The president of the Republic of Artsakh turned to Former
Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno Ocampo,
asking to express expert opinion on whether there is a basis to believe that
the blockade of Artsakh constitutes the crime of Genocide.
The Armenian National Committee – International (ANC –
International) made a statement on Luis Moreno Ocampo’s report.
“The report unequivocally states that an ongoing
Genocide is being committed against the people of Artsakh under Article II of
the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Under
this Article deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated
to bring about its physical destruction should be considered Genocide as well,”
reads ANC – International’s statement.
Ocampo’s report consists of three main parts and refers to
the existence of an ongoing Genocide in Artsakh and the reasonable grounds for
calling it a Genocide, the identification and investigation of those
responsible for the Genocide and the ways to prevent the crime.
The author of the report identifies the people who should be
held responsible with regard to the case of genocide in question and the legal
mechanisms of prosecuting them under international law. Thus, besides Ilham
Aliyev, other persons who should be investigated by the ICC are Azerbaijani
Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, Chief of State Border Service of Azerbaijan
Elchin Guliyev, Chief of Staff of the Border Detachment for State Border
Protection Akshin Maherramov, Commander of the Rapid Response Brigade of the
Rapid Response Forces of the State Border Guard Service Misir Aliyev and the
representative of the Center of Analysis of International Relations Farid
Shafiyev.
With regard to President Aliyev’s immunity as head of state,
the jurisdiction provided by the ICC is mentioned, under which such immunity
does not apply.
