Activists called on EU representatives to pay attention to Armenia's problems

Armenian and Karabakh public organizations and parties called on the participants of the 8th European Political Community Summit, which will be held in Yerevan, to defend democratic values ​​in Armenia, promote the preservation of cultural assets in Karabakh, and protect the rights of refugees.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," Azerbaijani parliamentarians made a decision to suspend all ties between the Milli Majlis and the European Parliament after the European Parliament adopted a resolution that emphasizes the right of return of Armenians to Karabakh and demands the release of Armenian prisoners of war. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry handed a note of protest to the EU Ambassador.

The 8th European Political Community Summit, which will be attended by approximately 50 delegations at the level of heads of state and institutions, will be held in Yerevan on May 4. The first Armenia-EU summit will also be held in Yerevan on May 4-5. Armenia will be represented by Nikol Pashinyan, and the European Union will be represented by European Council President António Costa, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Armenian Foreign Ministry press service reported. Forty public organizations and political forces in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh have signed an appeal to the participants of the European Summit and the Armenia-EU Summit. On the opening day of the summit, May 4, in Yerevan, at the initiative of the open and non-partisan platform Stand For Democracy in Armenia, a rally entitled "Let's Stand Up for Democracy and Rights in Armenia" is planned from 9:00 a.m. (8:00 a.m. Moscow time). A representative of Stand For Democracy in Armenia noted that the collection of signatures for the appeal and the upcoming rally was published on the Stand For Democracy in Armenia social media page.

"We state in our appeal, and we will voice this at the rally, that there are problems in Armenia that cannot be ignored. In our appeal to the participants of the 8th European Political Community Summit, we call on representatives of democratic states to pay attention to key problems in the country that require intervention. These include political persecution and selective justice, restrictions on freedom of speech, violations of religious freedom and state interference in church affairs, the rights of the people of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), the release of Armenian prisoners held by Baku, the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage, and the right of the people of Artsakh (Karabakh) to safe, dignified, and collective return," noted a representative of the Stand For Democracy in Armenia initiative.

The address to "European Council President António Costa, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, and European Heads of State and Government" states that "we expect you to take effective steps to defend our shared values ​​– democracy, human dignity, respect for fundamental rights, and peace."

The signatories of the document call on European leaders during their visit to Armenia to raise these issues in dialogue with the Armenian authorities, demand the release of persons detained for political reasons, increase pressure on Baku to release prisoners and protect cultural heritage, link further support to real human rights reforms, and facilitate the creation of an international mechanism for realizing the right of return."

The initiators emphasize that "ignoring these issues could undermine trust." "to European institutions," and call on the international community "to support not only the authorities, but also the people of Armenia, their right to democratic development and security." The 40 signatories include the HayaQue Civic Initiative, the Strong Armenia, Prosperous Armenia, and Wings of Unity parties, the Republican Party of Armenia, the Supreme Body of the ARF of Armenia, and Karabakh public organizations.

On May 3, the National Assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh addressed the summit participants, emphasizing "the need to respond to the humanitarian and legal crisis." The authors of the appeal noted that "Azerbaijan's military actions in 2020 and 2023 led to the forced displacement of approximately 150,000 Armenians, and the international community's insufficient response contributed to further violations," and drew attention to "the ongoing destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in the territories of Artsakh."

The Nagorno-Karabakh Parliament called on representatives of the European Union "to give an international legal assessment of Azerbaijan's actions, apply sanctions and send an independent monitoring mission to protect cultural heritage, achieve the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages, and ensure conditions for the safe, dignified, and collective return of Artsakh (Karabakh) Armenians under international guarantees."

Parliamentarians expect the EU to move from statements to concrete actions in the name of justice and regional stability, and declare that silence is complicity.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Public Council also addressed the ongoing humanitarian and legal crisis surrounding the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"The events of 2020-2023 led to forced displacement of the population and grave consequences, and without the restoration of rights and accountability, sustainable peace in the region is impossible," the statement emphasized.

"Achieving peace and security should not come at the expense of the rights of peoples," the authors of the statement stated, noting The need to "form a new international settlement mechanism after the cessation of the OSCE Minsk Group."

The Public Council called on European leaders to "support the people of Artsakh and the universal values ​​of human rights," particularly noting "the difficult socio-economic situation of the Artsakh people in Armenia" and the need to "strengthen international support, including the creation of special funds."