Azerbaijan's ombudsman urges global efforts for peace, resolution of post-conflict issues In Victory Day statement

Azerbaijan's Commissioner for Human Rights Sabina Aliyeva has called on international organisations, states, and human rights institutions to collaborate on ensuring adherence to international legal norms and restoring rights and freedoms violated during the war. 

In a statement dedicated to the fifth anniversary of Victory Day, Aliyeva focused on the ongoing challenges in the region following Azerbaijan's victory in the 2020 Patriotic war, including the return of displaced persons, the identification of missing individuals, and the clearance of landmines from liberated territories, Caliber.Az reports. 

"On 27 September 2020, the armed forces of Armenia committed war crimes by targeting residential areas densely populated with Azerbaijani civilians with intensive and heavy munitions in order to continue the occupation policy," she said. "Consequently, numerous civilians were killed and wounded, and civilian, administrative, and social objects were destroyed."

The human rights commissioner emphasised that these actions violated multiple principles of international law, including respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. 

“Armenia, by doing so, namely, violating norms of international law, particularly the principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-use of force, and peaceful settlement of disputes, created serious threats to the peace and security, human life, and health through committing military aggression against the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan,” she added. 

Aliyeva continued by highlighting Azerbaijan's right to self-defence as enshrined in the United Nations Charter, which led to Azerbaijan's successful counter-offensive to reclaim territories occupied by Armenia for nearly three decades. 

"Under the triumphant leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and through the solidarity of the people, our glorious Army freed our lands in only 44 days, delivering a moment of glorious victory to our people,” she noted. 

The commissioner also addressed the post-conflict operations in 2023, which aimed to prevent separatist provocations and safeguard human rights. 

The ombudsman acknowledged significant progress in the region, particularly the 2025 Washington DC summit between Azerbaijan and Armenia that paved the way for a peace agreement. 

“In general, in August of 2025, in order to ensure sustainable peace in the South Caucasus, in the meeting between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, DC, held with the participation of the President of the United States of America, the ‘Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia’ was initiated. Hence, a solid foundation has been laid down for peaceful living of peoples in the region, guided by mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs,” she stressed.

However, she also pointed out the ongoing challenges that remain, such as identifying the whereabouts of missing persons, ensuring the safe and decent return of former IDPs to the liberated territories, and providing accurate maps of minefields for expediting mine action.

In closing, the ombudsman called for concerted international efforts to address these issues. 

“As the Commissioner for Human Rights [Ombudsman] of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I would like to emphasize that international organizations, states, ombudspersons, and national human rights institutions of other countries should join efforts to ensure compliance with international legal norms, restore human rights and freedoms violated as a result of war, and establish sustainable development and lasting peace.

I pay my deepest respect to the dearest memory of our martyrs who had fallen for the full maintenance of our state’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and I wish lasting peace and security for our country, the region, and the entire world,” she finalised. 

By Sabina Mammadli