Azerbaijan’s Red Crescent Society has been accused of breaching the principle of neutrality that governs the International Red Cross and the Red Crescent Movement.
This accusation was made by the Armenian Red Cross Society, which works under the banner of the ICRC. The organization, in a statement issued on Thursday, said that Azerbaijan’s Red Crescent is actively engaged in advancing Baku’s political objectives, vis-a-vis Artsakh.
The ARCS statement also said that the Red Crescent is colluding to keep the Lachin Corridor closed, while at the same time parroting official Baku’s scheme of using “alternate routes.”
“Azerbaijan’s Red Crescent Society is violating the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, first of all, the principle of neutrality, and is getting involved in political processes,” said the Armenia Red Cross statement, saying that the Azerbaijani Red Crescent Society does not have the mandate to make political statements.
“Presently, Azerbaijan is also using the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society to obstruct the activity of the ICRC as the only international humanitarian international operating in Nagorno – Karabakh,” said the Armenia Red Cross.
The July 29 abduction and subsequent detention by Azerbaijan of Artsakh resident, Vagif Khachatryan, who was being escorted by the ICRC to Armenia for urgent medical treatment, was cited as example of the Red Crescent’s collusion with the Baku regime.
“Since July 26, 2023, a convoy carrying humanitarian aid sent by Armenia has been stranded on the Hakari Bridge․ Тhe Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society could use its ‘humanitarian mandate’ to convince the side which has blocked the Lachin corridor and caused the humanitarian catastrophe to open the road and respect humanitarian principles,” added the Armenian Red Cross.
The Armenian Red Cross said that the ICRC had voiced its concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Artsakh. Those concerns were also echoed last week during a United Nations Security Council Session that addressed the crisis.
“We are calling on all the branches of International Red Cross Movement: the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and Azerbaijan’s Red Crescent Society to steadfastly follow and adhere to the principles of the movement and to fulfill their complementary roles within their mandates benefit the effective implementation of their humanitarian mission,” the Armenian Red Cross said.
