You are currently viewing Pashinyan’s willingness to abandon Armenia’s Legal cases against Azerbaijan is concerning.
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Brussels, 5th of February 2025- Speaking at the Atlantic Council, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan revealed that he and his government are considering withdrawing several of Armenia’s complaints at the ICJ and ECHR. The Prime Minister stated that during recent negotiations with Azerbaijan’s Aliyev, the two men had reached tentative agreements on 15 out of 17 points for a potential peace agreement, with the points of contention being the European Union’s Monitoring mission on the Armenian border, a program that was recently extended by the Council of the European Union, and Armenia’s ongoing international legal claims against Azerbaijan.

Armenia filed multiple cases against Azerbaijan particularly with regards to its attacks on civilian infrastructure, illegal abuse of Armenian civilians, racial discrimination against ethnic Armenians and an Armenophobic policy of intimidation and use of military actions which resulted into the forceful expulsion of the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is noteworthy, that in November 2024, the ICJ had rejected Azerbaijan’s objections against the case and had also provided a preliminary ruling in favour of Armenia by demanding Azerbaijan to take any action necessary to protect and safeguard Armenian cultural sites in Nagorno-Karabakh and allow Armenians to return to their ancestral homes, albeit without providing the specific and necessary mechanism and security structure that would have provided adequate and necessary measures to protect the lives of the forcefully displaced civilians. 

The cases at the ICJ and at the European Court for Human Rights are still ongoing, and these developments clearly indicate Azerbaijan’s concern about the courts’ ability to exercise pressure and force Azerbaijan to adhere to its presumed international commitments and promises. Previously, Pashinyan had committed to continue these legal claims, portraying these endeavours as Armenia’s commitment towards democratic institutions and human rights.

It is therefore disappointing to witness Pashinyan express willingness to abandon these steps that have clearly exercised some pressure on Azerbaijan, without stating the explicit gains Armenia is said to receive or even concessions on behalf of Azerbaijan. It is further ironic that during the same event, Pashinyan proudly proclaimed that Armenia had increased its “independence and sovereignty” and that “Now Armenia is a thriving democracy”, claims that seem to contradict his willingness for concessions, from which Armenia, the indigenous Armenians of Artsakh and the Armenian hostages currently held in Baku have received nothing in return.  If Pashinyan is a true believer of the democratic values and the alignment towards the West and its institutions like he claims, it is imperative he clarifies what are the potential benefits of withdrawing from these cases. The Armenian people deserve the right to demand answers on what is being agreed upon in their name and whether they find such concessions acceptable.