Azerbaijani families of missing persons raise concerns at UN in Geneva

Representatives of the Karabakh Missing Families Public Union met with the Secretariat of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED) of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva to address the fate of Azerbaijani citizens who went missing as a result of Armenia’s military aggression.

Konul Behbudova, Chairperson of the Karabakh Missing Families Public Union, reported that 3,990 Azerbaijani citizens have gone missing, including six during the 44-day war in 2020. Among the missing are 71 children, 284 women, and 316 elderly people. Behbudova emphasised the importance of increased international efforts, particularly by the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, to clarify the fate of missing Azerbaijanis and to urge Armenia to provide relevant information, Caliber.Az reports via Azertag. 

Armenia has not provided any information about this for over three decades,” Behbudova said. “In August 2023, we addressed an appeal to the UN Secretary-General, the President of the UN General Assembly, the President of the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, asking that Armenia be urged to disclose information regarding the missing persons and provide Azerbaijan with the locations of mass graves. We have not received a response yet.” 

She stressed that international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions of 1949, recognises families’ right to receive information about missing persons during armed conflicts.

“We want our rights to be treated with respect,” the chairperson underlined.

Behbudova also shared a personal note, revealing that her attendance at the meeting came just a day after her father’s passing. 

“My father passed away tormented by the loss of his son, Abbas Behbudov, who went missing in Zangilan in 1992. Leaving my father’s funeral unfinished, I came here to ensure his final wish—that you would help us determine the fate of my brother. This was my father's greatest wish, and like thousands of other families who have waited for years, he was still waiting for any news about him," Behbudova added.

Other family members attending the meeting included Elmira Dadashova, mother of missing Ilham Dadashov; Mahuru Shahin, mother of missing Shahin Aliyev; Farida Jabbarova, spouse of missing Azad Jabbarov; Reyhan Janiyeva, spouse of missing Sakhavat Janiyev; and Parvana Mammadova, spouse of missing Ogtay Mammadov. They expressed concern that no individuals responsible for war crimes against Azerbaijan have been brought to justice in Armenia, and some are publicly celebrated as heroes.

The families highlighted the discovery of 28 mass graves in territories liberated since 2020, describing the killings, inhumane burials, and disappearances as a profound violation of human values. Some cases involved entire families going missing, resulting in the disappearance of whole generations. The union called on Armenia to provide maps of mass graves to Azerbaijan.

The representatives also noted diminished trust in the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding updates on their loved ones and urged the UN to consider establishing special rapporteurs on missing persons to address the global significance of the issue.

During the meeting, the representatives of the “Karabakh Missing Families” Public Union underscored that the issue of the missing persons is of global significance, urging the UN to establish the institution of special rapporteurs on missing persons.

CED Secretariat members Gabriela Guzman and Albane Prophette-Pallasco took note of the discussions. This meeting marked the first time the Karabakh Missing Families Public Union’s request has been formally presented at the UN level.

By Sabina Mammadli