Siranush Sahakyan Warns: Armenia Must Defend Its Sovereignty Against Azerbaijan in International Court

Legal experts in Armenia and the diaspora are intensely disagreeing with the Armenian government's discussion revolving around the possibility of abandoning legal actions against Azerbaijan in international courts. In an exclusive interview with The Armenian Report, Siranush Sahakyan, President of the International and Comparative Law Center and a practicing attorney representing Armenian prisoners of war (POWs), voiced her concerns.

The prospect of relinquishing legal proceedings against Azerbaijan has drawn sharp scrutiny from various quarters within Armenia. Critics argue that such a decision could have far-reaching consequences, potentially jeopardizing Armenia's position and undermining efforts to uphold the rights of its people.

In an exclusive statement to The Armenian Report, Sahakyan highlighted the pressure Armenia faces from Azerbaijan, particularly concerning the occupied region of Artsakh. She emphasized Azerbaijan's infringement on Artsakh's right to self-determination through the use of force and its attempts to suppress it.

Sahakyan emphasized the significance of ongoing legal processes, stating that they hold the potential to challenge Azerbaijan's actions and safeguard the rights of Armenians. However, she cautioned against the withdrawal from these judicial proceedings, warning that it could result in the permanent abandonment of Artsakh's and Armenia's legal demands.

"Armenia’s government is under pressure from Azerbaijan, which suppressed the self-determination of Artsakh through the illegal use of force and seeks to extinguish it. Ongoing legal processes hold the potential to reverse the situation and pose a risk for Azerbaijan. By compelling Armenian authorities to withdraw from the ongoing judicial proceedings, Artsakh’s and Armenian rights and legal demands would be abandoned permanently," Sahakyan explained to The Armenian Report.

Addressing the need to tackle this challenge, Sahakyan outlined a strategy aimed at preventing the abandonment of complaints against Azerbaijan. She emphasized the importance of garnering public attention and pressure while simultaneously strengthening individual cases in international forums. Sahakyan's approach involves incorporating legal arguments concerning Artsakh's right to self-determination and the protection of Armenians into these complaints, thereby bolstering Armenia's position.

"In evaluating the potential abandonment of complaints, our goal is to prevent this scenario by garnering public attention and pressure. Simultaneously, we are ramping up our efforts in international forums by strengthening the individual cases to establish counterbalances. Our endeavor also includes incorporating legal questions regarding the right to self-determination of Artsakh and the protection of Armenians into individual complaints," concluded Sahakyan.