Human Rights Activist and the first and former prosecutor general of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo called on Azerbaijan to release Armenians illegally being held captive in Baku and to “stop the genocide” against the Armenian population of Artsakh.
The matter of the release of Armenians in Azerbaijani prisons should be on the agenda of and part of issues to be discussed at the United Nations Climate Summit, known as COP29, scheduled to be held in Baku in November, Ocampo said during a press conference on Friday in Yerevan.
He emphasized that a clear message should be sent to participants and decision-makers who will be attending the conference.
Ocampo said it is extremely important that the matter of the imprisoned Armenians in Baku is not neglected by the participants during the COP29 summit, and expressed hope that these Armenian captives will be released before this summit.
According to Ocampo, the Armenians who are languishing in Baku prisons are hostages, not prisoners of war. The people who are now in Baku prisons were the leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“This is sad, but it is similar to what happened in 1915 because at that time the primary mission of the Turks was to eradicate the leaders of the Armenians. This is the same as what happened in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Ocampo emphasized, and reaffirmed his view that the matter of the release of the former Nagorno-Karabakh military and political leaders from Baku prisons should be on the agenda of COP29 and part of its discussions.
“Free the Armenian hostages, stop the genocide!” Ocampo declared.
Ocampo said that Azerbaijan’s attacks, which forced the Armenian population of Artsakh to forcibly flee to Armenian, what he called the de-Armenization of Artsakh, is worrisome, but there are remedies under international law that can be used to resolve the situation.
“One of the best examples is the Russian-Ukrainian war, which is not by force. Armenia had won the [Artsakh] war in the 1990s, but was unable to find the legal solutions necessary to preserve that victory,” Ocampo pointed out.
“Even now, Azerbaijan is obligated to understand and respect international law. Until the verdict of the International Court of Justice, Azerbaijan participates in the hearings. We know that Nagorno-Karabakh has its rights. And today I offered my assistance to the leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh, and we shall discuss how we will plan the return of the Armenians of Artsakh and how Azerbaijan will recognize the rights of that population of Nagorno-Karabakh,” Ocampo added.
“For that, a work plan developed by the people of Artsakh is needed. The right exists, and we are in relatively more favorable conditions to apply it,” he said.
“I always mention that one of the Nuremberg prosecutors was 103 years old, he had seen everything, and when we asked him what to do, he replied: ‘Never give up, never give up, and never give up.’ Armenians know very well what endurance, resistance is. At the moment, international law is on your side,” Ocampo emphasized.
Ocampo also stressed the importance of unifying the global Armenian community efforts in the process of securing the release of Armenian prisoners held in Baku.
Ocampo highlighted the success of the online campaign he launched months ago for the release of Armenian prisoners.
“I have been involved in various processes related to genocides around the world, and this is the first time I have witnessed such global cooperation, which is a fantastic achievement. Armenians are creating an unprecedented experience of active collaboration,” Ocampo said, noting that these efforts are vital for protecting Armenia.
He also called on all Armenians to contribute to the release of the hostages. According to him, Armenians are not alone in this matter, because many universities and academic communities have joined the initiative.
“The Armenian Diaspora can, at the very least, join this process,” Ocampo said.
