My response to the speech of Ilham Aliyev at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly

In 1939, in his speech at the Canadian Club, Winston Churchill loudly declared: “The whole world is now looking at us because we are upholding universal human values.” It was these words that burst into my memory when I heard the speech of another tyrant who came to our world from neighboring Azerbaijan. Yes, today the whole world is looking at a small island of freedom named Armenia, which fights modern fascism almost alone – the brown plague of the 21st century, expressed in the face of the revived pan-Turkist authoritarian regimes of Baku and Ankara, which, for the sake of their narrow clan-corrupt goals, are eager to break peace and stability not only in the region, but throughout the whole world.

Aliyev, guided by the principle “the best defense is an attack”, accused Armenia of everything that directly relates to the own crimes of the Baku regime. However, as great Dostoevsky wrote: “There is a line in all things that is dangerous to cross; for it is impossible to return once you have crossed it.” Aliyev’s regime crossed this line by creating a state that sponsors terrorism, a state that is a war criminal, a state that is an aggressor, and a state that is a threat to international peace and stability.

No matter how well in his speech Aliyev Jr. tries to present the country built by his family as part of the progressive world community – Azerbaijan continues to occupy 129th place by the rate of corruption, one of the first places by the rate of shadow economy, continues to remain in the group of authoritarian states, falling every year in the index of democracy and the freedom of the press, as well as constantly getting into reports of international organizations for human rights violations.

No matter how Aliyev tried to divert the attention of the world community from the crimes against humanity, devoting most of his speech to joint international development, the diplomatic activities of the Baku regime are forever tainted by “caviar” corruption, having ISIS-type military machine behind its shoulders.

I will only mention a few facts on the basis of which an international investigation should be carried out and international sanctions imposed on the criminal regime in Baku.

1. Large-scale aggression against Artsakh and Armenia, which completely destroyed peace negotiations, peace and stability in the region.

2. Multiple violations of the fundamental articles of the UN Charter.

3. War crimes committed both in the April war of 2016 and during the 44-day war in 2020 against the peaceful Armenian population of Artsakh, and Armenian prisoners of war.

4. The use of prohibited weapons during the 44-day war of 2020 (including cluster bombs and elements of chemical weapons), the bombing of peaceful settlements, schools and hospitals.

5. Transfer and use of terrorists from Syria in military offense.

6. Destruction and Azerbajanization of the Armenian cultural heritage.

7. Illegal blockade against Artsakh and Armenia, which is aimed at de-Armenianization of the historical area of residence of Armenians.

8. Incitement of hatred against Armenians both inside Azerbaijan (including among children) and outside, which in fact is a continuation of the genocidal policy of Ottoman Turkey.

9. Constant encroachment on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia, expressed in aggressive rhetoric, substitution of historical truth, propaganda of hatred, as well as in direct hostilities and violations of the sovereign borders of the Republic of Armenia.

10. Opening of the “Park of Trophies” in Baku, the main symbol of instilling hatred towards Armenians in Azerbaijan.

11. Detention of prisoners of war, including civilians, torture and murder.

12. Desecration of the bodies of killed servicemen and civilians.

And this lengthy list of crimes can be continued for a long time, even without taking into account the constant silence of official Baku regarding the root causes of the Karabagh conflict, namely the genocidal policy of pogroms against the Armenian population of the Azerbaijan SSR at the end of the 20th century. The international community cannot forget the pogroms in Baku and Sumgait, as well as the Operation “Koltso”.

I would also like to emphasize the passion with which the war criminal Aliyev tries to portray Armenia with a negative image, as if hiding from punishment for crimes. Constant attempts to touch the Armenian national hero Nzhdeh cannot be crowned with success, because the whole world knows history better than Aliyev Jr. I think that the Russian people especially remember the merits of Nzhdeh. As an officer of the Russian Imperial Army, Garegin Nzhdeh was awarded the Imperial Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostolic Prince Vladimir, the Imperial Order of St. Anna, twice the St. George Cross and the Order of St. Stanislav. All these awards were given to the hero for brave battles against fascism of young-turks.

The Baku regime should know that the history has repeatedly shown the fate of tyrants who, inspired by the victories and silence of the international community, lost the perception of permissible boundaries. So, this story, as the great Klyuchevsky said, “does not teach anything, but only punishes for ignorance of the lessons.”

Edmon Marukyan,

Leader of the “Bright Armenia” party