Karabakh mass graves renew calls for Armenia to reveal fate of missing Azerbaijanis PHOTO

Azerbaijan's Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsperson), Sabina Aliyeva, has drawn attention to new evidence of war crimes committed by Armenia during the First Karabakh War, following the discovery of mass graves in the cities of Shusha and Khojaly.

The discovery of these graves, made in April near Shusha, which was liberated from occupation, and along the Asgaran-Khojaly road, has prompted renewed calls for Armenia to fulfill its obligations under international law, Caliber.Az reports via a statement by the Ombudsman’s office.

The remains found in these graves are believed to belong to Azerbaijani civilians, and the traces of violence on the remains suggest that these individuals were victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Armenia during the conflict.

Aliyeva emphasized the continued lack of cooperation from Armenia, which has failed to provide Azerbaijan with crucial information regarding captives, missing persons, and hostages for over 30 years. To date, there are still 3,990 individuals officially listed as missing as a result of Armenia's aggression. Of these, approximately 170 individuals have been identified through ongoing efforts to match remains found in the mass graves in the recently liberated territories.

The Ombudsman underscored that Armenia is legally bound by international agreements, which require the country to provide accurate information about the burial sites of those killed during the conflict. She called on the international community to exert real pressure on Armenia to fulfill these obligations, which are critical for closure and justice for the victims and their families.

Aliyeva’s statement further stressed the importance of holding Armenia accountable for its actions, not only to ensure justice for the victims of the First Karabakh War but also to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law.

By Vafa Guliyeva