Activists called the protection of the rights of Karabakh refugees an integral part of the struggle against the Amulsar mine.

Participants of the rally in Yerevan, against the backdrop of environmental demands, particularly the suspension of the Amulsar mine for assessing environmental risks, pointed to the right of Karabakh refugees to return and preserve their cultural heritage. The rally, timed to coincide with the COP17 Conference, took place under the slogan: "No protection of nature without human rights."

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", opponents of the development of the Amulsar deposit at a protest rally in Yerevan expressed concerns about the environmental risks of mining programs. In January 2024, the Armenian government transferred 12.5% of the shares of the geological exploration company Lydian Armenia, which holds the license for the operation of the Amulsar gold mine, to state ownership. The state's participation in the company does not reduce the risks of developing the Amulsar deposit, which threatens the existence of the Jermuk resort, environmentalists pointed out.

From October 19 to 30, the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17) will take place in Yerevan. More than 13,000 registered delegates are participating in the 17th Conference. A total of 10,000 to 15,000 people are expected, reports the First Public Television Channel of Armenia.

A protest rally with the slogan: "No protection of biodiversity without human rights and justice" took place in Yerevan on October 15 in front of the Armenian government building. It was organized by the initiative "COP17 - No protection of nature without human rights" with the participation of the Council for the Protection of the Rights of Artsakh residents (Karabakh residents) and the civil initiative "Ayakve" (Armenian Vote).

After the rally, participants sent a letter with demands to the Armenian government and to the countries participating in COP17, noting that "there is no protection of nature without human rights and justice."

The letter put forward demands "to declare from the high podium of COP17 the necessity of safe and dignified return of Artsakh (Karabakh) Armenians, preservation of the natural and cultural heritage of Artsakh, and prevention of its destruction; to suspend the operation of the Amulsar mine until a proper assessment of environmental risks, clarification of the circumstances of alleged violations of legislation, and ensuring full public participation; to guarantee all citizens, including Artsakh Armenians and representatives of civil society, the rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and participation in the process of making socially significant decisions."

Also from the international community - "to consistently defend the rights of Artsakh Armenians, to promote the release of Armenian hostages held in Azerbaijan, and to demand an independent investigation into violations of international humanitarian law and damage caused to the nature of Artsakh."

It is impossible to talk about the protection of nature while silencing violations of people's rights, the destruction of their homeland and cultural heritage.

"COP17 should not become an international showcase behind which violated rights and unresolved issues remain unnoticed. It is impossible to talk about the protection of nature while silencing violations of people's rights, the destruction of their homeland and cultural heritage," the letter states (available to the "Caucasian Knot").

The first ombudsman of Armenia Larisa Alaverdyan in her speech at the rally accused the government of the country of "violating human rights, spreading hatred, and conducting an anti-Armenian policy."

"How can one talk about climate protection while simultaneously destroying natural territories? Does the fight for the climate imply conducting an anti-Christian campaign in a country that was the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion? Can one protect the climate while at the same time arresting people for opposition views or posts on social media published several years ago?" the human rights defender stated.

Alaverdyan called the government's policy towards refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh "anti-Armenian." According to her, the Armenian authorities are conducting a campaign "not only against Artsakh Armenians but against all Armenians."

Environmentalist Silva Adamyan in her speech at the rally opposed the exploitation of the Amulsar gold mine, considering the project "a serious threat to the nature of Armenia."

"The development of the deposit creates risks of pollution of water resources and the environment with toxic substances, including due to the use of cyanide in gold mining. The proximity of the mine to the Jermuk resort and the water ecosystems of the region raises particular concern," she stated.

Adamyan believes that "the possible economic benefit is not comparable to the long-term environmental consequences, and calls on COP17 to "consider this issue taking into account the risks to human health and the future of Armenia's natural territories."

Restoring the environment after possible ecological damage can take decades and even centuries.

"On behalf of all environmentalists, I urge the government to stop the project. Restoring the environment after possible ecological damage can take decades and even centuries. Decisions in the field of subsoil use must take into account not only economic interests but also the responsibility for preserving the natural heritage of the country for future generations," Adamyan stated.

Public figure Georg Safaryan spoke out against the development of the Amulsar gold deposit at the rally, stating the "environmental risks of the project, including the threat of pollution of Lake Sevan."

"The international platform COP17 should be used not only to discuss global environmental issues but also to draw attention to specific threats to the environment and violations of human rights in the region," Safaryan noted.

The activist criticized the Armenian authorities for their "insufficiently active position on the issue of the release of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians held in Baku."

We once again advocate for the right of Artsakh residents to return, preserve cultural heritage, and protect the biodiversity of Artsakh.

"Holding the international conference COP17 in Yerevan should be an opportunity to draw the attention of the world community to the fate of Armenian prisoners and achieve concrete actions for their release," Safaryan stated.

"The rights of Artsakh residents continue to be ignored. At today's rally, we once again advocate for the right of Artsakh residents (Karabakh residents) to return, preserve cultural heritage, and protect the biodiversity of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Meanwhile, Azerbaijan is deliberately destroying the nature and cultural heritage of Artsakh," public figure Artak Beglaryan stated at the rally.

According to him, "the Armenian authorities do not respond to the destruction of Armenian churches and historical monuments."

"We do not renounce our rights and continue to fight for our return to our homeland, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the protection of the biodiversity of Artsakh, of which indigenous peoples are an integral part. Since the agenda of COP17 includes issues of protecting the rights of indigenous peoples, the right of Artsakh residents to return should be one of the key demands," Beglaryan stated.

The ombudsman for cultural issues of Artsakh Ovik Avanesov stated at the rally that "holding the COP17 conference in Armenia should be an occasion to draw the attention of the international community to the destruction of the cultural heritage of Artsakh and the policy of Azerbaijan towards the Armenian population."

"Since the beginning of the war on September 27, 2020, more than 1,000 cases of vandalism have been recorded in Artsakh, as well as the destruction of more than 10 villages along with their historical and cultural landscapes," he pointed out.

Avanesov emphasized that "participants of the COP17 conference should not ignore what is happening now in Artsakh, as silence contributes to the continued destruction of Armenian cultural heritage."

It should be noted that in April 2014, the Amulsar gold deposit development project was brought to public hearings. The initiator of the developments, Lydian International, assured that gold mining would have minimal impact on the ecology. In February 2019, the Armenian government allocated about $400,000 for research on the environmental risks of the development of the deposit. An international expert group considered the risks to the environment during the operation of the deposit to be minimal, the Investigative Committee of Armenia stated in August 2019. This statement was met with protests from the residents of the city of Jermuk.

In December 2021, the Investigative Committee of Armenia stated that it had not identified any abuses in the issuance of permits for the operation of the Amulsar deposit.

Residents of the communities of Jermuk and Gndevaz are convinced that gold mining at the Amulsar deposit will lead to an ecological disaster both in the resort city of Jermuk and at Lake Sevan. Activists have repeatedly blocked roads leading from the highway to Jermuk.

Residents of Jermuk have expressed concerns that the operation of the deposit will lead to the demise of the resort, which is famous for its mineral waters, will affect the ecology, and will cause an increase in a number of diseases, including oncological ones.