(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Fatima Hasanova read more The International Court of Justice (ICJ) heard public testimony
on January 31, 2023, regarding Azerbaijan's request for the
designation of additional provisional measures submitted in the
case involving the application of the International convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
(Azerbaijan v. Armenia), Azernews reports per the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry.
The Court was requested to take 'urgent action needed to stem
the mounting casualties' as a result of Armenian forces' continued
deliberate planting of landmines and explosive booby traps in
civilian areas of Azerbaijan. The hearing followed Azerbaijan's
second request for provisional measures, which was submitted on
January 4, 2023. Some 282 Azerbaijanis have died as a result of
mines or other explosive devices since the conflict in 2020 came to
an end. The vast majority of these victims were civilians,
including 3 journalists.
The request from Azerbaijan reflects new information showing
that, contrary to its claims made to the ICJ in October 2021,
Armenia continued to plant landmines on its territory after
agreeing to the end of all hostilities under the November 2020
Trilateral Statement. Since August 2022, over 2,700 landmines made
in Armenia in 2021 have been found there. Armenia has acted in a
way that flagrantly violates its commitments under the CERD and
other international laws.
Due to Armenia's campaign of ethnic cleansing and illegal
occupation of Azerbaijan's territory, over 1,600 of these illegal
landmines as well as booby traps have been placed in civilian areas
where Azerbaijanis were forcibly removed 30 years ago, making it
impossible for these displaced families and communities to return
to their homes.
Azerbaijan has asked the ICJ to specify the provisional measures
that Armenia shall immediately take all necessary measures to
enable Azerbaijan to undertake the prompt, safe, and effective
demining of the towns, villages, and other areas in the Lachin and
Kalbajar districts, as well as other formerly occupied districts of
Azerbaijan. This includes providing information about the location,
quantity, type, and characteristics of landmines.
Azerbaijan also asked the court to order Armenia to immediately
cease and desist from any further efforts, including the use of the
Lachin road to lay mines and booby traps in areas where Azerbaijani
civilians will return.
Earlier, on 7 December 2021, the Court granted Azerbaijan's
first request for interim measures of protection against violations
of the international convention on the elimination of all forms of
racial discrimination in force and instructed Armenia to take all
necessary measures to prevent incitement of racial hatred directed
against Azerbaijanis.
In the meantime, a group of Azerbaijanis picketed the Peace
Palace in the Hague, Netherlands, calling for an unbiased
position.
The Turkic Culture Association of Azerbaijan in the Netherlands,
the Congress of Benelux Azerbaijanis, the Azerbaijan House in the
Netherlands, the International Women's Club, the Motherland Union
of Azerbaijani Women in Europe, the Coordinating Council of
Azerbaijanis in the Netherlands and Belgium, and other activists
from the Azerbaijani diaspora gathered outside the Peace Palace to
call for a fair position.
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