The UN Committee has made the decision to urge Azerbaijan to take action against its unlawful human rights violations: They emphasize the condemnation and prevention of torture, urging prompt investigation and prosecution of violators, redress for victims, accountability for commanders, adherence to international humanitarian law, and consideration of joining the International Criminal Court. Additionally, they express concern over discriminatory statements fueling violence against Armenians and minorities, regretting the lack of prosecutions and absence of incitement to violence as a criminal offense. Azerbaijan should publicly denounce hate speech, conduct thorough investigations, and ensure perpetrators are punished.
A CFTJ delegation traveled to Geneva, Switzerland last month to report the human rights violations to the special committee during Azerbaijan’s review. Reports by CFTJ and other NGO’s were incorporated into the findings.
CFTJ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, established in November 2020 in response to the Nagorno-Karabakh war. We are a group of lawyers overseeing the collection of firsthand testimonial evidence from war survivors via in-depth, recorded interviews. We run two law clinics, one in Armenia and one in Nagorno-Karabakh, which are the first of their kind. Through our clinics, we train Armenian law students and young lawyers to interview survivors of the war and record their testimonies. To date, we have conducted hundreds of interviews and trained nearly 100 current or future lawyers. By being a permanent home for the testimonials, CFTJ serves as a resource to academic and legal practitioners who seek to use the evidence for purposes of education and/or legal action.
