Azerbaijan files counterclaim to the UN International Court of Justice against Armenia

Armenia is systematically violating the "International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination", Azerbaijan has claimed in a lawsuit lodged to the International Court of Justice, asking to bring the neighbouring state to justice.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that earlier Armenia filed a complaint with the UN Court against Azerbaijan, claiming a violation by the latter of the same UN Convention. The complaint claims that Azerbaijan has been subjecting Armenia to racial discrimination for decades, which was manifested, among other things, by mass killings and torture of prisoners of war (POWs).

In its turn, Azerbaijan claims that Armenia continues the policy of ethnic cleansings and incites hatred and ethnic violence against Azerbaijanis.

Referring to the period of hostilities in the fall of 2020, Baku claims that it was Armenia that had again attacked Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is the country that suffered as a result of the Karabakh conflict, said Togrul Djuvarly, a member of the Azerbaijan Public Committee for European Integration.

"Azerbaijan committed no aggression against Armenia, and did not occupy its territory. Azerbaijan underwent aggression: for almost 30 years, 20 percent of its territory had been occupied; about 800,000 people were expelled from their homelands, where ethnic cleansings were conducted," Mr Djuvarly has stated.

He believes that the Armenia's suit against Azerbaijan has no prospects. "Azerbaijan has more chances to win lawsuits at international courts against Armenia, because the latter's involvement in war crimes is obvious. The Armenia Armed Forces of fought in Azerbaijan; weapons also came from Armenia," Togrul Djuvarly has concluded.