Armenia has denied the allegations of racial discrimination. The hearings, which began today at the ICJ in The Hague, Netherlands, saw Armenia challenging the accusations and calling for the case to be dropped.
Armenia’s legal team refuted the claims that Armenia had discriminated against Azerbaijani Turks based on national and ethnic origin from 1987 to 2020. They argued that the ICJ does not have jurisdiction over the time period in question and urged the court to dismiss the case without further consideration.
The lawyers representing Armenia pointed out that the Racial Discrimination Convention, which Azerbaijan’s case is based on, only came into force between the two countries on September 15, 1996. They argued that Azerbaijan’s claims regarding events prior to this date could not be retroactively applied under the convention.
Furthermore, Armenia’s legal team defended the mines laid in Karabakh and surrounding areas as defensive measures and accused Azerbaijan of using the case as a response to a previous case filed by Armenia at the ICJ. They also claimed that Azerbaijan had not provided sufficient evidence to support their allegations, which they argued were not covered under the Racial Discrimination Convention.
The hearings at the ICJ are expected to conclude on April 26, after which the judges will deliberate and reach a decision in the coming years.
Azerbaijan’s claims against Armenia include accusations of ethnic cleansing, destruction of culture, environmental terrorism, hate speech, and disinformation. They allege that Armenia conducted ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in the occupied territories and Armenia itself with the aim of creating a homogenous state of Armenians. Azerbaijan also accuses Armenia of engaging in racist and hate speech at all levels of governance, expelling around one million Azerbaijanis, destroying cities and cultural heritage, and exploiting natural resources while damaging the environment.
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have filed lawsuits against each other, with Armenia’s case concerning the 2020 Karabakh War and its aftermath, while Azerbaijan’s case focuses on events from 1987 to 2020. Preliminary objections regarding jurisdiction have been raised by both parties, with Armenia’s objections currently under review following hearings that began today. The legal battle between the two countries is set to continue at the ICJ as they seek to defend their respective positions and allegations.
