The Hague responds to voices of Azerbaijani landmine victims After Munich, Nuremberg, Paris, and Brussels

On October 4, in the city centre of The Hague, Kingdom of the Netherlands, on Grote Marktstraat street, a photo exhibition dedicated to landmine victims in Azerbaijan was opened.

According to Azertac, the exhibition was organised as part of the “European Photo Exhibitions of Landmine Victims” project, implemented by the Gilavar Photo Club with the support of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The local partner of the project in the Netherlands is the Union of Azerbaijani Women in Europe “Ana Vətən.”

Rashad Mehdiyev, chairman of the Gilavar Photo Club, noted that The Hague is globally known as the capital of international law, hosting the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and several other important tribunals: “That is why, after Germany, France, and Belgium, we concluded our exhibition in this city, which holds special symbolic significance. Over nine days in five European cities, well-attended photo exhibitions showcased the tragedies and scars left by Armenia’s landmine warfare on the lives of innocent civilians. Precise maps of the minefields have still not been handed over to Azerbaijan. We dream of a mine-free South Caucasus, of peace, and we demand justice for the victims of landmines. The timing of this exhibition—October 4, the anniversary of Armenia’s missile strikes on Ganja’s civilian population—is deliberate. The shelling of Ganja was yet another attempt at genocide, reminiscent of Khojaly. We concluded the exhibition by planting an olive tree—a symbol of peace and tranquility—at the Khojaly memorial in The Hague. This olive tree expresses deep respect for the memory of those killed or injured by landmines laid by Armenia on Azerbaijani territories.”

The photo exhibition reflected the tragic stories and losses of landmine victims. Visitors in The Hague read the words of landmine victim Elchin Guliyev displayed on his photograph: “A landmine makes no distinction between nationality or profession. It only counts our steps. I was a sapper, and while trying to save lives, I lost my right leg during a mine explosion.”

Landmine victim Elvin Gafarov addressed the residents of The Hague through his photograph, saying: “I was a villager, neither a soldier nor an officer. While performing my everyday work, I stepped on a mine and lost my left leg. The pain caused by this landmine tragedy has made my life difficult and unbearable.”

After Munich, Nuremberg, Paris, and Brussels, The Hague now heard the voices of Azerbaijani landmine victims.

In this way, the Gilavar Photo Club concluded the implementation of the “European Photo Exhibitions of Landmine Victims” project.

By Khagan Isayev