Ocampo's shift on Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands “Revelation” or raising the stakes?

Luis Moreno Ocampo, the former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, who has built a controversial reputation as both an adventurer and a charlatan, recently made a surprising public declaration: Armenia did indeed occupy Azerbaijani territories. In an interview with German journalist Bianca Schmolze—known for her pro-Armenian views—Ocampo responded to a question regarding the legitimacy of the so-called "Republic of Artsakh" by stating, "There were areas that were under Armenia that were Azeri territory, and that is right. So, Armenia was occupying territory that belonged to Azerbaijan. That is right."

This development presents an intriguing twist. Such a "confession" from the former prosecutor, known for his ties to the Armenian lobby, was unexpected not only in Azerbaijan but likely in Armenia as well. Despite being well-informed about the reasons behind the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, Ocampo has, in recent years, dutifully carried out the orders of his Armenian sponsors to tarnish Azerbaijan’s reputation, actively supporting the Karabakh junta.

Notably, just before his "revelation," Ocampo spent several months fervently advocating for a boycott of COP29, while emphasizing the issue of "Armenian prisoners of war." For instance, on September 13, at a press conference in Yerevan, he stated that the release of former leaders of the separatist entity in Karabakh, who are awaiting trial in Baku, should be on the agenda of the COP29 summit.

"Our message ahead of COP29 in Baku is to release Armenian hostages, stop the genocide, and protect Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia," Ocampo declared.

Similar provocative calls surrounding the climate conference in Baku were also initiated by the Argentine provocateur earlier in July of 2024.

Ocampo's track record is filled with a multitude of services aimed against Azerbaijan. For instance, he promoted the false narrative of a "genocide of Armenians in Karabakh." In the summer of 2023, Ocampo presented a "report" on the so-called "genocide in Karabakh," which he compiled at the request of the war criminal Arayik Harutyunyan. Later, in December of the same year, he published a second report "on the genocide of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh."

It goes without saying that these commissioned "reports" contained fabricated information about a "humanitarian catastrophe" in Karabakh and reflected attacks against Azerbaijan. However, despite Ocampo's efforts and those of the Armenian lobby, these two dubious documents did not achieve the expected impact and were thoroughly dismantled by leading lawyer and international law expert Rodney Dixon of Temple Garden Chambers.

Dixon demonstrated the inaccuracies in Ocampo's claims, concluding that the allegations made by Moreno Ocampo were unfounded, incomplete, and riddled with inaccuracies. For example, the assertion that "genocide is currently being perpetrated” in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan is entirely baseless. Dixon noted that Ocampo's conclusion employs a blatantly selective approach to the facts, emphasizing that the selective nature of the conclusion further underscores the absence of any mention of Armenia's rejection of Azerbaijan's proposal to explore alternative pathways for ensuring the safety of ethnic Armenian residents.

Nevertheless, Ocampo continued to enjoy the patronage of the Armenian lobby, making appearances here and there with anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric. Moreover, as previously reported by Caliber.Az, Ocampo has become the primary media spokesperson hired by the global Armenian community to disseminate anti-Azerbaijani propaganda in the lead-up to COP29. This campaign began in June 2024 and systematically called on the international community to boycott COP29 for political reasons.

The main objectives of this campaign are to undermine Azerbaijan's reputation, prevent COP29 from being held in Baku, and use the conference as a means of political pressure on Azerbaijan, particularly to secure the release of Armenian-origin war criminals who are under investigation.

Then came Ocampo's surprising admission that Armenia occupied Azerbaijani territories. However, while he acknowledged "A," he did not dare to address "B": namely, that his reports from the previous year were entirely fabricated and funded, and that those he labelled as "victims" were, in fact, occupiers.

Despite this, there should be no illusions about Ocampo's so-called "awakening." Individuals who sell out for money are often willing to abandon their previous statements and beliefs in pursuit of even greater financial gain. The pressing question remains: who in Azerbaijan needs this repurposed pawn, the former ICC prosecutor, now being exploited by the Armenians?