APPEAL BY 31 FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIANS ON THE OCCASION OF THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORCED DISPLACEMENT OF THE ARMENIAN POPULATION OF ARTSAKH (NAGORNO-KARABAKH)

Thirty-one French senators and members of parliament have issued a joint appeal on the occasion of the anniversary of the forced displacement of the people of Artsakh, emphasizing the need to hold accountable those responsible for ethnic cleansing, to ensure the return of the people of Artsakh, the release of prisoners, and other essential measures. The appeal states in particular:

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched an unjustified and large-scale military offensive against the population of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), bringing to an end the centuries-long presence of Armenians on this land. The attack occurred at a time when the international community — through the OSCE Minsk Group, co-chaired by France, the United States, and Russia — had committed to resolving the conflict exclusively by peaceful means, taking into account the right of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to determine their own future. Despite this commitment, Baku chose the path of war.

Within a few days, the last 120,000 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh — the entire population of the territory — were forced to flee to Armenia. This mass displacement was preceded by a nine-month blockade of energy, food, and medical supplies, intended to make life impossible for the Armenian population and compel them to abandon their homes permanently. In reality, the blockade was a deliberate stage of an ethnic cleansing policy, resulting in the complete expulsion of the Armenian population.

It must be recalled that the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh was formed in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, as a result of a democratic referendum organized by the indigenous population, in accordance with the principle of the right to self-determination.

Today, two years later, most of the forcibly displaced continue to live in uncertainty and poverty, facing the risk of permanent exile. The Armenian cultural heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh is being destroyed or distorted. Armenian prisoners of war, including former high-ranking officials of Nagorno-Karabakh, remain held in Baku’s prisons without guarantees of a fair trial. The Baku regime continues its policy with impunity, erasing every trace of Armenian presence from the region.

We, the French parliamentarians, call upon the Government of France and European institutions not to yield to diplomatic indifference.
We reaffirm the following principles:

1. Clear and unequivocal condemnation of the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the assault of September 19, 2023, and Azerbaijan’s continued violations of international law;

2. Immediate release of all Armenian prisoners unlawfully held by Azerbaijan, including former political leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh;

3. Establishment of an international platform to assess the conditions for the return, security, and fundamental rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh;

4. Reaffirmation of the inalienable right of the displaced Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to a safe, dignified, and unimpeded return to their homes, in accordance with the decisions of international courts, particularly that of November 17, 2023;

5. Targeted European sanctions against those responsible for war crimes, human rights violations, and actions against the territorial integrity of Armenia;

6. Support for international investigations to document the violations committed in Nagorno-Karabakh and to initiate judicial proceedings under Article 14 of the Rome Statute;

7. Strengthening of assistance to Armenia in the areas of humanitarian support, security, and cultural cooperation.

On this sorrowful anniversary, we reaffirm that the expulsion of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh is not destiny. Their right of return must remain at the center of the agenda of democratic nations. The European Union cannot defend its values with shifting standards: justice and human rights must be universal — including in the South Caucasus.

Signatories:

1. Member of Parliament Joël Aviranyé — Socialist Party

2. Senator Catherine Belriti — The Republicans

3. Senator Guy Benarosh — The Ecologists

4. Member of Parliament Véronique Bess — Independent

5. Senator Étienne Blanc — The Republicans

6. Senator François Bonno — Centrist Union

7. Senator Valérie Bouayé — The Republicans

8. Member of Parliament Xavier Breton — The Republicans

9. Senator Bernard Bué — Ensemble

10. Senator Ghislaine Cambié — Centrist Union

11. Senator Marie-Arlette Carlotti — Socialist Party

12. Member of Parliament Paul Christofle — Socialist Party

13. Member of Parliament Pierrick Courbon — Socialist Party

14. Senator Gilbert-Luc Duvinaz — Socialist Party

15. Member of Parliament Philippe Gosselin — The Republicans

16. Senator Béatrice Gosselin — The Republicans

17. Member of Parliament Emmanuel Grégoire — Socialist Party

18. Member of Parliament Michel Herbillon — The Republicans

19. Senator Annick Jacquemet — Centrist Union

20. Senator Yannick Jadot — The Ecologists

21. Member of Parliament Laurent Lardy — Socialist Party

22. Member of Parliament Emmanuel Mandon — Ensemble

23. Member of Parliament Alexandra Martin — The Republicans

24. Senator Thierry Menyén — The Republicans

25. Member of Parliament Jean-François Portarie — Horizons

26. Member of Parliament Richard Ramos — The Democrats

27. Member of Parliament Isabelle Santiago — Socialist Party

28. Senator Marc Séné — The Republicans

29. Senator Anne Suiris — The Ecologists

30. Member of Parliament Aurélien Taché — France Unbowed

31. Senator Rachin Temal — Socialist Party