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Ulviyya Poladova

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On June 24, an international conference titled "The Right of Return and Self-Determination: Double Standards and Selective Approaches" was held at the U.S. Congress building (Capitol Hill) in Washington, D.C., organised by the Baku Initiative Group, AzerNEWS reports.

It should be noted that this event, held at the Congress, can be regarded as an important contribution to raising international awareness of the facts concerning the ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis by Armenia.

The conference brought together experts specialising in the protection of the rights of refugees and national minorities, human rights advocates, international law experts, representatives of civil society institutions, and compatriots of Western Azerbaijani origin.

Speakers emphasised the importance of ensuring international attention remains focused on what they described as the fundamental right of displaced people to return to their ancestral lands in a safe, voluntary and dignified manner. Participants cited the case of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis who they said were forcibly displaced from territories in present-day Armenia as a result of policies of ethnic cleansing.

They also called for a legal assessment under international law of the systematic destruction, desecration, and appropriation of Azerbaijani cultural, religious, and historical heritage remaining in Armenia, including place names, mosques, cemeteries, shrines, and other monuments, as well as for these violations to be investigated and documented on-site by international organisations.

Representatives of Armenian media outlets operating in the United States, including members of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), observed the event from the audience. No incidents were reported during the conference.

Western Azerbaijani compatriots living in the United States shared their personal stories and experiences as refugees, presenting the humanitarian tragedy endured by Azerbaijanis forcibly displaced from Armenia. Representatives of the Zikh community stressed that the right to a safe, voluntary, and dignified return is not only a humanitarian issue but also a fundamental human right and a matter of restoring historical justice.

Oussama Jammal, Secretary General of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organisations, and Matthew Stewart, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of "Our Sister Our Brother," addressed the conference, emphasising the inadmissibility of ethnic discrimination, forced displacement, and human rights violations. Both speakers condemned discrimination, forced displacement and rights violations based on ethnicity, while highlighting the need to protect displaced communities, amplify their voices in international forums and strengthen global solidarity.

At the conclusion of the event, conference participants adopted an appeal addressed to members of the U.S. Congress. The appeal underscored the necessity of applying the right of return and the right of peoples to self-determination consistently, fairly, and without discrimination, in accordance with the norms and principles of international law.

The document calls for international support for the right of Western Azerbaijanis to return safely, voluntarily, and with dignity to their native lands, as well as for the restoration of their property rights and the protection of their cultural heritage. It also reflects concerns regarding the rights of the Zikh community and the peoples of territories formerly under Dutch colonial rule, urging the U.S. Congress to take these issues into consideration.

The appeal stresses the importance of defending the right of return, self-determination, and universal human rights on the basis of unified and principled standards, free from selective approaches.