Western Azerbaijanis slam Lemkin Institute, label it “collection of scribblers'"

POLITICS  16 April 2024 - 13:41

The Western Azerbaijan Community has issued a statement condemning the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, accusing it of targeting Azerbaijan with baseless accusations and slander.

The community's statement highlights the perceived bias of the institute and its failure to acknowledge the plight of Azerbaijanis in Armenia, Caliber.Az reports.

"The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention has recently targeted Azerbaijan. The activity of this office, which ignores the fact that there is not a single Azerbaijani left in Armenia, as well as numerous acts of genocide committed by this state during the occupation, consists solely of slandering Azerbaijan," the statement from the community asserted.

Delving deeper into the origins of the Lemkin Institute, the community pointed out its financial backing, ties to individuals facing legal scrutiny in Azerbaijan. The institute, funded by Ruben Vardanyan and Noubar Afeyan, was described as nothing more than a "collection of scribblers" by the Western Azerbaijan Community.

The statement also called attention to the prominent representation of individuals with ties to radical elements of the Armenian diaspora within the Lemkin Institute. Figures such as E. Poghosyan and L. Mirzoyan were singled out as examples of this influence.

"We strongly condemn the slander against Azerbaijan by this organization and the abuse of the name of Professor Rafael Lemkin, who played a major role in shaping the international struggle against genocide," the statement continued.

In a call to action, the Western Azerbaijan Community urged states, international organizations, and civil society to combat what they described as "disinformation campaigns of radical Armenian nationalist circles."

Caliber.Az