In the heart of Prague: Moving tribute to Azerbaijan's mine victims Art meets advocacy

An exhibition dedicated to mine victims in Azerbaijan recently took place in Prague, organized by the Gilavar Photo Club with support from the State Support Agency for Azerbaijani NGOs and the Land of Fire organization, which consists of Azerbaijani activists based in the Czech Republic.

The first photo exhibition, titled “Düyməni sıxan ayaqlar” ("Feet Pressing the Button"), was hosted at Old Town Square in Prague's historic centre, while the second exhibition was held at Republic Square, situated at the junction of the Old and New Towns, Gilavar's press service told local media, per Caliber.Az.

Both locations are among the most frequented by locals and tourists. Alongside striking images captured by Famil Mahmudbeyli, information panels in English provided context for the exhibits.

Visitors were informed that 381 individuals have fallen victim to landmines laid by Armenia during its 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories from 2020 to the present. The presence of these mines hampers Azerbaijan's construction and reconstruction efforts and complicates the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their homes. Armenia's ongoing refusal to provide maps of the minefields raises significant concerns regarding its commitment to normalizing relations with Azerbaijan and engaging in the peace process. The international community is urged not to overlook Armenia's mine-related aggression against Azerbaijan.

Following its victory over Armenia in the Second Karabakh War in November 2020, Azerbaijan initiated demining operations in the territories that had been under Armenian control for nearly three decades. However, these efforts have faced considerable obstacles due to Armenia's reluctance to share vital maps indicating mine locations.

Azerbaijan managed to obtain minefield maps for previously occupied districts, including Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Zangilan, which reportedly detail the coordinates of approximately 189,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. In addition, Armenia provided maps for other liberated regions in Azerbaijan. In exchange for these maps, Azerbaijan released dozens of Armenian saboteurs detained within its territory post-war. Nevertheless, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that the accuracy of the maps was only about 25 per cent.

According to the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency, the effectiveness of the maps supplied by Armenia in mine action was reported to be a mere two per cent. Azerbaijani government data indicates that international experts estimate it will take nearly 30 years and approximately $25 billion to address the challenges associated with demining efforts.

By Tamilla Hasanova