Ln November 17, 2023, the International Court of Justice issued a decision ordering Azerbaijan to immediately guarantee the safe, dignified and unhindered return of Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as protect their property and preserve their heritage. These decisions, taken in the name of international law, take precedence over political considerations, any treaty or bilateral agreement. However, two years later, the letter remains a dead letter.
No action was taken to allow refugees to return to their homes, protect their rights or document the state of the towns and villages they fled. The property and cultural heritage of the Armenian people continues to be destroyed, altered, or re-attributed in Nagorno-Karabakh, to erase all traces of their presence and memory. This passive attitude of international agencies and countries is a cause for concern, especially at a time when this threat is weighing heavily on other populations in the world. Would we be forgiven if we did not take any action that is clearly described in the law as crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing?
Let’s remember the facts. On September 19, 2023, after nine months of total blockade aimed at emptying the region of its population, Azerbaijan launched a decisive military offensive on the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Within days, the last 120,000 Armenians in the region, exhausted by hunger, shortages and lack of care, and frightened by the violence perpetrated against civilians, were forced into exile. To date, there has been no political response commensurate with the seriousness of the crime. The reality of the balance of power cannot stop the application of international law: the right of return of the Nagorno-Karabakh population goes beyond geopolitical considerations and remains a collective responsibility recognized by international conventions.
Confusion between peace and injustice
International law is clear: Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights recognizes everyone’s right to return to their country. This right does not depend on formal citizenship, but on a deep and abiding connection to land, culture, and memory. This right does not belong to the state, but to the individual. No authority, through inaction or resistance, can eliminate those who hold it.
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