Freedom House: Azerbaijan Committed Ethnic Cleansing in Karabakh

The human rights organization Freedom House, together with a number of other partners, has published a fact-finding report. It concludes that Azerbaijan carried out ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, using forced displacement as a tool. The report, which covers the period from 2020 to 2024, aims to reveal the underlying causes of the mass exodus of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. The International Partnership for Human Rights, the Foundation for Democracy Development, the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, the "Protection of Rights without Borders" NGO, the Law Development and Protection Foundation, and the Truth Hounds organization also participated in the preparation of the report.

Three-phase ethnic cleansing

Based on the evidence gathered, the report concludes that Azerbaijan's actions were consistent and planned. The results of the study are presented in three chronological phases, which not only reveal the cleansing operations but also reflect the specific human rights violations committed against the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. These violations include:

Systematic attacks and intimidation: The report documents that Azerbaijani forces regularly targeted the civilian population, creating an atmosphere of constant fear and insecurity.

Deprivation of fundamental rights: The Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh were deprived of access to vital goods, including food, medicine, and fuel, as a result of a months-long blockade.

Forced displacement: The creation of these inhumane conditions, according to the report, had one goal: to force the Armenian population to leave their historical homeland.

A call to restore justice

The report also presents recommendations addressed to various stakeholders, including individual states, international structures, and civil society organizations. The authors of the document note that the implementation of these recommendations is an important prerequisite for restoring justice and building a dignified peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The report calls on the international community to take steps to ensure accountability for what has been done and to prevent the recurrence of similar atrocities in the future.