Fact-finding reports 'must be part and parcel of negotiations' - lawyer calls for intn'l probe into Azerbaijani violence

Hermine Mikayelyan

The Azerbaijani offensives against civilians may be a subject of an international investigation given that any attack launched from the prohibited weapons used constitutes a crime against humanity, a Yerevan-based attorney said today, stressing the importance of proper fact-finding analysis.

"Situational panels tasked with a specific fact-finding mission were created to resolve crimes against humanity and initiate probes. Those data present an unchangeable report which is normally submitted to the UN Security Council, allowing it to commit itself to the criminal accountability of individuals for crimes against humanity through referring cases to the International Criminal Court," Siranush Sahakyan told Tert.am.

Addressing the possibilities of a  political accountability, the lawyer noted that any available evidence is in that case directly submitted to international organizations which, after the necessary fact-checking, issue condemnatory calls and embark, upon necessity, on other forms of sanctions (in case of a failure to follow or deter the processes).

Sahakyan also stressed the importance of making the fact-finding reports "part and parcel of the negotiation process" to avoid omitting vital data.

"It is important to present the fact-finding reports during the negotiations, as the information contained therein is essentially vital also in terms of conflict resolution and legitimacy of actions. The loss of such important information is impermissible," she added.

The lawyer proposed also NGOs' engagement in the fact-finding activities (in addition to the reports compiled by the human rights defenders of Artsakh and Armenia). "The defense and foreign offices must see to it that the available facts are complete to later submit them to the international community through the correct channels. There are documented violations of international humanitarian law; without documented evidence, the European Court [of Human Rights] would not have passed any judgment," Sahakyan added.