British Armenian Humanitarian Group e-mail: info@britisharmenian.org
Dear supporter!
Thank you for your ongoing support to this PETITION for the release of Armenian POWs and civilian hostages!
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In the photo taken during our recent protest in front of the Parliament, is the famous British broadcaster Robert Peston, whom we thank for his support of human rights and freedom for all!
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PETITION UPDATE, 4 NOVEMBER 2024
Next week, the world will turn its attention to COP29, the United Nations' annual climate summit taking place in Azerbaijani capital Baku. Tens of thousands of delegates including journalists, scientists, NGOs, IGOs, civil society representatives and heads of states will gather in Baku. Policymakers and government officials from 150+ states will meet to discuss and negotiate global climate goals.
With the help from a high-priced Western PR firm, Azerbaijan attempts to rebrand itself as a progressive, morally and environmentally conscious nation. This is overt greenwashing and peacewashing to distract the world from its horrific environmental and human rights record.
We cannot stand by.
Firstly, as far as the Climate change is concerned, Aliyev has no plans on cutting out fossil fuels and intends to triple exports of natural gas to Europe by 2027. This undermines everything that the climate conferences aim to achieve. Additionally, Russian oil exports to Azerbaijan have quadrupled after the invasion of Ukraine, allowing Azerbaijan to export the Russian oil to third countries, including EU. In fact, Azerbaijan’s general trade with Russia increased by 17.5% in 2023, reaching US$4.3 billion (£3.2 billion).
Secondly, Baku has been clamping down on internal dissent, with 100s of journalists, academics, lawyers, and activists having been arrested and sentenced for raising their voices. Months before the start of COP29, at least 25 journalists and activists have been arrested in Baku. Yet this is hardly reported these days, thanks to Azerbaijan’s famous “caviar diplomacy” unveiled almost a decade ago, according to European Parliament report. Aliyev’s strategy has involved bribing Western politicians, journalists, PR companies and think tanks, with whose tacit help Azerbaijan has been able to largely shield itself from scrutiny and continue British and EU investments.
And finally, we must draw the attention of world leaders attending COP29 to brutal war crimes and violation of human rights by the current Azerbaijani regime against ethnic Armenians:
a) barbaric beheadings, dismembering and mutilation of Armenian hostages, including women, posted on social media by Azerbaijani militants;
b) ethnic cleansing of 150,000 indigenous Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh between September 2020 and October 2023;
c) ongoing and systematic destruction and ethnocide of Armenian heritage and history in Nagorno-Karabakh, including masterpieces of Armenian pre-Christian sites and Armenian Christian architecture from the 4th century;
d) the prohibition of 150,00 ethnic Armenians to return to their ancestral homes in Nagorno-Karabakh, who are currently refugees;
e) ongoing military invasion and occupation of sovereign territories of Republic of Armenia since May 2021;
f) Azerbaijani government’s increasing military threat against Armenia.
This polluting, autocratic and warmongering dictatorship should have not been allowed to host UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in November 2024.
But we are where we are. Therefore, taking this opportunity, we urge world leaders and international organisations participating in COP29 to demand from President Aliyev:
• THE UNCONDITIONAL, IMMEDIATE RELEASE of ALL ARMENIAN CIVILIAN HOSTAGES & POWs!
• STOP THE DESTRUCTION of THE ARMENIAN HISTORICAL, CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS HERITAGE in NAGORNO-KARABAKH, IT IS A WAR CRIME!
• THE URGENT WITHDRAWAL OF ALL AZERBAIJANI FORCES FROM THE SOVEREIGN REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA.
References:
https://theconversation.com/azerbaijan-is-using-cop29-to-peacewash-its-global-image-239960
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/cop29-azerbaijan/
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-8-2017-005874_EN.html
British Armenian Humanitarian Group:
info@britisharmenian.org
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