The Western Azerbaijan Community has condemned the statement of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic dated August 28, 2023.

In a statement on Monday, the Western Azerbaijan Community underlined that there is no territorial unit called "Nagorno-Karabakh" in the territory of Azerbaijan, News.Az reports. 

"After Armenia at least verbally recognized Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory, some still disrespect Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, which raises a number of questions. We call on the CoE Commissioner to use the term 'Karabakh region of Azerbaijan' in the future," the Community said.

The Community continued: "Azerbaijan, since joining the Council of Europe in 2001, has constantly raised humanitarian and human rights issues caused by the Armenian occupation, but each time received standard, unacceptable answers such as 'we are not a political organization, we do not interfere in such issues'. Now that Azerbaijan has liberated its territories, why did the same organization and the same officials take a completely different position?!

Why Dunja Mijatovic, who has been commissioner since 2018, has never once expressed concern about the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, ethnic cleansing, and expulsion of one million Azerbaijanis? Since 2020, more than 300 Azerbaijanis have been victims of Armenia's mine terror. When will you, as Commissioner, express your attitude to this fact?

Instead of the Karabagh region of Azerbaijan, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights should visit  Armenia, which has deported Western Azerbaijanis from their native lands and denies their right to return. Perhaps you should appeal to Armenia to allow Western Azerbaijanis to visit destroyed mosques and cemeteries?"

The Western Azerbaijan Community also called on the Commissioner to avoid double standards and be impartial.

News.Az