Azerbaijan calls on UN to uncover fate of missing persons Photo

Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Tofig Musayev, has urged the UN General Assembly to take immediate action in addressing the fate of missing persons.

Speaking at discussions on the subject, Musayev highlighted Azerbaijan’s role as the author and initiator of the General Assembly’s biennial resolution on missing persons, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

Musayev stated that since the early 1990s, as a result of Armenia’s aggression and occupation, 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens have gone missing, with their fate still unknown.

“This issue demands urgent attention and action. Among the missing are 774 civilians, including 116 women, 315 elderly individuals, and 75 children. Entire generations have been wiped out. Some of these individuals even disappeared under unknown circumstances after being visited by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) while in detention,” Musayev emphasised.

He also pointed to the discovery of mass graves in territories reclaimed by Azerbaijan.

“The remains of 120 individuals have been found in 23 mass graves and other burial sites in Azerbaijan’s historical lands, liberated from occupation. These graves not only help clarify the fate of many missing persons but also serve as evidence of the deliberate killing of civilians and other individuals,” he noted.

Musayev stressed that Azerbaijan is taking decisive steps not only in locating and identifying missing persons but also in investigating crimes against humanity committed during the conflict and ensuring accountability.

“However, many perpetrators continue to enjoy impunity, finding safe haven in Armenia and other countries. Denying their crimes and attempting to obstruct justice is a blatant disregard for international law and the rule of law,” he stated.

The Azerbaijani envoy concluded by underscoring the need to turn international commitments on missing persons into concrete action, calling for zero tolerance towards impunity and a thorough investigation into the fate of every missing individual.

By Aghakazim Guliyev