Ombudswoman calls on int’l community to defend Azerbaijani diplomatic mission against Armenian attacks
By Vugar Khalilov
Human Rights Commissioner Sabina Aliyeva has called on the international community to defend Azerbaijan's diplomatic mission against the Armenian extremist groups abroad, Azernews reports, citing the Ombudswoman’s office.
In a statement published by the office on September 19, Aliyeva condemned the attacks on diplomatic missions, urging the international community to take measures based on the norms and principles of international law to ensure the protection of embassies and diplomatic missions.
“We strongly condemn such heinous events, which contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of intolerance toward Azerbaijanis in Armenia and beyond, hinder the provision of sustainable peace between the parties, as well as the development of hateful and spiteful expressions by people of Armenian descent in public speeches and on social media that encourage hostility,” Aliyeva stressed.
She urged the Armenian government to uphold its international duties, refrain from discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, and end its anti-Azerbaijani policies as soon as possible.
Armenia for a long time has engaged in provocations targeted at egregious breaches of human rights as part of its ethnic hate agenda, which has resulted in genocide and terrorism, as well as baseless territorial claims against Azerbaijan, the ombudswoman underlined.
The racial hatred campaign was reinforced once more when Armenian extremist elements in Lebanon assembled outside the Azerbaijani embassy in Beirut under the pretext of staging a "peaceful protest" and attempted to assault the embassy building, endangering the safety of Azerbaijani diplomats.
Such instances occurred outside the Azerbaijani embassies in the United States and France. Extremists attempted to violently enter the diplomatic premises, particularly in France, and acts of vandalism were committed under the guise of holding a “peaceful demonstration”, Aliyeva recalled.
“Unfortunately, the embassy building and the protection of diplomats were not provided in accordance with the requirements of international law. This means a violation of the obligations assumed by the host states under international law,” she stressed.
The attacks on the Azerbaijani diplomatic missions are a gross violation of international law, especially the 1961 Vienna Convention "On Diplomatic Relations", as well as the 1973 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents adopted by the UN, Aliyeva detailed.
The ombudswoman urged the international community and nations where Azerbaijani diplomats are stationed to secure embassies and diplomatic missions, warning that similar attacks might occur in other countries, too.
“I urge you to take steps based on international law norms and principles to prevent provocations perpetrated at the behest of the Armenian political and military leadership, which foster ethnic enmity and endanger people's lives and health,” Aliyeva emphasized.
Following the recent border clashes between Azerbaijani and Armenian military forces in response to the latter's provocation, a number of Azerbaijani missions overseas have been attacked and vandalized by Armenian fanatical groups.
On September 18, Armenian extremists in France stormed the building of the Azerbaijani embassy in Paris.
Similarly, an aggressive group of Armenian radicals attacked the Azerbaijani embassy in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, on September 16.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has also condemned the attacks and urged the host nations to protect the diplomatic missions from possible attacks by Armenian fanatics in their territories.
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